Leading names in the primestock show world were to the fore yesterday at the Scottish Winter Fair as former winners won both the cattle and sheep sections.

Clinching the silverware in the beef classes were Hugh and Lynn Dunlop, Holehouse, Ochiltree, Ayr, with a homebred Limousin cross steer, Spooks. Named after the popular BBC TV show, Spooks is by Goldies Oswald and out of a Belgian Blue dam.

He was named because the couple were watching the programme when the calf was born, explained Mrs Dunlop. The showy steer later sold to the judge, Gerald David, for £4000.

Across in the sheep rings it was the turn of Suffolk breeder Malcolm Stewart, Brotherstone, Melrose, to take top honours with a pair of Suffolk x Texel lambs. This was Mr Stewart's second Winter Fair title, having taken top spot in 1994. His lambs were by homebred sire Sandyknowe Musclemaster, a sire who has yielded many primestock wins for Mr Stewart. They later sold for £380 each.

For a full report see the Taking Stock blog and for more pictures see the picture gallery