Peebles Show and Scottish Region Progeny Show – Traditional

Scottish Progeny Show – Peebles.

Under a blisteringly hot sun at Peebles show, hosts of the Scottish Progeny Show, the judges and competitors braved the conditions, more akin to the Sahara than Scotland. The heat was on, in more ways than one, and the competition was good, with some great sheep from both sides of the Borders battling for the top awards.

In the traditional section, under the sharp eye of Derek Henderson, Burndale, Alan McClymont enjoyed a great day. Derek started off in dapper style, but as the sun shone, he lost his jacket and gained a Carrs Billington baseball cap, worn at a nice jaunty angle….yet he retained his tie and composure all day! The Kirkstead flock took 5 of the 6 first prizes on offer, and in the gimmer lamb class, which saw 17 lambs out, they scooped the top three tickets. The odds were always high that they would take the red, white, and blue ticket, and they did, with again the champion adding to the Highland title picked up in June. This monster of a tup was bought at Kelso last year for £3200 from Tudor Harris and his Bonvilston flock. They also took the reserve champion ticket too, with a ewe being shown for the first time. This lively 2 crop ewe is by the Burndale G1 tup which has excelled in the Kirkstead flock and is out of a ewe bought at the Carry House dispersal sale as a gimmer hogg and is by the Heddon Valley X4. This ewe also went onto form a championship partnership with another ewe by the G1 Burndale to take the Progeny champion.

Taking the reserve championship place in the progeny section was Martin Quinn from the Whinnyhall flock, travelling all the way down from Fife to compete. His reserves were a trio of tup lambs by his Bonvilston tup, which has been proving something of a sire for him and putting the flock firmly on the map. These tup lambs stood 1, 2^nd and 5^th in the open class too. Out of ewes by Mendick D14, Craig yr Orsedd H10 and Burndale J2 respectively, with the first placed lamb a full brother to last years £3000 lamb sold at Builth and the first two will be heading down there too later next month.

Despite the searing heat, a good time was had by all, with a great spirit throughout the show. It was great to see so many sheep and competitors there as well as onlookers from throughout Scotland and the North of England. Next year, if the weather continues like this, the committee are thinking of introducing a class for camels.