Becks at the double
EXHIBITORS and visitors enjoyed a fantastic day at Langholm Show, held last Saturday, with the sheep lines welcoming one of it’s largest entries of 405 head of sheep to the showring.
It was a day to remember for the Robertson family, Becks Farm, Langholm, who not only lifted the South Country Cheviot breed honours and inter-breed sheep championship, but also the show champion of champions title and the overall South of Scotland Cheviot championship.
Taking all the glory was their four-shear ram, Eskdale Hit and Run, which was purchased at Lockerbie in 2019 for £3200 from shepherd, Fred Little. Sired by Kale Goldblend and out of a ewe by Carlenrig Prince, this boy stood show champion at Moffat earlier this year and will have two sons forward for the breed society sale to be held at Lockerbie, next week.
Standing as reserve show champion to the Cheviot was the Galloway champion and inter-breed cattle victor, the seven-year-old cow Lunar Eclipse of Balgray from D and R Cornthwaite, Balgray Hill, Lockerbie. Shown alongside her May-born bull calf by Trolossé Impeccable, she is a daughter of Balvadine Black Magic and out of a home-bred cow. This girl is no stranger to the show ring either having previously stood any other breed champion at Westmoreland Show and reserve Galloway champion at Moffat.
LEADING awards:
South Country Cheviot (Judge: M Cockburn, Stirkfield). Champion, inter-breed sheep and show champion – J Robertson, Becks, Langholm, with a four-shear ram, Eskdale Hit and Run, which was purchased at Lockerbie in 2019 for £3200 from shepherd, Fred Little. Sired by Kale Goldblend and out of a ewe by Carlenrig Prince, this boy stood show champion at Moffat earlier this year. Reserve – J Hume and Son, Sundhope, Yarrow, with a gimmer on her first outing. She is by the £11,000 Kale Badger purchased from Lockerbie and out of a home-bred ewe by Hindhope Ferrari. Full brothers will also be forward for sale at Lockerbie. Aged ram, tup lamb, untouched direct off the hill, untouched hill ewe lamb, group of three, south of Scotland champion – J Robertson. Dinmont tup – J Paton, Castle Crawford. Pen of two tups – T Aitchison, North Shortcleugh. Hill ewe – D Smith, Middleton of Glasclune. Hill gimmer – J Hume and Son. Hill ewe lamb, untouched shearling tup – JT Fleming, Hislop. Untouched tup lamb – N Manning, Tweedshaws. Untouched hill ewe – L Luescher, Megdale. Untouched hill gimmer – J Common and son, Crossdykes.
Blackface (Judge: U Graham, Sanquhar). Champion – S Anderson, Penchrise, Hawick, with a seven-year-old ewe by a £1300 Burnhead ram purchased at Lanark. Out of a home-bred ewe by a £6000 home-bred Penchrise ram, she stood champion at Roberton Show and reserve champion at Holm Show. Reserve – S Lambie, Ashcraig, with an April-born tup lamb. Sired by a £3500 Kirkland ram bought at Stirling last year, he is out of a ewe by a £5000 Mountbenger ram purchased at Lanark and stood fourth in his class at Yarrow Show. Aged tup, dinmont tup, tup lamb, hill gimmer, untouched tup lamb, untouched hill gimmer, untouched hill ewe lamb, group of three – S Lambie. Hill ewe, hill ewe lamb, untouched aged ram – S Anderson. Untouched hill ewe – N Manning, Earlshaugh.
Black sheep (Judge: L Hedley, Jedburgh). Champion – K Turnbull, Larkhall, Jedburgh, with a March-born North Country Cheviot tup lamb backed by home-bred genetics on both sides. Reserve – A Clark, Meikle Glengyre, with a North Country Cheviot gimmer. Aged tup, ewe – A Wood, Potholm. Tup lamb, ewe lamb, group of three – K Turnbull. Gimmer – A Clark.
Prime lambs (Judge: H Smith). Champion – K Jardine, Solwaybank. Reserve – L and A Williamson, Dykehead Farm. 79kg and under – K Jardine. 80kg and over – L and A Williamson.
Bluefaced Leicester (Judge: F Dempster). Champion – A Brown, Drumhumphry, Corsock, with a traditional Bluefaced Leicester gimmer. Sired by Legburn Lee, she is out of a home-bred ewe.
Reserve – J Anderson, Rowanburnfoot, with a two-crop ewe by an Easter Dawyck ram bought at Carlisle in 2018. Out of a homebred ewe, she won her class at Castleton Show. Ram (any age), ewe lamb – I Copeland, Peters Crook. Tup lamb, ewe, group of three – J Anderson. Gimmer – A Brown.
