The judges tasked with placing the country’s top cattle, sheep, horses and goats come from far and wide to judge Scotland’s biggest and best display of livestock.

Overall Young Handler

The choice of judges for the Dalchirla Trophy for Overall Young Handler award rotates around the different sections each year, and this year the task falls upon John and Kate Dykes, of Mendick Highland Pony Stud near West Linton. John and Kate have previously judged Highland Pony classes at the Show, with John also judging cattle and sheep. They have had their own success at the Show too, having won the Highland Pony In-Hand class in 1996.

Beef Section

The Overall Beef Interbreed and Teams is in safe hands this year, with Keith Redpath lending his over 50 years of judging experience to choose the 2023 champion. Having judged at all of the major UK shows as well as bull sales, Keith’s Redpath Nobleman was also part of the winning Interbreed team at the 2022 Royal Highland Show.

Member of the renowned Goldie family, Hamish Goldie, will judge the Beef Breeder & Junior Beef Interbreed. Hamish runs the unit at South Bowerhouse, home to the high-performing Goldies Charolais cattle and lleyn sheep.

Judging the Herefords will be Carolyn Fletcher, President of the Hereford Cattle Society. Her own stock has won the UK sire of the year trophy on two separate occasions.

British Farming Awards 2021 Beef Farmer of the Year winner, Colin Davidson is judging the Beef Native Interbreed Team. Skaill Farm has been home to the Davidson family for 75 years in Sandwick, Orkney, and is one of the most easterly farms in the British Isles.

Another well-kent face is Jane Landers, judging Beef Shorthorn. Jane manages the Cairsnmore herd with husband Billy and son Bobby at their farm in Newton Stewart. Having made a name for herself within the Beef Shorthorn and Belted Galloway breeds, Jane took 2004 RHS Champion with Cairnsmore Trisha.

Dairy Section

Hugh Kennedy is taking charge of Overall Dairy in 2023. Heading the well-known Stair Holstein herd from Tarbolton in Ayrshire, they have had a fantastic 2022, winning the West of Scotland's inaugural Winter Herd's Team of Six, the Billy Scott Memorial Trophy, and the reserve in the Summer Herd's Team of 10.

The top prizes for Ayrshires will be awarded by Ian McLean, who runs a herd situated only a stone’s throw from the Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland. Farming pedigree Holstein milkers and 200 youngstock with a sprinkle of colour in the form of 16 Jerseys, 30 Ayrshires and 9 Dairy Shorthorns, the milking herd are housed on waterbed cubicles.

David Hodgson will judge the Holsteins – David is a double award winner of the Holstein Master Breeder Award and a 2015 National Herd Champion of Holstein UK.

Heading up Any Other Breed is Robert Fleming, who won Young Farmers Stockman of the Year in 1969, the first winner of the competition in its current format.

Sheep Section

The well-known and respected Ian Hunter will judge the Overall Interbreed for 2023. As well as holding the record price for a Blackface ram at £200,000 and joint second of £160,000, Ian was a RHASS Sir William Young Award winner in 2018 and also donated the Dalchirla Trophy to the Show for the Overall Young Handler competition.

Former RHASS Director and Chairman Keith Brooke will oversee the Sheep Pairs section. Keith holds many mantles, being also a former President of the Blackface Sheep Breeders' Association, (currently Honorary President), Chairman of the British Rouge de l'Ouest Sheep Society and has served on the Boards of Wallets Marts and Scottish, English and Welsh Wool Growers.

Judging the Sheep Young Handlers will be Hannah Jackson, who in partnership with husband Ali bred the 2022 RHS Dutch Spotted champion that went on to be Reserve Overall Interbreed and part of the Interbreed Pairs Champions.

Flor Ryan will cast his experienced eye over the Texels – Flor has been involved with Texels for over 35 years, having judged for over 20 years and exported Texels all over Europe. Meanwhile Honorary President of Blackface Sheep Breeders Association, John MacPherson, will head that section. John farms 10,000 acres across five different farms.

Pat Greaney will tap out the champion Suffolk, having previously judged Interbreed Pairs at the Show back in 2019. Pat won the Suffolk section in 2006, and in 1999 won four out of five of the Royal Shows with a Suffolk lamb.

