A young Cheviot tup from Alistair Warden, Skelfhill, Hawick took the top ticket at Roberton Show, held at the village in mostly good weather on Saturday.
Overall judge Forrest Irving of Whitchesters Farm, Hawick pulled in the Hill Cheviot Dinmont as the best breeding sheep in the show.
Show secretary June Wilson said of the day: “There was quite a good turnout and apart from a heavy shower at lunchtime, it went well. We didn’t have a show last year because the weather was just awful, so we were pleased it went ahead this year.”
R.&M. McIntosh of Outer Huntly, Ashkirk, won the Blackface championship with a ewe, while Archie Stewart of Tushielaw, Selkirk, won the Hill Cheviot (untouched) section with a ewe lamb, and Ryan Jamieson of Skelfhill, Hawick, took the Any Other Breed title with a Cheviot mule gimmer. Ryan also won the under-18s trophy for most points.
Mrs Wilson said: “There was another top-quality entry of sheep at the show and judges commented on their difficulty in choosing winners in the four classes of breeding sheep.”
She continued: “The vegetable and flowers section were outstanding.
Top prizewinner in the section was her husband, W. R. (Billy) Wilson. The flower trophies were won by Grant Moyes. And Shona Morrison, at her first time showing at Roberton, won the baking trophy.
Mrs Wilson said the number of knitting and sewing exhibits were up and that there was a good entry in the children’s section.
Mrs Evelyn Anderson presented the trophies, and was presented with flowers by Helen Clyne from Hawick.
The Blackface judge was David Preacher, Holylee, Walkerburn, while making decisions about the Hill Cheviots was Craig Weir of Mainside, Hownam, and the untouched Hill Cheviots, Jock Speirs from Hawick.
It was 50 years since Mr Speirs first judged at the show in 1963 and the organisers presented him with a certificate and a bottle of whisky to mark the occasion.
Mrs Wilson said: “It was the exact date too, it was such a coincidence.”
Other trophy winners: Sheep: most points - David Goodfellow, Hislop, Teviothead, Hawick; Blackface: group - R &M McIntosh; Hill Cheviot: best sheep opposite sex to champion - A Warden; female group - D Goodfellow; Hill Cheviot (untouched): gimmer - Wardlaw Jackson, Wardlaw, Ettrick; Prime lambs: champion - Amy Johnson; Industrial: Millennium Industrial Trophy for most first prizes in cut flowers – Grant Moyes; WRI – Cogsmill; pot plants – Mairi Hair; most points cut flowers – Grant Moyes; most points dahlia – Grant Moyes; most points floral arts and crafts – Susan Hobday; best exhibit floral arts and crafts – Maureen Storie; best exhibit flowers and vegetables – W. R. Wilson; onions – W. R. Wilson; single exhibit in vegetable classes (confined to parish) – W. R. Wilson; most points vegetables – W. R. Wilson; most points jams and jellies – Nan McKellar; preserves – Sheila Clyne; baking classes – Shona Morrison; knitting and sewing – Nan McKellar; wool article – Nan McKellar; photograph – Iona Butlin; children’s baking - Helen Clyne; Gift vouchers – 1, Helen Clyne; 2, Fraser Clyne; Polwarth Trophy (children’s classes) – Louisa Goldie; Gift vouchers – 1, Louis Goldie; 2, Fraser Clyne, Rachael Goldie and Helen Clyne; Parkhill Cup (different children’s classes) – Helen Clyne; overall stick - Stewart Dodds, junior stick - Thomas Anderson: John Henderson Trophies: WRI – Cogsmill; cut flowers – Grant Moyes; pot plants – Mairi Hair; vegetables – W. R. Wilson; jams and jellies – Nan McKellar; sewing and knitting – Sheila Clyne; baking – Shona Morrison; children’s baking – Helen Clyne; children’s classes – Helen Clyne.