Caithness County Show: 'It makes all the hard work worthwhile'
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After a showery morning the sun broke through just in time for the sheep winners to be announced at the 2023 County Show in Wick on Saturday afternoon.
The overall champion was a three-quarter Texel cross ewe lamb from Sibmister and Stainland Farms, run by the Sutherland family.
Speaking just after winning top award, Stephen Sutherland said: "We've had quite a few overall sheep champions and won with ewes or lambs but this is the first time we've won it with a single sheep in quite a long time. We were reserve overall sheep as well.
"We're really over the moon and it makes all the hard work worthwhile. It's the first time we've ever won champion and reserve."
Mr Sutherland pointed out that the farm has 2000 ewes and 400 cows, but had no cattle on show that day. He said it was a lot of work to keep the sheep dry with the frequent showers in the morning.
Kenneth Sutherland Snr also hails from Sibmister and Stainland Farms and is an honorary vice-president of the County Show.
"I'm delighted and it's a great honour that my son is continuing the tradition," he said. "I lost my wife [Elspeth] three years ago and she would have been delighted with this today."
He was surprised that the weather had turned around dramatically from the morning when it was "bucketing down".
Mr Sutherland Snr added: "We had arranged things so that we would have a tent over our sheep so they would be dry but it's cleared up now and it's perfect."
SHEEP
Overall champion: Messrs Sutherland, Sibmister and Stainland Farms, with a three-quarter Texel cross ewe lamb.
Champion Border Leicester sheep: William Barnetson & Sons, Lynegar, Watten, with a shearling tup.
Champion Suffolk sheep: B & L Swanson, East Murkle, with a ewe having had a lamb.
Champion half bred: A Miller, Aimster with a ewe lamb.
Champion prime lambs: J Campbell & Co, Todholes, with two Texel sired prime lambs.
Champion North Country Cheviot (park type): J & W Mackay, Biggins Farm, Killimster, with a two-shear tup.
Champion North Country Cheviot groups (park type): C & I Angus, Oldfield Farm, Thurso, with three dinmont tups.
Champion wool: J & W Mackay for best wool and NCC shearling.
Champion North Country Cheviot (hill type): Michael Kirk, Barrock, with a ewe lamb.
Champion Blackface sheep: Neve Sutherland, Bardnaheigh, with a ewe.
Champion native sheep: D A & K Douglas, Achnamoine Farm, with a ewe lamb.
Champion commercial sheep: Messrs Sutherland, Sibmister and Stainland Farms, with a Texel-sired ewe/gimmer.
Champion cross sheep: Messrs Sutherland, Sibmister and Stainland Farms, with a ewe lamb.
Champion Texel sheep (MV accredited): Angus Gunn, Thurso, with a ewe lamb.
Champion Texel sheep (non-MV accredited): Bisset and Blackwood, Thurso, with a tup lamb.
Champion continental sheep James Swanson, Framside Calder, with a February-born Beltex ewe lamb.
Border Leicester sheep – Shearling tup: William Barnetson & Sons, Lynegar, Watten.
Tup lamb: Katie Buchanan, Ousdale Farmhouse.
Ewe having had a lamb this season: Katie Buchanan. Gimmer: Katie Buchanan. Ewe lamb: Katie Buchanan.
Suffolk – Aged tup: B & L Swanson, East Murkle. Shearling tup: B & L Swanson. Tup lamb: B & L Swanson.
Ewe having had a lamb: B & L Swanson. Gimmer: Stuart Sinclair, Gills. Ewe lamb: B & L Swanson.
Half-bred – Ewe having had a lamb: A Miller, Aimster.
Gimmer: D Coghill & Sons, Skinnet Farm.
Ewe lamb: A Miller.
Prime lambs – Two Suffolk-sired prime lambs: J Campbell & Co.
Two Texel-sired prime lambs: J Campbell & Co.
Two any other continental-sired prime lambs: J Campbell & Co.
Two any other native-sired prime lambs: J Campbell & Co.
