Exhibitors from throughout the north and north-east are gearing up for the first show of the year – the Royal Northern Agricultural Spring Show at Thainstone.
Brothers Craig and Jack Hendry, from Keith, are well-known faces in the show circuit with commercial cattle and are busy preparing their five entries for next week’s show.
They grew up on the family farm at Heads of Auchinderran, near Keith, and now work full-time as pipe fitters for Forsyths at Buckie, while also running their own farming business at Craibstone, near Deskford.
The duo purchased the 170-acre unit in 2017 and now run 30 British Blue cross Limousin suckler cows and grow 80 acres of spring barley for malting.
All cows are bulled to top-quality Limousin bulls including two which were recently bought from the Garyvaughan herd.
They are shared with their dad Gordon’s 100-suckler cow herd.
The best of females have been bought in to build up the herd and the brothers are now in the position to keep their own home-bred replacements, with most store cattle sold as yearlings at Thainstone.
Just recently, Craig and Jack sold autumn-born calves at Thainstone, where they averaged £1,500 for the eight sold, with a top price of £1,800.
Weaned calves have also been sold in the past to top prices of £3,600, £2,800 and £2,400.
‘Showing is certainly a bug we have caught’
The Hendry family also runs eight pedigree Limousin females and they have sold bulls to 7,000gns at Carlisle and 5,500gns at the Spring Show.
One of the females is Powerful Kango, which Craig purchased in Northern Ireland and showed successfully at the summer shows.
She’s been flushed and there are now three of her calves on the ground and look promising.
“Showing is certainly a bug we have caught and we really enjoy bringing out home-bred and purchased animals,” said Jack.
“The best bit about showing and selling calves is seeing them go on to do well for their new owners at national events throughout the country.”
With that being said, the Hendrys bred a Royal Highland Show commercial champion in 2012 for its new owners, and a reserve female champion at the Highland for Blair Duffton.
“One of our best years showing at the Spring Show was in 2011 when Craig stood male champion with a bullock shared with Gary Wright,” said Jack.
“I also stood reserve that same day with a bullock bred by the late Alistair Smart from the Shiel.”
The Young Farmers Overwintering competition, Thainstone Spectacular, Aberdeen Christmas Classic and Rising Stars have also proved successful for the family over the years, winning an abundance of tickets.
They have also picked up a red ticket at LiveScot in Lanark.
Royal Northern Agricultural Spring Show entries
This year’s entries for the Spring Show includes a home-bred heifer and home-bred bullock, as well as two bought in bullocks and a bought in heifer.
The purchased calves includes two which were bought at United Auctions, Huntly, from Ronnie Millar, Barnyards, and the Andersons from Rappachie.
The other is a bullock bought from the Greenlaws of Balgairn.
All five of the cattle for the Spring Show next week were exhibited at the Stars of the Future Calf Show, and the home-bred heifer picked up a first at the Rising Stars Exhibition Calf Show in December.
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