Over 7,000 livestock were on show at this year’s Royal Highland Show in Scotland, with the Irish flying over in droves to attend one of the best shows throughout Europe.

Large numbers were seen around the beef cattle rings across the four-day event. The overall interbreed judging took place on the Saturday with each breed’s respective champion again making their way into the main ring in an attempt to claim one of the most prestigious awards in the UK.

Coming out on top after a tense 30 minutes of judging was the Limousin champion Foxhillfarm Mammamia from the Alford family.

World record

This heifer was sired by the 38,000gns Foxhillfarm Irish Lad and out of world-record Limousin price female Glenrock Illusion, which sold for 125,000gns.

Mammamia was sold just last month at Carlisle for 42,000gns, so is now owned in partnership with Messrs Evans of the Penrhos herd from Wales who purchased the three top-priced heifers that day. This marks the pinnacle of her showing career, having also secured reserve interbreed at the Stars of the Future calf show last year. She now heads for Yorkshire before finishing her show career for the year at the Royal Welsh Show.

This marks the first interbreed win for the Alford family who have secured three of the last four years’ Limousin championships. The family also claimed the reserve Limousin championship with Foxhillfarm Looks the Part. This Guards Boomer-sired heifer is a full sister to the aforementioned Foxhillfarm Irish Lad.

Reserve supreme honours were awarded to the Simmental champion from David Craig with the 23-month-old Kennox Tara’s Gem. She is sired by Sowenna Aristocrat and out of Annick Helen’s Tara, an animal that was placed second herself three years in a row at this show. Her daughter, however, did not follow the same trend, having already secured interbreed championships at Newston and Stewardstown shows this summer before claiming the second top spot of all breeds at this year’s Highland Show.

Reserve Simmental championship honours went to the day’s male champion Blackford Galaxy. Galaxy was bred and exhibited by the MacPherson family and is sired by Curlieu Knight, a former stock bull on the farm 18 years ago. This one was specially bred to be the next stock bull in the Blackford farm.

Charolais

Irish-bred Kilbline 1 Instigator Et claimed the top honour in the Charolais ring. This three-year-old bull was bred by the Sugrue family from Bennettsbridge, Kilkenny, but was shown by new owners the Irvine family who run the famous Inverlochy herd.

Sired by Oscar and out of a Doonally new dam, the three-year-old is no stranger to success, having won the male championship at Tullamore Show in 2014 and senior championship at the National Charolais Show 2014 before being sold for €7,200 at the Charolais premier in 2015. However, up until today, Instigator’s top accolade was overall male champion at the Highland Show last year.

Judge Charlie MacLean, Eastleigh, selected Firhills Lady as his reserve champion. Exhibited by Mr D H Muirhead, this two-year-old Maerdy Greanadier-sired heifer also claimed the overall female champion. While not shown as a calf, her first outing this year also proved successful as she was awarded the overall Charolais and reserve interbreed title at the Angus Show.

Herefords

Given the task of judging the Herefords was Alistair Smith, Newark. In total, close to 50 Herefords passed through the ring, with Tom and Di Harrison coming out on top. Their stylish two-year-old Coley 1 Pippa 356 had turned a number of onlookers’ heads when she was awarded the overall female champion. This heifer was already shown once this year, where she claimed supreme championship at the Northumberland Show.

Sired by Days Calibre G74 and out of Frenchstone P 1 Boo, Pippa was originally bred by Heather Whittaker who followed the Harrisons all the way to the end claiming reserve female and reserve overall champion with her own heifer Coley 1 Clara 286. Four-year-old Clara 286 is sired by Blakelaw 1 Calzaghe and out of Barbern 1 Claret 2nd.

Blondes

Back on form in the Blonde d’Aquitaine ring was Balmoral champion Shanvalley Jagger from the Savage brothers, Northern Ireland. Having been awarded the male championship by judge Andrew Bailey, Jagger was later tapped forward as the supreme Blonde champion. Jagger is sired by the herd’s stock bull Seaview Barney, a bull who has secured 11 supreme championships to date, along with breeding 33 champions. This bull was purchased a few weeks ago for a new five-figure record Blonde price by the Irish partnership of Des Donohoe and Martin Lyons.

Shorthorn champion

Top honours in the Shorthorn ring were awarded to Tracy Severn for her stock bull Millerston Jester. This two-year-old bull was purchased from Jack Ramsey and has since clocked up a number of top prizes, including reserve junior and reserve male at this show last year. Sired by Meonhill Charlie Chaplin, he is out of Millstown Gretta Freya. The reserve champion sash went to Northern Irish breeder James Porter of the well-known Uppermill herd for Uppermill Blythesome Kim. Both of Kim’s parents were awarded second prize at the highland in 2012 – her sire Dunsyre Demetri and her dam Uppermill Blythesome Jemma as a two-year-old.

