All roads will lead to Ayr Show, on Saturday May 11, as farmers up and down the country look forward to a good day out following one of the worst spells of weather for cattle, sheep and cereal producers.
While the first few months of 2024 have been brutal for farmers striving to bring new life into the world and get crops into the ground, the good news is, the weather does appear to be improving. There is also huge enthusiasm for a good day at Ayr Racecourse, with sheep entries up by almost 100 head on the year at 420, while beef and dairy cattle numbers and Clydesdale horses are very much on a par.
The sheep lines boast no fewer than 15 sections, which this year has been topped by the Suffolk breed with 68 entries, followed by the Beltex with 42 and Texel on 34.
Some 90 head of beef cattle have also been entered of which the commercial section is the largest with 36 expected on the day, complete with 28 continental pedigree cattle and 26 native breeds. Some 70 stalls have been booked for dairy cattle too, alongside some 16 Clydesdale horses and three stud carts.
Outwith the livestock, and a large section of horses and ponies, this year’s 179th show in the Association’s 188th year, is again viewed as a ‘must do’ event on the calendars of both the farming community and families looking for a fun-packed, good value day out.
The event includes trade stands, crafts, vintage tractor display, SWI competitions, Young Farmers competitions, family entertainment, music, children’s marquee and ‘TT Ayr’ (Trucks and Tractor) Show. Food and drink is very much part of the event creating the very important link ‘field to fork’. The Ayrshire Agricultural Association is committed to keeping this event going forward with a good range of attractions throughout the show field whilst not losing the true agricultural roots of Ayr County Show.
Light horse and pony classes will start at 8.00am, British show jumping classes at 9.00am and Clydesdale horses at 10.30am. The individual champion animals from each section meet in the main ring around mid-afternoon for The Rowan Crystal Supreme Champion of Champions to be judged and the winner be presented with the £1000 Prize and each of the runners-up’s a £200 prize kindly sponsored by Jim Craig of Ayr Market.
Around the show will be the Sheep Game’s, Cammy Wilson; Dinosaur Invasion; Owl Magic, Aldabra Giant Tortoises, Young Farmers tug o’ war and stockjudging competitions and much, much more.
In the main ring, Dangerous Steve, a huge crowd puller will be performing spectacular stunts to keep spectators mesmerised.
Judges
Dairy cattle
Inter-breed: John Montgomerie, Kilmaurs, Ayrshire
Ayrshire/Jersey cattle: Mark Davis, Devon
Holstein/Red and White cattle: Samual Wake, Northamptonshire
Calf and showmanship classes all dairy breeds: Arwyn Wilson, Carmarthenshire
Beef cattle
Inter-breed: Archie MacGregor, Kilsyth, Glasgow
Native cattle (Aberdeen Angus, Beef Shorthorn, Belted Galloway, Hereford and AONB): Kate McCornick, Dumfries and Galloway
Continental cattle (British Simmental, British Blue and AOCB): Andrew Ewing jnr, Dumfries and Galloway
Commercial cattle: Martin Barker, Appleby-In-Westmorland
Young Stockpersons ‘Beef’ and YFC classes: John McCulloch, Castle Douglas
Sheep
Inter-breed: Keith Campbell, Argyll
Suffolk sheep: Steven Buckley, Derbyshire
British Charollais and Blue Texels: Matthew Burleigh, Co Fermanagh
Beltex and commercial sheep: Andrew Morton, Stirlingshire
Texel and Border Leicesters: Michael Leggat, Aberdeenshire
Any other continental sheep: Kenneth O’Connor, Lanarkshire
Bluefaced Leicester and Blackface sheep: Billy Kerr, Ayrshire
Valais Blacknose: Bruce Goldie, Dumfriesshire
Zwartbles: Mrs Sam Rae, Dumfriesshire
Hampshire Downs: J Mark Fletcher, North Yorkshire
Ryeland and AONB sheep: Janice Milne, Thornhill, Stirling
Young stockpersons: Ryan O’Neil, Ayrshire
Clydesdale horses
Peter Black, Cupar
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