Fresh from judging the prime cattle at LiveScot, Harry Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains, Maud, was delighted to take the overall championship with a home-bred heifer at the Christmas Classic at Thainstone.
His winner was a black three-quarter Limousin known as Spicy scaling 620kg and Harry, who has won twice before but never with a home-bred animal, said: “I am thrilled, I feel I have won it properly now.”
Judges James and Ross Allan, of Malcolm Allan Ltd, Larbert, said it was a tremendous show of cattle and James said their champion had an excellent top-line and gigots and was very flashy. He purchased her later for the top price of £4,600.
The reserve was another heifer from Murray Rainnie, Loanhead, Aboyne. This 586kg three-quarter Limousin was bred by the McMillan family, Ardbeg, Islay, and bought at the spring calf show on the island. She was being shown for the first time but was a half sister to Murray’s reserve heifer from 2016 bred in the same place. She sold for £3,300 to Alastair Bruce, Fraserburgh.
Heifers were the flavour of the day with the butchers champion a 546kg red Limousin cross from Andrew and Reece Simmers, Backmuir, Keith, which sold to Charles and Gary Raeburn, Huntly, for £3,800. James Allan described this heifer as, “perfect for the modern butchers trade”.
Wilson Peters, Monzie, Crieff, fresh from his win at LiveScot, took reserve with another Limousin cross, Tricky Treacle, which had been reserve at several shows in the summer. She scaled 518kg and sold to Louise Forsyth, Peebles, for £3,000.
The Young Farmers’ cattle section was won by Mark Robertson, Easter Fodderletter, Tomintoul, with a 640kg Limousin cross heifer bred by Gordon Carrol, Edendiach, and bought for £1,400 at Huntly in the spring. Judge Jamie Scott, of Paisley, bought her for £3,000.
Reserve was Richard Davidson, from Keith, showing a 622kg Limousin cross heifer bred by B. Harper, Greenwells, and bought at the Young Farmers show at Caledonian Marts, Stirling in the spring. Richard was showing on behalf of himself and four friends who make up Keith Commercials. His heifer went for breeding to Bradley Robertson for £3,000.
The best bullock was the 688kg three-quarter Limousin from Darren Irvine, Braehead, Drummuir. This son of Powerful Irish was successfully shown in the summer and came fourth at the Highland Show. He made £1,700 to James and Ross Allan.
Reserve was Harry Brown again, this time with a 618kg Limousin cross bullock bred by Frazer Leslie, Shapinsay, and bought at Thainstone in the spring for £1,200. This one also went to Alastair Bruce.
Blair Duffton and Rebecca Stuart, Huntly, were champion in the open unhaltered class with a 578kg Limousin cross heifer, while reserve was a 666kg Limousin cross bullock from the Thomson family, Middleton of Potterton, Aberdeen.
YFC unhaltered cattle were led by Harry’s sister, Catherine Beaton, of South Auchmaliddie, with a 614kg home-bred Limousin cross heifer and reserve was the second prize heifer, also a Limousin cross, from John Brown, Hilton of Culsh, New Deer.
Meanwhile, the Rising Stars champion was a British Blue cross heifer, named Roxanne, from the Fraser family at Easter Clune, Lethen, Nairn.
This January-born heifer was bred at Dunmaglass Mains, Inverness.
