ROYAL HIGHLAND SHOW 2025

The Blackface judging proved as popular as ever at the 2025 Royal Highland Show, with spectators cramming around the ringside to witness the Ramsay family, of Milnmark, Dalry, secure their ninth breed championship at the event.

Their winner this time, a one-crop home-bred ewe, was in fact the same one that won the show last year, as a gimmer. Sired by £30,000 Elmscleugh and out of a daughter of £11,000 Milnmark, she is rearing a ewe lamb, sired by £45,000 Auldhouseburn.

Judge, Archie MacGregor, Allanfauld, Kilsyth, said: “The top end of the classes were very close and I thoroughly enjoyed judging them. It was a lifetime ambition to judge the Blackies at the Highland and it certainly lived up to my expectations.

Speaking of his choice of champion, he added: “She is a great example of a Blackface ewe – built for the hill, with a great shape and good on her legs, a good coat and tremendous character; a prime example of the breed.”

Taking the reserve overall title was the first placed gimmer from the MacArthurs of Nunnerie, Elvanfoot. On her first show outing, this gimmer, named Edith, is by £90,000 Dalchirla, while the dam is a £60,000 Loughash daughter. She is a twin sister to Winston, the £9000 ram lamb sold at Dalmally last year to Midlock.

“She is similar in type to the champion,” said Mr MacGregor, “a very correct and complete animal, with good hair and character,” he added.

In the male championship, it was Milnmark to the fore again, with the champion ticket going to the £60,000 Merkins tup that they bought at Stirling last year, alongside Blackcraig, Fingland and Hartside, Lamington. Sired by £70,000 Dalchirla, this impressive tup is out of a ewe by £14,000 Glenrath. Mr MacGregor described him as a “big, exceptional tup – a tremendous animal.”

The reserve male ticket went to a ram lamb from the Nunnerie team, a son of £26,000 Upper Wellwood, out of a ewe by the home-bred Unit.

Class 1: Ram, three shear and over

1st Pate, Moorfoot

Class 2: Ram, two shear

1st Ramsay, Milnmark; 2nd Marshall, Gosland; 3rd Redpath, The Yett; 4th N Mitchell; 5th Firm of Shawhead, Shawhead

Class 3: Shearling Ram

1st Wight, Midlock; 2nd Frame, Craigendhill; 3rd Marshall, Gosland; 4th Robertson, Crosswoodhill; 5th Hamilton, South Cobbinshaw

Class 4: Ram Lamb

1st MacArthur, Nunnerie; 2nd Hamilton, South Cobbinshaw; 3rd Simpson, Sidlaw; 4th Heads, Aitkenhead; 5th McClymont, Tinnis

Class 5: Ewe, above one shear, in milk, with lamb(s) at foot

1st Ramsay, Milnmark; 2nd Wight, Midlock; 3rd N Mitchell; 4th MacArthur, Nunnerie; 5th Marshall, Gosland

Class 6: Ewe, above one shear, in milk, with Lamb(s) at foot, unshorn (1 forward)

1st Heads, Aitkenhead

Class 7: Shearling Ewe or Gimmer

1st MacArthur, Nunnerie; 2nd Wight, Midlock; 3rd Ramsay, Milnmark; 4th Wight, Midlock; 5th Robertson, Crosswoodhill

Class 8: Ewe Lamb

1st McClymont, Tinnis; 2nd Hamilton, South Cobbinshaw; 3rd N Mitchell; 4th Wight, Midlock; 5th Graham, Mains of Burnbank

Group of Four (must consist of two males and two females, from four classes, and all the property of one exhibitor)

1st N Mitchell; 2nd Simpson, Sidlaw