Family rise to the top for Dairy title

T thehe Lawrie family from Cuthill Towers, Milnathort, had a great day at show, winning the interbreed dairy award, the Ayrshire championship, and also taking reserve in any other dairy breed.

Taking nine cows to the Highland is no mean feat and there was an extensive team of helpers with James and David Lawrie to make sure all the cattle looked their best in the ring.

The Ayrshire and interbreed champion was a fourth calver, Hilltower Modern Marcy by West Mossgiel Modern Reality. She was shown under James’ own prefix as she was bred from a heifer Arthur and Susan bought for his 18th birthday.

Just calved three weeks ago and described by the judge as being “12 o’clock on the day,” she is unbeaten in the three shows she has contested, taking champion at the Highland as a heifer in 2019 and champion at last year’s Great Yorkshire.

Reserve interbreed was the Holstein fourth calver, Logan Estate Jazz from Brian Yates who milks 450 cows at Castle Douglas. She has had numerous wins in her show career, including All Britain winner in 2021.

Fife farmer, Adam Lawson, of North Cassingray, was delighted to achieve a clean sweep in the Dairy Shorthorn classes where he had champion and reserve and junior champion and reserve.

He milks 150 Friesians and has just 25 Dairy Shorthorns at home but has had many successes showing them, winning the Highland four times.

His champion was the home-bred Lisnamulligan Fairy 16 by Winhall William, a second calver currently yielding 35 litres per day and being shown for the first time.

The heifer Winbrook Peeress Rose, by Bushmills Jazz, was reserve overall and junior champion. She was just bought last month from David Dent at Kirkby Stephen and was at her first show.

The M&S Beefbreeder continental champion was a home-bred Simmental bull from Anne Macpherson, Blackford, Croy.

Blackford Local Hero is the first bull to be shown by the privately bought stock sire, Heathrow Important. He was third in his class on Thursday and was half of the pair of calves which won the Joe Watson Memorial Trophy at Stars of the Future in November.

She is unbeaten in the three shows she has contested

FAR LEFT: The Holstein champion, Logan Estate Jazz, from Brian Yates was the reserve dairy interbreed winner. CENTRE: Alan Clark with his champion Texel sheep, a daughter of Procters Chumba Wumba. LEFT: Raymond Irvine with his champion Valais Blacknose, Highland Hero.

VICTORY: Ayrshire championship winner Hilltower Modern Marcy by Arthur and Susan Lawrie, pictured with their team. Pictures by Wullie Marr.