Happy Valley lives up to its name as sun shines on 120th Lochaber Show
FERRETS and falcons mingled with terriers and tug-o-war, coupled with a display of the finest local livestock and horses, and drew the crowds to Inverlochy Castle Farm at Happy Valley, just outside Fort William, for Saturday’s staging of the 120th Lochaber Agricultural Show.
The sun made a welcome appearance after a week of wet weather, although the still sodden state of the ground soon saw a host of cars and vans having to be towed out of the car park field as it became more and more churned up as the afternoon wore on – one local four-wheeldrive owner who pitched in to help personally notching up a tally of more than 30 stuck vehicles towed free.
None of that took smiles off the faces of the hundreds who streamed through the gates, however, and none more so than from those entrants who emerged as the show’s champions.
In the sheep lines, Lochaline’s blackface sheep legend John Nudds proved yet again, if anymore proof were needed, that his 40-strong Torr Na Faire flock on Morvern really is something special.
Mr Nudds’s gimmer, Special, which has swept all before it on the show circuit, picked up the overall champion of champions title.
The supreme cattle championship went to Robert and David Wright, of Woodend, Ardgour, for their Lodge Hamlet Limousin calf.
From the equine classes, Karen Smith emerged as overall winner with her Highland champion, Bunnahabhain of Altnaciche.
In the handicrafts section, the WRI Cup went to Edythe Knowles, while the Mrs Elma MacKellar Cup for most points in the whole handcraft section went to Hydi Flux with 107 points.
It was in the sheep lines where some of the toughest judging decisions had to be made, and judges Paul Spencer and John Maxwell certainly had their work cut out for them such was the high quality of the animals on show.
Mr Spencer, judging the pure breeds and cross breeds, plumped for the four-shear Cheviot tup, St John’s Kirk Red Mist, from Iain MacKay, of Torloisk Farm on Mull, as his worthy champion.
Mr Maxwell had chosen Mr Nudds’s gimmer, as his favourite from the blackface entry.
However, the two judges had to agree to disagree on which animal deserved the interbreed sheep title and the adjudicatior was called in, giving the nod to the blackface.
‘The Cheviot is a very deserving overall reserve champion – and in my mind should have been champion,’ Mr Spencer told the Lochaber Times. ‘The Cheviot was a very correct ram, outstanding in fact.
‘John and I had to agree to have what you could call a mutual disagreement,’ laughed Mr Spencer.
Mr Maxwell was equally effusive about the Torr Na Faire blackface: ‘It is a great representative of the breed, with very good shape, great body and good character as well.’
Despite seeing his ram pipped for the overall championship this year, Mr MacKay was still delighted: ‘I’m really pleased – this is the second time he’s been Cheviot champion, winning last year as well, and he was overall sheep champion last year.
‘Picking up trophies like these today is very rewarding because it is confirmation of a year of hard work.’
Robert and David Wright were equally delighted with their Lodge Hamlet Limousin calf which also just keeps on winning titles.
‘We’re very pleased to win here – it’s the Lochaber Show after all, which is a prestigious event to win at,’ said Mr Wright senior.
Show president Malcolm Cameron was another, mostly, happy face.
‘Yes, it’s great that we’ve got some good weather to get folk out and through the gates, although it’s making a real mess of the man’s field,’ he said grimly, as another car got a helpful tow free of the mud.
‘I think cattle entries might be down a wee bit. There’s a lot of hard work involved in showing cattle. That aside, the turn out is very good.’
Asked what the feeling was among the local agricultural community on the state of farming generally, Mr Cameron said many were concerned about the future.
‘They are very worried, to be honest. This area did quite well out of Brussels and people are not sure we will do as well out of London after Brexit.
‘So a lot of people are very concerned and a large part of that is due to the uncertainty. People have no idea whatsoever what is happening. It’s a very worrying time.
‘Days like this, however, are very enjoyable and people can mix with friends and take their mind off things for a bit.
‘It’s fantastic that we have all these other attractions and displays, but we always ensure that livestock is kept at the heart of the show. That’s very important.’
For more pictures and show results, visit www.lochabertimes. co.uk