A YOUNG bull from Eggleston has taken top honours in its class at the Royal Highland Show beating off a herd of Scottish rivals.
It was only a beast exhibited by the Queen that kept Murphy of Seam from taking the overall championship.
The animal was bred by Simon and Emma Haley, of Seamfold Highlands.
Murphy of Seam came first in his class before becoming junior bull champion and going on to be crowned overall junior champion.
Mr Haley said he was up against between 40 and 50 other junior cattle.
He added: “It doesn’t get any better than this. He would never have beaten the Queen’s bull.
“Don’t get me wrong, wherever it [the Queen’s bull] goes this year it will win. It is a huge bull, it must weigh 1.1 tonnes.”
Murphy went on to come third in the overall championship and Mr Haley is hoping he will do better when he fills out a bit more.
He said: “He has growth spurts and this time he has grown up but not wide. Hopefully he puts on a bit more width, even an inch or two.”
Other animals from Seamfold Highlands that performed well included three-year-old heifer Sophie of Seam which came fourth and Millis the Third of Seam which came sixth in the two-year-old heifer class.
The Royal Highland Show is the first of three national shows that the couple plan to exhibit at in the space of a month.
Next week Mr Haley will take Murphy to the Great Yorkshire Show and from there it is straight down south to the Royal Welsh Show on July 18.
