Breed Standard

The Riggit is a mid-size beef animal, of medium bone and good beef conformation. The coat should, in due season, be full, with short coated animals discouraged. (The assumption being that the adult animal should be easily able to out-winter in the UK). They should be naturally polled, and should horned lines occur, it should be a goal to minimise these horns.

Adult cattle should be of a constitution to survive and thrive on rough pasture alone for the majority of the year, correct in all points of locomotion.

Being primarily derived from the various Galloway breeds, they should follow similar traits, but with the defining distinction being the colouration. The Riggit cattle must display the classic feature of a white stripe along, at least, most of the spine. The rest of the body colour shall be a single colour, typically black, blue/black, dun or red/roan. The stripe may broaden to cover much of the animals back, notably down the outside of the hind quarters, or break into white spots amongst the other solid colour. The dark colour should cover at least the majority of either side from shoulder to hindmost rib. White markings may occur under the keel, and on legs, but ideally shouldn’t run down to the hoof. Roan markings may show on head and face. 

Symmetry of colour should a desirable trait. Variations of colour marking, such as predominantly white, with dark spots, may be found acceptable for inclusion on a secondary register, at the Committee’s discretion, and upon inspection.

“White Riggits”, that is animals whose parents are both correctly marked registered Riggits but which display the White Park type colouration of an overall white colour with black, red or dun points will also be included in the main register

It shall remain an over-riding goal that the breed should remain an ‘easy care’ animal, capable of producing quality beef from rough and upland pasture.