Coyote is East Mainland’s top horse

The champion horse at this year’s abbreviated East Mainland Show was Orkney’s Minor Diamond, shown by Eilidh Ross of St Ola.

The 10-year-old Connemara cross Irish sports horse, also known as Coyote, was sired by Hasty Bits and out of Far Cry, having been bred by the Caseys of Gaitnip.

A delighted Eilidh said she had owned the horse since it was four, and is planning to show her at next Saturday’s County Show.

The overall reserve was the champion Shetland Pony, Strocherie Ennya, a 10-year-old mare shown by Kelly Peace of the Hools Shetland Pony Stud in Toab.

Meanwhile, a 7-year-old, male, long-haired Dachshund named Murphy took the top spot in the dog competition. He was shown entered in the show by Erik I Donaldson, from Newbanks, Holm.

Reserve in the dogs went to a miniature poodle, named Tammie, shown by Helen Sinclair-Rowe, or Hollsetr, Berstane Road, Kirkwall.

This year, the horse section took place indoors at the Market Stance, with the dog section taking place next to the car park, after most of the livestock show was cancelled due to the recent poor weather.