Angus

Last through the show rings on Thursday evening was the Angus breed, which also saw the largest number of animals. The society held off judging the breed to cater for international delegates as part of the world Angus forum currently taking place across the UK and Ireland, which only comes around every 40 years.

With 144 animals present at the event two judges took centre stage – Harry Emslie looking after the females and Michael Alford taking care of the bulls. Claiming the overall champion was the female and junior champion Carlhurlie Darcie S134. This heifer was exhibited by Mr and Mrs A Cormack but was originally bred by the late A R Grieve. She was purchased at the dispersal of the Carlhurlie herd last December for 3,800gns. The yearling Darcie was sired by Skaill Dido and out of Carlhurlie Dardanius.

Reserve overall title in the Angus section was secured by the male champion Balmachie Rodger from Messers John Lascelles. This two-year-old bull was sired by homebred bull Balmachie Ben Vorlich who also sired the sale topper at Stirling last February. The dam is Balmachie Rachel K097 who goes back to Ranui breeding from New Zealand.

Belgian Blue

The overall Belgian Blue championship was awarded to the three-year-old first calver Solway View Illusion from Kevin Watret. This family is steeped in highland success with the grandam of Illusion also claiming the overall championship at the show back in 2009 and 2010, while her great-great-grandmother won it in 2008. This Solway View Dynamite-sired cow was shown beside her naturally born February calf.

Reserve championship was awarded to Charlotte Alford with Rhymill Kylie. This two-year-old heifer was purchased privately last autumn, and has secured a number of championships at local shows already this year. She is sired is by Gitan Du P’Tit Mayeur and out of Lakeview Dancer.

Galloway

Repeating last year’s performance to claim the overall Galloway championship for the second year running was Messers J Finlay’s Blackcraig Sid. This six-year-old bull is sired by homebred stock bull Blackcraig Nimrod and out of Finmac Libby.

Belted Galloway honours went to Mochrum Lilac 6th from Mochrum Estates. This four-year-old was junior champion two years ago and her daughter repeated that feat, picking up the same accolade. Lilac is sired by Lullenden Randall and out of Mochrum Lila.

Salers

John Elliot and his family from Northern Ireland were again out in force in the Salers ring off the back of a highly successful Balmoral Show where they claimed both champion and reserve. They secured the overall breed championship with Drumlegagh Kyra, a three-year-old Franfran daughter from homebred Drumlegagh Elise. This heifer is well used to the show ring, having secured the junior champion at both the Balmoral Show and the Highland Show in 2016.

Commercial

Charolais-sired Golden Girl secured the overall championship in the commercial ring for owner Jennifer Hyslop. This 18-month-old heifer by a Charolais sire is out of a Limousin cross cow and had already secured championships at Dalry, Stewarton, Newmilns and Straiton this year.

Reserve honours went to Northern Ireland breeders Dermot and Gareth Small for their yearling heifer Taboo. This Swarland Eddie-sired heifer won her class at Balmoral, along with the best exhibitor-bred animal last month.

Dairy

Dairy breeds took centre stage at the show on the Friday with all eyes focused on the main prize in the evening – the dairy interbreed title. It was to be the day of the Holstein breed, with Robert and Elaine Butterfield securing the supreme title with Newbirks Jazz. This third calver calved in April and is currently giving 63kg after racking up a 13,400kg lactation last year. Sired by Comestar Lauanguard, this maximum-scored EX93 classified cow was bought as a heifer in milk and has since been awarded champion at the Great Yorkshire Show last year, as well as second in Europe at the European Champions Show.

Close on Jazz’s heels was the Ayrshire champion, and subsequently reserve interbreed champion Changue Martha from Mr Mungo Bryson. This fifth-calved Changue Stadium daughter is projected to give 11,000 litres this lactation. Classified EX95 after two evaluations, Martha has previously secured championships at the Dairy Expo Carlisle, Agriscot and Ayr.

Sheep

The Charollais breed came out on top in the sheep interbreed category. Willie and Carole Ingram’s Logie Durno flock secured the championship with a two-crop ewe by Riverdale Noble from a Southam ewe bought for 1,800gns.

In reserve was the traditional Bluefaced Leicester champion from R A McClymont and Son. This two-year-old shearing ram is jointly owned by Philiphaugh Estates and was bought at Kelso last year for £3,200. This was the Red Cottage Tup-sired ram’s first outing.