Considering the harsh conditions which began the farming year, a “good quality” show of sheep was forward for judging at Killin Show, where Blackie judge Jimmy Sinclair praised the entry for being in particularly “good bloom”.
Opting for a “big powerful mover” for his supreme selection of the day, Jimmy 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,” commented Mr Sinclair. “A very commercial animal,” he added.
The three-year ram was sired by an £8,000 Dyke.
Taking the lion’s share of prize-winning silverware and plaudits, but settling on this occasion for the overall reserve, was a strong show of sheep from Messrs MacLarty at Glentarken. The MacLarty family run 3,000 ewes over several hirsels from their base at Littleport, St Fillans. Their reserve champion was a homebred ewe lamb which was making the most of her debut show outing. Sired by a home-bred ram, she was got from a Glentarken ewe by a £2,000 Auldhouseburn.
“She is very sweet,” Mr Sinclair said of his reserve. “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 & Co of Shenlarich, Lawers.
His winner was a home-bred Texel cross gimmer, sired by a Texel ram which Peter had bought as a ram lamb from Billy Brady, North Amulree, Dunkeld.
This ram had stood champion at Killin in 2011 and 2012.
Peter’s champion gimmer, out of a home-bred ewe, was on its first show outing.
She was the top choice of the any-otherbreed ring for judge Graeme Sinclair.
Taking the reserve championship in this ring was Peter Reilly with a Scotch Mule ewe lamb, which was similarly making its show debut.
Home-bred at Tullochmhor in Balquhidder, Lochearnhead, it was from a home-bred ewe and is one of around 60 Mules which Peter runs alongside 600 Blackie ewes.
In the cattle lines John Eddie, of Halhill Farm, Kinneff, Montrose, found his champion in a young heifer, which he credited for having “great style and shape”.
“She moves nicely and has great potential,” he said of the April-born Limousin cross heifer, which stood champion for McDiarmid Brothers, of Ben Lawers Farm, Aberfeldy.
Out of a home-bred Limousin cow and sired by an Irish-bred Limousin bull, which was bought from Norman Cruikshank, the heifer was making the best of her first outing to the show ring.
Taking the reserve was Robert Waugh, of Croftintygan Farm, Lawers, with another young heifer.
“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 added.
Robert’s spring-born heifer was bred from a home-bred cow and was out of a Clapton-bred bull.
The seven-eighths Limousin is also one-eighth Shorthorn, giving it a roan colouring.
It will be retained by Robert Waugh for stock.