The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Quality of entrants belies poor start to farming year
Considering weather conditions at the start of the farming year, a “good quality” show of sheep were forward for judging at Killin Show where Blackface judge Jimmy Sinclair praised the entry for being i n particularly “good bloom”.
Opting for a “big powerful mover” for his supreme selection of the day, Mr Sinclair sent the championship plaudits home to Glenample, at Lochearnhead, with stockman Colin Little for his leading Nunnerie-bred aged ram.
“It is an outstanding ram,” said Mr Sinclair. “A very commercial animal.”
The three-year ram is by an £8,000 Dyke.
The McLarty family took home the lions share of the silverware and prizes, but had to settle for reserve.
Theyrun3,000ewesat at Glentarken, Lochearn-side, and from Littleport, St Fillans.
Their reserve was a home- bred ewe lamb, which was making the most of her debut show outing.
She is by a home-bred ram and out of Glentarken ewe by a £ 2,000 Auldhouseburn.
“She is very sweet,” said Mr Sinclair.
“I would like to think she will be back out again next year with good success as a gimmer,” he added.
For the third year in succession the championship outside of the Blackie lines was won by Peter McDiarmid and Co, of Shenlarich, Lawers.
His winner was a homebredTexel cross gimmer, by a Texel ram which Peter McDiarmid had bought as a ram lamb from Billy Brady, North Amulree, Dunkeld, and out of a home-bredewe. Shewason her first outing.
The sire had himself stood champion at Killin in both 2011 and 2012.
She was the top choice of the any other breed ring for judge Graeme Sinclair.
Reserve was Peter Reilly, of Tullochmhor, Balquhidder, Lochearnhead, with a home-bred Scotch Mule ewe lamb, also on its show debut. MReilly runs alongside 600 Blackie ewes.
In the cattle lines, John Eddie, of Halhill Farm, Kinneff, Montrose, found his champion in a young heifer, with “great style and shape”.
“She moves nicely and has great potential,” he said of the April-born Limousin cross heifer, champion for theMcDiarmidBrothers, of Ben Lawers Farm, Aberfeldy.
Bred out of a home-bred Limousin cow and by an Irish-bred Limousin bull, bought from Norman Cruikshank, she was making the best of her first show outing.
Reserve was Robert Waugh, of Croftintygan Farm, Lawers, with a spring- born seventheighths heifer by a Claptonbred bull and out of a home-bred cow. The heifer, one eighth Shorthorn, giving it its roan colouring, will be kept for breeding.
“She’ll go on and mature to make an excellent cow,” said Mr Eddie.
“She’s a lovely heifer, but the champion just had the edge in terms of her overall shape,” he said.