SIX agricultural experts from Ayrshire have been unveiled among the judges for the 2024 Royal Highland Show.
Among those who will run their eye over the very best livestock from across Scotland and beyond at the Ingliston event in June are Caroline Montgomery, from Cumnock, who will judge the Belted Galloway class in the beef cattle section.
Caroline farms pedigree Holsteins, Ayrshires, White and Belted Galloways and Lleyn sheep with her husband and children, and has exported cattle around the world to Germany and Ireland.
The heavy horse judges include Jane McNaught, from Darvel, who has won the RHS ridden Highland pony championship on two occasions and will judge the female Highland pony in-hand class.
Having competed with Highland ponies for many years, with highlights including competing at Olympia, Jane has also had successes as an owner with ponies qualifying for the Horse of the Year Show.
And the light horse judges will include Kilwinning riding school owner Gillian Beattie, who will take the reins for the coloured horses and ponies in-hand section, having won many champion titles of her own including three times at the Royal Highland Show.
The Ayrshire representation on the judging panel is completed by John Murray of Crossflat, Muirkirk, who will judge the Blackface sheep class; Robert Robertson, who will run the rule over the private driving and pleasure driving class; Phillipa Macinnes, from Kilmarnock, who will judge the ridden section of the intermediate show hunter, show hunter ponies, lead rein of hunter type and first ridden pony of show hunter type; and Joyce Coltart of Kilmaurs, who will judge the riding element of the part-bred ridden pony class.
David Tennant, head of show at the event’s organisers, the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, said: “We are delighted to invite such a varied roster of judges to lend us their expertise at the 2024 Royal Highland Show.
"Having honed their skills at shows across the UK and around the world, they truly are the best of the best and we are honoured to be welcoming them next year.
“Things are already shaping up for a brilliant Show next year and the team can’t wait to see our competitors and judges in action.”
Livestock entries will open in early April when the schedule of competitions will also be released.
The 2024 show takes place at the Royal Highland Centre at Ingliston from June 20-23. For further information and to purchase tickets see www.royalhighlandshow.org.
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