Mary Dunlop will judge Beltex in 2023. Mary established the first Beltex flock in Scotland, and farms with son Andrew and Michael. She is current treasurer of NSA Scotland and won RHS Beltex Champion in 2014.

Goat Section

Dairy Goats, Kids, Milking & Boer Goats will be judged this year by Nick Parr. Nick is the current Chairman of the British Goat Society and has over 40 years of judging experience, both at home and further afield in Australia and South Africa.

Heavy Horse Section

The Queen’s Cup will be awarded in the Heavy Horse Section for 2023. The Male and Female Clydesdales In Hand will be judged by Christine Halliday and Thomas Clark respectively. Christine is a two-time winner of the Cawdor Cup and has a long history of success at the Show with Howgillside Clydesdales.

Thomas has had many successes of his own with Muirton Spirit – winning Cyldesdale Male Champion and Overall Champion at the Show for the past two years and the Cawdor Cup also. The Clark family have a long history with the Show, having won their first champion with Rising Star in 1920.

Mother and daughter team, Vivien and Abigail Hampton, will preside over the Shetland Pony sections, having extensive judging experience both at home and abroad.

Jean Ralston of Moss-side Stud will take the reins of the Highland Pony In Hand Males class. Along with husband Willie, Jean established the Moss-side Highland Pony stud in 1991, and has since bred over 130 foals, including many RHS champions.

Cameron Ormiston, better known as Dochy, will be judging the Highland Pony In Hand Females. Dochy has had a long involvement with Highland ponies, but also Highland Cattle and Blackface sheep. 

The Sanderson Trophy will be awarded by Beth Sibbald, who has been breeding Highland ponies for over 50 years. Along with extensive experience with Clydesdales and Shetlands, Beth brings a wealth of knowledge to the Overall Heavy Horse Champion judging.

will be judging Highland Ponies Under Saddle (Conformation & Ride respectively). Gillian has been breeding Highland ponies under the Trailtrow prefix for many years, with previous In Hand and Ridden Champions at the Royal Highland Show, and having judged at major shows throughout the UK and in Europe.

Kirsten enjoys producing and competing her home bred ponies, previously competing at the Horse of the Year Show, the Royal International, the London Olympia Horse Show and National Dressage championships.

Light Horse Section

One of the country’s leading show horse producers, Allister Hood, will be judging both the conformation of the Working Hunter Ladies Side Saddle Horse and Overall Light Horse In Hand. Alongside son Oliver and wife Anne, he has produced over 75 Horse of the Year Show winners, in addition to countless victories at the Royal International and all other major county shows. Retiring from the ring in 2021, we are delighted to welcome Allister to the Royal Highland Show as a judge.

Michael and Amanda Bowlby will be taking the lead for the Retraining of Racehorses class. Bringing his long experience of the racing industry and having previously judged the ROR final at Aintree, Michael is also a former jockey, having ridden in the Grand National on six occasions.

Judging the Overall Mountain & Moorland In Hand will be Erik MacKechnie-Guire. Erik has been involved with para-equestrian dressage teams for many years and is currently the Para-Equestrian Dressage Pathway Manager at British Equestrian. He is also a Fellow of the British Horse Society and in much demand for training clinics.

Well-known producer and breeder Jerome Harforth will be judging the Show Ponies alongside Dawn Christie. Jerome has had much success with Stanley Grange stud for over 45 years, and bring a wealth of knowledge having judged at shows all over the world.

Dawn is an experienced judge of Show Ponies & Show Hunter Ponies, has been Chief Steward at all the BSPS Championship shows and is an executive member of the British Show Pony Society Council.

RHASS Head of Show, David Tennant commented:

“After a much-anticipated 2022 Show, we are very much looking forward to welcoming back competitors and judges to the show rings once again.

“Our esteemed line up of judges include some of the most experienced names in the UK and international showing circuits, and I’m sure everyone will recognise more than a few well-known names on the list. I and the whole team can’t wait to see them and our competitors in action next year.”

Livestock entries will open in early April when the schedule of competitions will also be released.

Supported by Royal Bank of Scotland, the Royal Highland Show will take place at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh, on 22-25 June 2023.

For further information and to purchase tickets please visit www.royalhighlandshow.org.