Former Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) chairman John Dykes, a former county farmer, has died suddenly at the age of 81.

A gifted livestock breeder, he brought out prizewinning Hereford and Simmental cattle, Blackface, Border Leicester and, more recently, Bluefaced Leicester sheep and, along with his wife Kate, Highland ponies from their renowned Mendick Stud.

The first child of Robert and Margaret Dykes, of Nether Affleck, Lanark, he was born in March 1942. He was to be followed by Tom, Jean and Robert. The family moved to Myles Farm, near Tranent, in 1948.

John was educated at the former Tranent Primary School and then Dollar Academy, before having a year’s livestock marketing experience with auctioneering firm, John Swan and Co, at Gorgie Market in Edinburgh.

He then worked at home with his father for several years, while taking time to travel and widen his farming knowledge in New Zealand, Australia and the USA.

A member of East Lothian Young Farmers club, he excelled in stock-judging competitions and went on to international level; he is believed to be the only person to represent Scotland in the dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep and poultry sections.

He also excelled at speech making, and represented Scotland in an International Youth Forum speech-making competition. He later became chairman of the East region of the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs.

In 1967 he married Kate Kirkpatrick in Thornhill, Dumfriesshire. They embarked on married life by setting up home at South Slipperfield farm, West Linton.

The farm was to become their home for 56 years and there they brought up three sons, the late Andrew, Hamish and Iain.

In later years, he was invited to judge cattle, sheep or ponies at the Royal Highland Show on eight occasions and five times at the Royal Show.

His last Royal Highland Show judging assignment was in June this year, when he and Kate selected the Young Handlers Competition supreme winner of the Dalchirla Trophy.

John was judging the Highland Pony Society’s centenary breed show at Strathallan Castle the weekend before his death.

A long-serving RHASS director, he was appointed chairman of the board in 2008 and officiated at two particularly busy shows.

In 2009, he hosted HRH Princess Anne and Her Majesty the Queen in the last of her three Royal Highland Show visits and, in 2010, welcomed delegates to the Royal Agricultural Societies of the Commonwealth conference in Edinburgh immediately after the show.

John was an active Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies and served on the board of Lawrie & Symington livestock auctioneers for several years, going on to become vice-chairman.

He was instrumental in helping steer the firm through some difficult years and played a key role in instigating the construction of a new market in Lanark.

Some may also remember John, along with Kate, Hamish and his family, for the sterling job they did in simultaneously promoting Scottish agriculture and entertaining the nation in the 2014 BBC series, Lambing Live.

John’s family have been overwhelmed by, but will be eternally grateful for, the huge number of condolences and kind messages received since his passing, a common theme being what a true gentleman he was, always willing to give of his time, knowledge and experience wholly for the benefit of others.