Sun shines on crowds at Cunningsburgh

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A GOOD crowd at Cunningsburgh – Shetland’s biggest agriculture show – basked in the sunshine on Wednesday, ensuring all the hard organisational work paid off.

Secretary Mavis Ross said that a good turnout of helpers on Friday night and Saturday had helped smooth things along, with many young people pitching in.

Entries were down numerically on previous years, particularly in the flowers section, which may have been hit by the early summer. But going by the judges’ comments, the quality was of a very high standard.

Among the winners, a cow and calf from Jamie Halcrow won the top beef cow prize from a strong field with judge Andrew Sleigh, from Tarves, Aberdeenshire, noting the pair as “an exceptional cow and calf” which “together are a credit to the breeder.”

The supreme sheep was a Shetland/Cheviot cross from Brian and Gordon Hepburn of Berry farm, as judged by NFUS vice president Gary Mitchell, travelling all the way from Wigtonshire.

The Shetland cow champion was won by Sheena Anderson of Ollaberry and dairy cow was won by Emma Burgess of Quendale. Anderson’s cow won the supreme cattle champion.

Tresta’s Amanda Slater scooped three prizes with best sheepdog puppy and best dog and best miniature Shetland stallion.

Esther Jeromson’s billy goat Ben, one of only a few hundred “bagots” in the world, was the best goat on display. Hayley Moar won the best poultry prize and Freya Johnson won the best pet.

Among the equestrian awards, Nina Fraser with Ulverscroft Midnight Red was the showfield champion as well as the ridden Shetland pony champion, champion Shetland pony was Robin’s Brae Stud with Clivocast Vanna and champion horse and pony was won by Daisy Irvine with Dartfordleigh Jackrabbit. Most entries on the showfield was won by Liz Stark with 55 entries

The best exhibit in the hand knit section was won by Alexis Keith.

Most sheep on the showfield was won jointly by John Reid and Lewis Fraser with 17 sheep each.