Zwartbles (Judge: L Hedley). Champion – AJ Thorburn, Homlea North, East Riggs, with the home-bred gimmer, Holmlea J Lo. Sired by Holmlea Count and out of the homebred Holmlea Ester, this girl stood champion at Bowes and Garstang shows, as well as reserve at Westmoreland and reserve pairs at Moffat Show. Reserve – P Walton, Great Easton Drive, with a January-born ewe lamb. Sired by Wallacetown Cairn and out of Beechwood Fancy, she stood reserve champion at Biggar Show. Ram, ewe, gimmer, group of three – AJ Thorburn. Ewe lamb – P Walton.
Suffolk (Judge: H Smith). Champion – S and R Arthur, The Snab, with the January-born tup lamb, Highmuir Hugo. Having stood first in his class at Dalkeith Show, he is sired by Burnview Bombay Sapphire and out of a Ballyboe-bred ewe. Reserve – D and P Reid, Calf Park, Mouswald, with a Januaryborn ewe lamb by Collessie Valegro out of a Solwaybank Spud-u-like-sired ewe; reserve at Ayr, Stewartry and the club show and first at the Great Yorkshire. Aged tup – A Clark. Tup lamb, group of three – S and R Arthur. Ewe lamb – P and D Reid.
AOB native sheep (Judge: F Dempster). Champion – J Elliot with a four-crop Jacob ewe. Reserve – J Reid, Calf Park, with a February-born Border Leicester tup lamb. Sired by Knockglass Kind of Magic that was bought at Lanark, he is out of a home-bred ewe. Female – J Elliot. Male – J Reid.
AOB continental sheep (Judge: F Dempster). Champion – E Clark, Meikle Glengyre, with a March-born Beltex ewe lamb. Sired by Corstane Fraser that was purchased at Carlisle last year for 1800gns, she is out of Sinclair Channel that was bought at Carlisle in 2018 for 400gns. Reserve – D Meikle and I Clark, Paddockhole, with one-crop Beltex cross Texel ewe. On her first outing she is sired by a Mossknowe Texel ram and out of a home-bred Beltex ewe.
Non-MV accredited Texel (Judge: H Smith). Champion and reserve – S Robertson, Becks, Langholm. Supreme was a shearling ram that is sired by a tup bought at Kelso in 2019 from Billy Bell, Kinning Hall, Hawick. Reserve was a two-crop ewe sired by a Scrogtonhead-bred ram. Aged ram, ewe, gimmer, group of three – S Roberston. Tup lamb, ewe lamb – E Little, Fiddleton.
MV-accredited Texel (Judge: H Smith). Champion and reserve inter-breed sheep – M Craig, Glenhowan Farm, with a Februaryborn ewe lamb. An AI daughter of Garngour Emerald, she is out of a home-bred ewe. Tup lamb, gimmer, group of three – M Craig. Ewe, ewe lamb – A Clark.
Galloway (Judge: F Gilligan). Champion and reserve, inter-breed cattle and reserve show champion – D and R Cornthwaite, Balgray Hill, Lockerbie. Supreme was the seven-year-old cow Lunar Eclipse of Balgray. Shown alongside her May-born bull calf by Trolossé Impeccable, she is a daughter of Balvadine Black Magic and out of a homebred cow. This girl is no stranger to the show ring either having previously stood any other breed champion at Westmoreland Show and reserve Galloway champion at Moffat. Reserve was the rising three-year-old in-calf heifer, Phoebe of Balgray. By Troloss Impeccable, she’s due in October to Ben Lomond Blackthorn and last year was junior inter-breed champion at the Great Yorkshire, as well as cattle inter-breed at this year’s Dumfries Show. All classes – D and R Cornthwaite.
Native cattle (Judge: F Gilligan). Champion – J Thomson, Newlands, Eaglesfield, with the five-year-old cow, Shawhill Foxglove Leyla. She’s by Shawhill J-A-T and was shown with her third calf at foot, the bull, Foxglove Spirit, by Glenisla Keystone. This outfit took the reserve ticket at Dumfries and champion at Moffat. All classes – J Thomson.
Prime cattle (Judge: D Goldie). Champion – C and K Wright, Hunthills, Parkgate, with Stella, a 16-month-old heifer by Pabo Oldspice. She was champion at Stewartry and reserve at Dumfries. All classes – C and K Wright.
Young handler (Judge: J Nelson). South of Scotland champion – K Turnbull, Larkhall, with a North Country Cheviot Park-type ewe lamb. Reserve – F Brown, Drumhumphry, with a traditional Bluefaced Leicester fourcrop ewe. Langholm champion – A Clarke, Meikle Glengyre, with a January-born Suffolk ewe lamb.