A “true legend” was crowned Super Cow for the second time in her life at the climax of AgriScot at Ingliston.
Having dominated the Ayrshire breed championship, Sandyford Clover 10th shone through for Blaise and Deborah Tomlinson, from Loughborough, to take the top accolade to rapturous ringside applause.
The 11-year-old cow, sired by KC Roses Chatter T Red, which is now carrying her ninth cow, previously took the Super Cow title at the show in 2008, and has a raft of further supreme awards to her name.
Giving her the nod for the Ayrshire breed title, Willie Whiteford, from Carlisle, praised her as “quite superior” and “a legend” that offers “all of the things you are looking for in a dairy cow”.
But with the event being touted “the finest show of dairy cattle in the UK”, interbreed judge Alex Kilpatrick, from Dumfries, admitted to having his work cut out in separating two of the final four dairy breed champions in the ring for the ultimate cow contest.
“This is among the most difficult championships I have ever judged,” he said in the ring. “There are two world-class animals at the top of their game in front of me.”
Ultimately, though, he said a slightly superior cow won out. “Longevity is a really underused word in the dairy industry, but having judged Sandyford Clover 10th many years ago, it’s quite remarkable to see her still at the pinnacle of the game having given 90 tonnes of milk, to date, in her lifetime,” he said.
As well as her previous AgriScot Super Cow win, Sandyford Clover 10th, an Ex97-rated cow, notched up Ayrshire championships at the Dairy Event in 2008, 2010 and last year, when she also stood supreme, was supreme at both the Great Yorkshire and the South West Dairy Event in 2008, and stood supreme at the Royal Welsh in 2010.
Also “world class” in Mr Kilpatrick’s estimation was his ultimate Super Cow reserve Richaven Goldwyn Adrienne, which had earlier collected the Holstein breed honours for Richard Bown, from Hanley Castle, near Worcester.
This Ex95-rated fourth calver was credited by breed judge Elwyn Thomas, from Carmarthenshire, as a “handy winner” offering plenty of “sheer power”.
“There is no doubt in my mind about this cow,” said Mr Thomas.
“Her sheer scale, openness of rib, body depth and how she handles her legs just sets her aside from the remainder of the winners. I’d like to have her down in Wales,” he added.
The seven-year-old daughter of Braedale Goldwyn, which calved in August, has given 60 tonnes to date, stood reserve All-Britain third calver this year and was senior champion at the National All Breeds Show in 2011 and last year.
Falling shy of the final Super Cow standings, but breed champions in their own right, were the Red and White cow champion Tegan Advent Mahogany Rox Red 2, from W&J Templeton, from Mauchline, and the leading Jersey cow, Clydevalley Governor Flora, from the Hunters at West Tarbrax Farm, Shotts.
Clydevalley Governor Flora, an Ex92-rated senior cow by Griffens Governor, carries with her considerable previous success in the show ring, having stood junior champion at the Royal Highland and champion Jersey at the Scottish Calf Show, both in 2009, as well as interbreed heifer champion at the Royal Highland in 2011.
That year she also took the Super Heifer title at AgriScot.
Repeating AgriScot success in the heifer ring for the second time since winning the title in 2010, the Super Heifer championship was won by the Cowdenbeath-based Weatherup family.
Tapping the Weatherup’s Parkend Sanchez Tamara forward as Super Heifer, judge Alex Kirkpatrick commended the entry forward, but gave particular praise to the Holstein lines for producing “two phenomenal classes of black and white heifers”.
“All the champion heifers forward have great balance and are great on their feet and legs, but I was looking for a heifer with just that wee bit extra,” he explained.
“My winner is a real class animal and I had no hesitation in putting her to the top of the line as Super Heifer of the year.
“She has a tremendous future in front of her,” added Mr Kirkpatrick.
Parkend Sanchez Tamara, a VG88 Gen-Mark Stmatic Sanchez daughter, had earlier this year stood champion heifer and reserve Holstein at Ayr Show, was second in her class and best bred at the Royal Highland, and also took the best-bred heifer title at the Lanarkshire Holstein Herds Competition.
Home-bred by Brian out of an Ex91 Shottle dam, the heifer, which calved in March, has already produced 10,000kg giving around 43kg per day.
Adding credit to the Jersey leader Windyridge Ministers Amberlight, from S&S Murray, as having “won through from an exceptionally large class”, Mr Kirkpatrick said he was “very happy” to put her forward as his reserve.
This heifer by Select-Scott Minister, which is only 16 days calved, is currently giving 25kg.
She was bred out of the VG87-scored Smiddiehill Comerica Amberlight, a grand-daughter of the Ex94 cow Ellerdine Lesters Amberlight 2.
Never previously taken out to the show ring, she was led by Emma Murray.
Amidst the earlier breed championships, the Red and White heifer championship was won by Michael Howie’s home-bred Morwick H Marsha.
Sired by another home-bred animal, Morwick Hurricane Red a Huyben’s Red Devil son she was got from the Yellow Briar Journalist daughter Morwick YJ Marsha.
Calved just two weeks, she is giving 33kg a day.
The Ayrshire heifer title went home with Keith Davidson for his Palmyra Tri-Star Reality daughter Halmyre Urr Louise 260.
Bred out of a home-bred cow by Brieryside Centurian, this heifer calved in September and is giving 24kg a day.