Hools riding high at sun-hit ‘Hope Show

There were two causes for celebration for the Cromarty family, of Hools in South Ronaldsay, who claimed the cattle championship and the Champion of the Yard title at the ‘Hope Show today.

On a day of blue skies and bright sunshine, which helped create an infectious atmosphere around the showpark, it was a spectacular return for Orkney’s oldest agricultural show.

Scooping the top cattle prize and then the overall Champion of the Yard honour was the Cromarty’s homebred four-year-old Limousin cow, Hools Orchid.

The cow is out of Hools Jasmine and is by the bull Templewood Icarus.

The reserve champion of the cattle section was shown by V. Taylor & Sons, of Hall of Herston, South Ronaldsay, and was a homebred, April-born Charolais bull calf named Herston Tiger.

Taking reserve Champion of the Yard and overall champion in the horse section was Toots Cromarty’s six-year old Connemara thoroughbred Just Norski. The reserve went to Elin Barnett’s nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare Ardohill.

Champion sheep was a Suffolk ewe exhibited by J.W.S. Wishart of Knockhall farm. The unnamed ewe was bred by Mr Wishart, sired by Essie Zante from one of his own homebred ewes.

Reserve in the sheep section was a Texel ewe exhibited by Kate Birkett of Annster, South Ronaldsay.

The goat section saw a pygmy billy goat named Noah take champion. Exhibited by Catherine Corsie, 11-year-old Noah also took first in his class. Reserve goat went to Barbara Moore with her red-boar nanny goat.

And top dog was Ragnar (or “raggie”) a Bergamasco Shepard, shown by Mous Van Gelder, with Rolo, Elin Barnet’s cocker spaniel taking reserve.