If at first ewe don’t succeed ...
John, 82, wins sheep show prize – at the 56th attempt
PROUD John Campbell is living proof that no matter how long it takes you should never give up on your dream.
For more than 50 years, the farmer has entered his sheep in the same agricultural competition and every year he’s been left feeling baa-d when he’s failed to win.
But he refused to put his ambition out to pasture and this year he was ewe-phoric rather than sheepish when he finally won the Blackface category at the Peebles Show – on his 56th attempt.
The victory fulfilled a life’s goal for John, who said it even topped his achievements with his multimillion-pound business Glenrath, Scotland’s biggest egg producer.
The 82-year-old, who began his farming career as a teenager in Argyllshire, said: “In the sheep world I had two lifetime ambitions.
“One was to sell a lamb for £1000, which I did in 1980, and the other was to win the Blackface Championship, which is far and away the hardest contest to win.
“I was beginning to think it might never happen – time’s running out when you get to 82, after all. I’ve been showing at the event ever since I came here and to win is just the supreme accolade, a lifetime’s achievement.
“There are 900 sheep at the show and it’s a big deal. I’ve had reserve champion once or twice but never the big one.
“Altogether we won nine trophies and the Blackface also won the overall Champion of Champions category.”
So what do judges look for in a sheep to make it stand out from the rest of the flock as a woolly wonder?
“They look at character,” John explained. “They need to have the character to survive the rugged hills. Also fleshing qualities – the lambs are bred for eating, so they need to have good carcasses.”
Glenrath produces 1.5 million eggs every day and employs 240 people, but it remains a family business.
“I’m still involved in the day-today running and my son is the managing director,” said John.
“We have 16 or 17 family members in jobs.
“The competition win is good for staff morale and we had a nice party last week.”