Young Farmers from Caithness were out in force at the overwintering show and sale held at Quoybrae Mart on Monday.
The annual event, conducted by Aberdeen and Northern Marts, was held alongside the firm’s sale of 920 store cattle and an open show judged by Bill Cameron from Burnside of Edingight, Grange, Keith.
A strong show of cattle was forward to a ”buzzing” ringside of buyers who were present for all classes of stock.
Caithness Young Farmers
Mr Cameron also had the task of judging the show of Young Farmers’ cattle which was sponsored by local farmers and contractors, AH Mackay of West Greenland, near Thurso.
His champion and winner of the W&A Geddes Perpetual Trophy was a 506kg Limousin cross bullock from Halkirk Young Farmers member, Lyndsey Dunnet of Linkmoor, Warse.
Bred by Gordie Begg, Vauldale, Nybster, it went on to sell for £1,800 to the judge, Mr Cameron.
Reserve champion
Another bullock bred by Mr Begg stood reserve champion.
This was a 488kg Limousin cross bullock from Lyndsey’s sister, Abbie Dunnet, which sold for £1,780 to James Gunn, Whitefield, Reiss.
Abbie also won the best daily liveweight gain of 1.118kg per day, while her sister Lyndsey, produced the highest gross margin.
Sophie Tucker from Wick, also enjoyed a good day when she won the best daily liveweight gain, best gross margin and best presented and paraded.
Producing a daily liveweight gain of 1.063kg per day was her 442kg Charolais cross heifer bred by Ian Stewart, Reisgill, Lybster.
In the open show, the champion ticket went to a 685kg Charolais cross bullock from regular consignor, Donald Budge of Brae Edge, Castletown, Thurso.
It later sold for £2,140 to the judge, Mr Cameron, as did the reserve champion, a 517kg Limousin cross heifer from Robert Allan, Gillock Mains, Watten, Wick, for £1,760.
Prize list
- Young Farmers – Haltered bullock – 1, Lyndsey Dunnet; 2, Abbie Dunnet; 3, Murray Mackenzie. Haltered heifer – 1, Sophie Tucker; 2 and 3, William Campbell. Unhaltered bullock – 1, Calvin Forbes.
- Unhaltered heifer – 1, Erin Mackenzie; 2, Sophie Tucker. DLWG bullock – 1, Abbie Dunnet (1.118); 2, Lynsey Dunnet (1.006); 3, Murray Mackenzie (0.902).
- DLWG heifer – 1, Sophie Tucker (1.063); 2, William Campbell (1.023); 3, William Campbell (0.891).
- Gross margin – Bullock – 1, Lyndsay Dunnet; 2, Abbie Dunnet; 3, Murray Mackenzie.
- Gross margin – Heifer – 1, Sophie Tucker; 2, William Campbell; 3, William Campbell.
- Best presented and paraded – Sophie Tucker Open – Bullock – 1 and overall champion, DA Budge, Brae Edge, Castletown; 2, JA Chalmers Glenburnie, Hill of Forss; 3, J and R Allan, Gillock Mains.
- Heifer – 1 and reserve champion – J and R Allan, Gillock Mains. Pair of bullocks – 1, M Anderson, Catchery.
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