Some of the finest cattle from across Scotland gathered at Keith Show for the Scottish Beef Supreme Cattle Championship.
To qualify for the contest, which is sponsored by Simmers Contracts Ltd of Backmuir, Keith, entrants must put forward an animal which was breed champion at any show this year.
The judge was Jimmy McMillan jun, who is stockman for Sterling Simmentals in Cheltenham. After much deliberation, he selected the commercial champion as his supreme.Describing his winner, Mr McMillan said: “She is full of meat, moves well, and has tremendous character. She stood out as soon as she came in the ring. She is a really smart heifer – just my type of beast.”
He was referring to multi-show winning Charolais cross heifer Gold Rush from Blair Duffton and Rebecca Stuart of Huntly and Insch.
The 15-month-old heifer was purchased for £3,200 in Dungannon, Northern Ireland. She stood champion of champions at Fettercairn, reserve overall champion at Echt and Banchory, and commercial champion at New Deer, Turriff, Black Isle and Keith.
Standing reserve in the commercial section was an entry from Mark Robertson, of Fodderletter Farms, Tomintoul. This yearling Belgian Blue cross heifer, named Rachel, was bought privately from Alistair Robson, Old Manse, Glass, Huntly. She stood champion at Sutherland and Nairn, and Rising Stars champion.
In the continental section the top title went to four-year-old Limousin bull Whiskey Infinity from Harry and Lynwen Emslie of Kinknockie, Mintlaw.
Infinity, by Plumtree Deus and out of Wilodge Glitzy, is jointly owned with Meridian Genetics in South Africa. He was bought privately and a full sister of his dam bred the 60,000gn Carlisle champion in May.
He was champion of champions at Turriff and New Deer, champion at the Royal Welsh, and part of the winning interbreed team at the Highland.
The reserve continental winner was December-2013 born Charolais bull Kilbline Instigator from the Irvines at Inverlochy, Tomintoul.
By Oscar and out of Kilbline Ursula, he was champion at the Black Isle and Highland, reserve at Turriff, and interbreed at the Black Isle and Turriff last year.
In the native section, the champion title went to the supreme winner from last year’s contest – six-year-old Aberdeen-Angus cow Mosstonmuir Ingrid from Graham Willox, Meikle Pitinnan, Oldmeldrum. Bought at the Mosstonmuir dispersal for a sum Mr Willox no longer wants to disclose, she was champion at Echt and New Deer.
Standing reserve was four-year-old Aberdeen-Angus bull Ballindalloch Earl from Ballindalloch Home Farm. This home-bred bull is by Ardoyne Munro Prince and out of Ballindalloch Erica. He was champion of champions at Nairn, champion at the Black Isle, and Stars of the Future and Black Beauty Bonanza in the past.