Day three’s match-up – Newbigging Cheviot champs to go head-to-head

Day three of our online livestock competition sees a tough decision for our cattle judge as two very different beasts are matched up.

Firstly we have the champion of the 2016 winner – an impressive Shorthorn bull shown by J.M. Lennie & Co, Nearhouse, Tankerness.

The five-year-old bull, named Pentland Emperor, was bought from Mrs E. C. Robertson, from Instack, Barrock Caithness. His sire was Chapelton Wildfire and he was out of Pentland Laura.

The inter-breed cattle judge that year was John Elliot from Roxburgh Mains, Kelso, who said of the bull: “The bull was just a really good bull. I couldn’t see a fault in him and that’s the honest truth. He was a mature bull as well. It is very difficult to go past a mature animal at the end of the day.”

The bull’s competition today is the champion of the 2013 County Show, the 20-month-old Limousin cross heifer, named Amelie. Exhibited by Liam Muir, from Upper Onston, Stenness, she was a homebred, from the French bull Tehix and out of a British Blue cross dam.

The inter-breed cattle judge in 2013 was Neil Massie of Blelack, Dinnet, Aboyne, – a pedigree Charolais, Aberdeen-Angus and Shorthorn breeder. He said that he wouldn’t normally have picked a cross-bred animal as the winner, but that she was “exceptional.”

He said: “She is an extremely attractive heifer, tremendous body on her, great length, correct in every phase about the animal – I really couldn’t fault the animal at all.”

Sheep

Today’s sheep section sees two Cheviot champions judged against each other. First up, we have the winner of the 2018 County Show winner. This was a Cheviot ewe exhibited by J. J. & E. Wishart, Newbigging, Harray.

The ewe “did the double” for its owner Elsie Wishart, winning at that year’s Dounby Show before going on to win at the County the same year. A two-crop ewe, homebred, the ewe’s sire was Cairnside Northern Light and she was out of Barnaclaven Elite.

John Aiken of Inglewood Edge, Dalston, had judged the ewe that year and said he found her an animal that “exemplified” its breed. He said: “When I saw the Cheviot I could see all the things I like to see. The Cheviot was animal who was able to show itself very well indeed.”

The ewe’s competition today is the sheep champion from the 2013 County Show. This was a gimmer, also shown by James and Elsie Wishart, from Newbigging, Harray.

The 2013 win was the first time since 1993 that James and Elsie had claimed. This gimmer was also by Bardnaclavan Elite and had not been shown before the 2013 County Show. The gimmer was out of a homebred ewe, which had been a former show winner, by Wester General.

Judge in 2013 Charlie Angus, of Oldfield Thurso, described the winner as “a worthy champion”, “a very bright animal” with “plenty of style.”

Check back at 5.30pm for the choices from our judges.

• This week should have been Orkney’s agricultural shows week, kicking off with the Sanday Show on Friday, July 31. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic the six shows had to be  and other associated events had to be cancelled. To mark the week, we are pitting past sheep and cattle champions of The County Show against each other, under the eyes of judges, in a knock out competition. All the animals are judged based on pictures and information from the day they won. Next week we’ll be doing the same with the horse champions. Those who owned and exhibited them on the day are treated as the owners now for the purposes of the competition, although many of the animals went on to be sold following their win. For more information on the competition and animals click here.