A small-time Charolais breeder from Biggar carried off one of the breed’s highest accolades by winning the supreme championship at the Stirling Bull Sales.
Jemma Forrest of Hillend Farm, a former stockman for herds in Ireland and the south of Scotland, carried off the glory with her 22-month-old bull Edenhurst Leader, a son of Sandelford Harrison.
The foundations of her tiny herd began with a wedding present of two pedigree cows and she has slowly built up numbers, including purchasing Leader as a calf-at-foot with his mother, Edenhurst Delight at the Edenhurst dispersal sale.
She was congratulated by some of the country’s renowned Charolais breeders and appeared stunned by her unexpected success.
“I’ve shown cattle since I was eight years old and I’ve never won one championship sash. I just can’t believe what’s happened today,” she said.
“He was reserve champion at shows in Biggar, Moffat, Peebles and Strathaven last summer and he’s just the most correct bull I’ve ever known. He also has a personality to die for.”
The judge, Chris Curry from Thropton, Morpeth described his choice of champion as the “right bull for today’s marketplace”.
He added: “He caught my eye at once. He’s not extreme or over-big but he is easy-fleshed and correct.”
Mr Curry went on to say that around 75% of the 186 bulls paraded before him fitted the style of Charolais animals needed to produce the type of cattle demanded by abattoirs and retailers.
“Some classes were excellent, others not sogood,” he said. “No one wants big rough cattle any more, but the majority were good modern animals.”
For his reserve champion Mr Curry chose Gretnahouse Lord, another May 2015-born bull. He came from Alasdair Houston, Gretna House, Gretna Green.
Mr Curry said: “He walks well, has meat in the right places and would suit either pedigree or commercial herds.”
The intermediate champion, Battleford Laser came from Irish breeder B. Finnegan from Co Tyrone and in reserve intermediate place was Elgin Lampard from Roy Milne and Sons, Kennieshillock, Lhanbryde.
Welsh breeder Esmor Evans provided the junior champion, Maerdy Llanwern, a son of Hambourg, and in reserve place was Coolnaslee Lofty from Co Londonderry farmer G. J. Crawford, Maghera.
Heifers from Hamish Goldie, South Bowerhouses, Dumfries won both the female championship and reserve awards.
Leading the line-up was Goldies Lena, a daughter of Blelack Digger, and in reserve place was Goldies Lassie, another daughter of the same sire.
