Caithness livestock successes at Sutherland Show
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Livestock exhibitors from the far north took home a handful of championships from the Sutherland Show on Saturday.
Pride of place went to Ashleigh Campbell who shared in the success of the yeld mare, Grace of Altnacailleach.
She led the Highland pony, which is owned by Ms Campbell's sister Orkney breeder Amanda Mclennan.
The five-year-old yellow dun mare secured the breed, in hand and overall horse titles before being picked out as the reserve supreme, behind the sheep leader, a blue Texel gimmer from Invercharron Farm, Ardgay.
Ms Campbell, who runs Castle View Stables in Wick, led the pony on a lap of honour around the Dornoch Links show ring.
The success came hard on the heels of the pony standing supreme champion at the Caithness Show in Wick the previous week.
Sired by Moss-side Iain Mor and out of Dam Staffa 11 of Altnacailleach, the mare was partnered throughout the day by Ms Campbell, who runs Castle View Stables in Wick. Her sister owns the Kirkjuvagr stud, near Kirkwall.
Gary Oag meanwhile took the pedigree cattle title and the reserve spot with members of the Limousin herd he runs at Achiebeg Farm, Shebster.
The champion, the 13-month-old heifer Brims Tessa is by the AI bull Wilodge Cerberus and out of Brims Ola. She stood reserve cattle champion at the Caithness Show the previous week.
The reserve stall was filled by the 13-month-old white bull Shebster Tam.
By the AI bull Blelack Digger and out of Shebster Leah, she was the Charolais champion at Wick.
Hugh Mackenzie celebrated his 40th show by claiming the hill sheep title for Badanloch Estate, near Kinbrace with his two shear ram, by Badanloch Xtra Special.
The main honours in the cross sheep section went to Sibmister and Stainland Farms, near Thurso with a three-crop Texel cross ewe with twin Texel wether lambs. The trio, from the Sutherland family, stood commercial and reserve overall sheep champion at Caithness.
The Suffolk lines were dominated by Katie Gunn, of Shop Farm, Scotscalder. She took the title with a four-crop ewe, after Castleisle Spotlight and out of a Castleisle ewe. She stood breed champion at Latheron.
The reserve was her four-shear ram by Strathisla Schumaker out of a Sullom ewe.
The reserve NCC Lowground rosette went to J Henderson, of Murrayfield, Castletown with a March-born ewe lamb from a home-bred ewe and a Skirza ram.
Reserve Clydesdale was Gersa Lady Emma, from Gersa Clydesdales.
By Colessie Monarch and out of Gersa Lady Lauren, the yearling stood third foal at last year's World Clydesdale Show in Aberdeen.
Michael and Jacqueline Munro, from Janetstown, won the breed title with her at the previous week's Caithness Show.
Among the livestock judges were Douglas Webster, from Reiss (Texel), and Donald MacDonald, from Forss (Beltex).
The weather gods smiled on the show with blue skies and a packed programme of events producing a crowd reckoned to be around 5000.
The crowd were treated to a brief flypast by the Red Arrows display team while David and Beverley Walker's Galcantray Clydesdales proved a popular attraction in the main ring.
