Carsphairn’s annual Pastoral and Horticultural Society show is renowned for the quality of the Blackface sheep that are shown there annually and they came out top again on Saturday at the 130th event.
The field at the The Crofts, Carsphairn, was bathed in sunshine throughout the five hours of judging which saw a three-crop ewe from JW Kay from Gass Farm, Straiton, Ayrshire, win the interbreed championship.
Entries and attendance at the first of this year’s major agricultural shows in Dumfries and Galloway were on a similar scale to last year and officials were delighted with the quality of the entries and the warm sunshine which helped to bring out the crowds on the showfield and at the Lagwyne Hall for the industrial, flower and very strong baking classes.
President Rory Clark Kennedy said: “It was the second year in a row that we’ve had a sunny day and it makes such a difference.
“We have been very lucky with the turnout and the weather and I’ve got pay tribute to all the people who helped put the show together.
“I would also like to pay tribute to the exhibitors who have put on a great show with keen competition among the many classes. Without them we wouldn’t have a show.”
The show of Blackface sheep was again of a high standard with some of the top flocks in the country represented.
The interbreed championship, which is competed for between the supreme Blackface, the Bluefaced Leicester, Mule and the any other breeds, continental and native, was taken by Messrs JW Kay’s three-shear ewe which won the open championship and overall Blackface championship.
She was picked out by judge Jimmy McGregor, who presented the Furmiston Trophy and £250 along with a meal for two at the Clachan Inn to Robert and Andrew Kay.
The ewe, by a son of a £24,000 Glenrath and out of a ewe by a £68,000 Elmscleugh, won the open Blackface section before being picked out as the supreme Blackface championship and winner of the Earlston Cup in competition with the confined champion from Wilson Ramsay, Knockreoch, Dalry.
Robert Kay said: “We’re just delighted to win the overall Blackface championship and then the interbreed title. It’s nine years since we were here and we won the Blackface championship then with a ewe.”
Reserve in the open Blackface section was a two-shear tup exhibited by Joe Cockburn from Grimmet, Dalmellington. The reserve was by a £1,300 Sweetshawhead sire and is shared with Nunnery.
It was a successful day also for Wilson Ramsay of Knockdon, Dalry who won the championship and reserve in the confined section of the Blackface show.
Their leader, a four shear tup with a Midlock sire and whose mother was a £1,700 Milnmark, was being shown for the first time as was their reserve winner, a ewe hogg by a £10,000 Culdoach sire whose dam was the son of an £8,000 Hartrew.
The Bertie Cuthbertson Memorial Trophy for the best ewe hogg – presented in memory of the famous breeder of Blackface sheep and Galloway cattle – went to David Morrison of Dalwyne, Barr, Ayrshire.
Anders Brown from Macqueston, Tynron, had two entries in the interbreed competition after a double success, winning the championship in the Bluefaced Leicester and Mule classes. The Bluefaced Leicester champion, which also went on to win the interbreed reserve championship, was a ewe lamb by a £15,000 R2 Hewgillt out of a home bred ewe.
The reserve champion in this section was brought out by Robert McTurk of Barlaes, Dalry.
The Mule champion from Macqueston was a home bred ewe lamb by a P4 Penpeugh bought for £3,000 at Kelso and whose mother was an eight-year-old Blackface ewe. Reserve honours went to John Guild of Laight, New Cumnock.
The any other breed continental and native sections were judged by David Sloan of Rigghead, Collin.
In the continental classes he picked out a Beltex gimmer from Bruce Guild, Ashmark, New Cumnock.
The reserve champion was a home bred Moss Nae Beltex tup lamb called Moss Nae Jumping Jack Flash and out of Moss Nae Funky Chick which was overall champion at last year’s Moffat Show. The reserve was by Muirton Horatio which was bought as a tup lamb for 2,500gns and is the stock tup.
In the native section the red ticket winner was a Hampshire Down lamb born in February and shown by Ellie and Grant Faulds from Minuntion, Pinclanty, Barr.
The junior sheep handler class saw the Falbae Trophy being awarded to Grant Faulds with a Hampshire Down from Minuntion, Pinclanty.
