The Royal Highland Show always attracts the best of the breed and this year’s quality was as high as ever, with the judging in the hands of Northern Ireland’s Will Short, of the Woodpark herd, Omagh.
He found his overall champion in the female winner, Formakin Style, a rising five-year-old cow, shown with her bull calf at foot, from father and son, Robin and William McMurrich, Causewayhead, Stirling. This was a first breed title at the show for the McMurrichs, who have been breeding Charolais since 1987.
Formakin Style – one of 18 cows in the herd – had shown promise from a young age, having stood junior female champion at the Highland three years ago. She is sired by the French AI bull, Hatenon, while the dam, Formakin Image, is a daughter of Balthayock Matthew. Her bull calf at foot, Formakin Adonis, is a November-born son of the French sire Heracles M, and is planned for sale at Stirling in the future.
The reserve female champion followed the cow all the way, to take the reserve overall title and also best junior. That was Larahill Violet, a rising two-year-old heifer from Michael and Melanie Alford, Foxhill, Devon. She’s no stranger to success, having won at the Royal Cornwall and the Three Counties shows. Sired by Neptune, and out of the Balmyle Vagabond daughter, Ballydownan Maggie, she had been bred by John O’Connor and bought by the Alfords last September at the National Calf show and sale in Carrick-on-Shannon.
Male champion and reserve overall junior, was Allanfauld Aristotle, an impressive young bull from Archie and John MacGregor, Allanfauld, Kilsyth. At 14-months-old, he’s a son of the 28,000gns Falleninch Stormzy, while his dam, Allanfauld Maharana, is a full sister to the 20,000gns Allanfauld Neptune. The following day, Aristotle went onto lift the prestigious Beef Breeder championship.
Reserve male went to the reserve junior male, Tophill Adonis, a 14-month-old bull from Andrew Stott, Shawhead, Longtown. He’s sired by Ratoary Ferguson, out of Hackleton Petra, a daughter of Hackleton Lagerlout.
In the inter-breed contest, Larahill Violet stepped up to take the overall junior title, while Allanfauld Aristotle teamed up with Silvermere Athena, to finish third overall pair.
Class results:
Judge: Mr Will Short, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland
Class 252 Female, born on or between 1st April and 31st July 2025:
1st RA Milne & Sons, Elgin Ashley
2nd A MacGregor (Allanfauld) Ltd, Allanfauld Apple
3rd Drew Coppinger & Nairn Wylie, Grinshill Aurora
4th Strathisla Farms, Cardean Armani
Class 253 Female, born on or between 1st January and 31st March 2025:
1st M Hanson & D Irvine, Silvermere Athena
2nd Mr & Mrs M Alford, Liscally Angel
3rd Murray Lyle, Loganbar Adelaide
4th R & N Barclay, Harestone Arabella
Class 254 Female, born on or between 22nd June and 31st December 2024:
1st Mr & Mrs M Alford, Larahill Violet
2nd Brailes Livestock, Brailes Violet
3rd Mr & Mrs M Alford, Liscally Valerie
4th D & T Nicoll, Balthayock Verona
Class 255 Female, born on or between 1st January and 21st June 2024:
1st Mr & Mrs M Alford, Foxhillfarm Victorious
2nd Andrew Hornall, Falleninch Valentina
3rd Strathisla Farms, Cardean Vodka
4th AJR Farms, Newlogie Veryfirst
Class 256 Female, born on or between 1st January and 31st December 2023:
1st Andrew Hornall, Falleninch Unita
2nd Brailes Livestock, Newhouse Urdu
3rd Lourie Upbeat, Robert Aitken
Class 257 Female in Milk or in Calf, born on or before 31st December 2022:
1st Mcmurrich Partnership, Formakin Style
2nd Drew Coppinger & Nairn Wyllie, Grinshill Tallulah
3rd RA Milne & Sons, Elgin Libby
4th J Irvine & Son, Inverlochy Sofia
Class 258 Bull, born on or between 1st April and 30th June 2025:
1st A MacGregor (Allanfauld) Ltd, Allanfauld Aristotle
2nd Andrew Stott, Tophill Adonis
3rd Richard McCornick, Ricnick Aftershock
4th W & N Milne, Glenernan Angus
Class 259 Bull, born on or between 1st January and 31st March 2025:
1st Robert Aitken, Lourie Alto
2nd AJR Farms, Newlogie Auniquebull
3rd Dexter Russell, Airthmains Alba
Class 261 Bull, born on or between 1st January and 21st June 2024:
1st SC & GL Hartwright, Shamleys Victor
2nd Murray Lyle, Loganbar Vodka
Best Pair of Charolais Cattle Owned and Bred by Exhibitor Entered in the Show Classes –
A MacGregor (Allanfauld) Ltd
Reserve Pair of Charolais Cattle Owned and Bred by Exhibitor Entered in the Show Classes – Brailes Livestock
Best Female – The Woodside Perpetual Trophy –
Formakin Style, Mcmurrich Partnership
Reserve Female –
Larahill Violet, Mr & Mrs M Alford
Best Junior Female –
Larahill Violet, Mr & Mrs M Alford
Reserve Junior Female –
Silvermere Athena, M Hanson & D Irvine
Best Bull – The Crawford Perpetual Challenge Gold Quaich –
Allanfauld Aristotle, A MacGregor (Allanfauld) Ltd
Reserve Bull –
Tophill Adonis, Andrew Stott
Best Junior Bull –
Allanfauld Aristotle, A MacGregor (Allanfauld) Ltd
Reserve Junior Bull –
Tophill Adonis, Andrew Stott
Breeder of Best Bull – Bronze Medal –
A MacGregor (Allanfauld) Ltd
Junior Champion North East and Central Scotland Charolais Club Trophy –
Larahill Violet, Mr & Mrs M Alford
Reserve Junior Animal –
Allanfauld Aristotle, A MacGregor (Allanfauld) Ltd
Overall champion –
Formakin Style, Mcmurrich Partnership
Reserve overall champion –
Larahill Violet, Mr & Mrs M Alford
Best Animal Opposite Sex to the Champion –
Allanfauld Aristotle, A MacGregor (Allanfauld) Ltd
Best Animal Bred by Exhibitor –
Formakin Style, Mcmurrich Partnership
Best Animal Bred by Exhibitor who must be a member of the Scottish and Northern Charolais Breeders Association –
Formakin Style, Mcmurrich Partnership
Categories: Highland Show, Shows