Two vice native-sired prime lambs untrimmed: Katie Gunn, Shop Farm, Scotscalder.
Two vice continental-sired prime lambs untrimmed: Alexander M Douglas, Achnamoine Farm.
North Country Cheviot (park type) – Aged tup, three-shear and over: D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan Farm.
Two-shear tup: J & W Mackay.
Shearling tup: J & W Mackay.
Tup lamb: Beth Thompson, Achscrabster Farm, Westfield.
Ewe having had a lamb: J & W Mackay.
Gimmer: J & W Mackay.
Ewe lamb: Alan Simpson, Cairnside.
NCC (hill type) – Aged tup, three-shear and over: Andrew Campbell, Mill House.
Two-shear tup: Andrew Campbell.
Shearling tup: Andrew Campbell.
Tup lamb: Michael Kirk, Hollandmake, Barrock.
Ewe having had a lamb: Michael Kirk.
Gimmer: Michael Kirk.
Ewe lamb: Michael Kirk.
NCC groups (park type) – Three dinmont tups: C & I Angus.
Wool – Best wool, NCC shearling: J & W Mackay.
Blackface sheep – Aged tup: Neve Sutherland.
Shearling tup: Michael Macaskill, Armadale.
Tup lamb: Neve Sutherland.
Ewe having had a lamb: Neve Sutherland.
Gimmer: Neve Sutherland.
Ewe lamb: Neve Sutherland.
Native sheep – Aged tup: D A & K Douglas.
Shearling tup: D A and K Douglas.
Tup lamb: Heather Macdonald, Achentoul Farm Cottage.
Ewe having had a lamb: Heather Macdonald.
Gimmer: D A & K Douglas.
Ewe lamb: D A & K Douglas.
Commercial sheep – NCC ewe or gimmer: A Miller.
Suffolk-sired ewe or gimmer: Messrs Sutherland, Sibmister and Stainland Farms.
Any other sired ewe or gimmer: William Barnetson & Sons.
Texel-sired ewe or gimmer: Messrs Sutherland.
Cross sheep – Aged tup: D A & K Douglas.
Tup lamb: D A & K Douglas.
Gimmer: William Barnetson & Sons.
Ewe lamb: Messrs Sutherland.
Texel sheep (MV accredited) – Aged tup: Derek Bain, Kennachy Farm.
Shearling tup: James Coghill, Burnside, Huna.
Tup lamb: James Coghill.
Ewe having had a lamb: James Coghill.
Gimmer: Angus Gunn, Thurso.
Ewe lamb: Angus Gunn.
Texel sheep (non-MV accredited) – Shearling tup: Bisset and Blackwood.
Tup lamb: Bisset and Blackwood.
Ewe having had a lamb: C & W Budge.
Gimmer: C & W Budge.
Ewe lamb: Willie Mackay, Thurso.
Continental sheep – Aged tup: J & A Budge, Knockglass Farm, Watten.
Shearling tup: Kevin Mackay, Smithy House, East Mey.
Tup lamb: Kevin Mackay.
Ewe having had a lamb: Ellie Bain, Kennachy Farm.
Gimmer: James Swanson, Framside, Calder.
Ewe lamb: James Swanson.
FLEECE
Champion fleece: Henry M Sutherland, Drummuie Farm Cottage, Golspie, with one medium fleece.
One fine: Henry M Sutherland. One medium: Henry M Sutherland.
One greyface mule and lustre: Katie Gunn, Shop Farm, Scotscalder.
One NCC: D A & K Douglas. One mountain: D A & K Douglas.
One natural: Henry M Sutherland.
GOATS
Champion goat: Claire Lowe, Rampyards Farm, Watten, with her pygmy goat Milly.
Best milker: Robbianne Harrold, Ambervale.
Best goatling one to two years: Henderson of Taylor, Quoyshakes Farm, Bilbster. Best kid: Henderson of Taylor.
Best male goat: R Harrold. Best fibre goat: R Harrold.
Best pygmy goat: C Lowe.
