Day three’s result sees Pentland Emperor make semi-final

August 3, 2020 at 5:30 pm

**Click to enlarge.** The winner of the 2016 County Show, the bull Pentland Emperor, has progressed to the next round of our competition. (Pic: Craig Taylor)

We have our decisions from our judges for today – day three of our Ready, Set, Show! cattle and sheep competitions

Today’s choice in the cattle is the Shorthorn bull that won the County Show in 2016.

The five-year-old bull, named Pentland Emperor, was shown by J.M. Lennie & Co, Nearhouse, Tankerness. He was bought from Mrs E. C. Robertson, from Instack, Barrock Caithness.

By Chapelton Wildfire and out of Pentland Laura, the bull beat Liam Muir’s Limousin cross heifer, Amelie, which won the County Show in 2013.

Our judge William Gill, from Rosskeen, Invergordon, said: “I’m going for the male. A powerful bull with plenty of length and a good rear end.”

Our cattle section is sponsored by Serco NorthLink.

SHEEP

The 2013 County Show Inter-breed cheep champion – a Cheviot gimmer shown by James and Elsie Wishart of Newbigging in Harray – has made our competition’s next round. (pic: Orkney Photographic)

Today’s winning sheep is the supreme champion from the 2013 County Show – a gimmer, shown by James and Elsie Wishart, from Newbigging, Harray.

This gimmer was by Bardnaclavan Elite and was out of a homebred ewe, which had been a former show winner itself, by Wester General.

Today our sheep judge, Kenneth Sutherland, from Sibmister, Thurso, chose it over the winner the 2018 County Show winner – a Cheviot ewe also exhibited by Newbigging.

Mr Sutherland said of the 2013 gimmer: “She’s a real smart sheep. Very alert with nice character and a sparkle in her eye.

Our sheep section is Sponsored by Birsay Farmers Ltd.

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.