In the five decades since Robert and Jean Graham established their Stirling-based herd, Grahams Limousins have proved prolific show winners through the years, with the family just as keen to support the local events as the national ones.
Now, with new stockman Stewart Bett at the helm, that dedication is set to continue.
Currently prepping the show team of seven Grahams cattle for next week’s Royal Highland Show at Ingliston, Stewart says this will be his 35th year exhibiting at the Highland, having started showing commercial cattle from his family’s home farm as an 11-year-old boy.
His passion for the show circuit has grown over the years, boosted by the fact his wife Lynsey is equally as enthusiastic and together, they have enjoyed a lot of success exhibiting their own cross calves during the summer and winter months.
Stewart’s experience with the Limousin breed is also extensive, having worked with the Dick family’s Ronick herd for 14 years, before taking on the role at Grahams last year.
The herd’s 30 pure cows and followers, run with around 15 recipient cows, used for embryo transfer.
They calve all year round, producing bulls sold at Stirling and Carlisle, which often hit the five-figure mark, up to 55,000gns for Grahams Samson – a world record breaker at the time, back in 2003.
Batches of females are also sold annually at Carlisle, hitting peaks of 38,000gns for the heifer, Grahams Natalie in 2017.
There are six heifers heading to Carlisle next month, for a Limousin export sale and from there, it’ll be straight down to Harrogate for the Great Yorkshire and then onto the Royal Welsh.
Before that though, there’s the Royal Highland, which will this year be a new experience for Stewart, as he is tasked with judging the commercial cattle section – an honour he is delighted to take on, but one that causes him a dilemma as it takes place at the same time as the Limousin judging.
He says: “I’m relying on Lynsey and a team of friends to help us out, looking after the Limousins at the showfield prior to judging, and showing them on the Thursday afternoon while I carry out my judging stint.
It’ll be the first time I’ve judged at the Highland – it’s a big task, but I think it will be far less nerve wracking than being on the halter!”
This year’s show team of bulls and females includes Grahams Ruth, a three-year-old cow, shown with her heifer calf at foot.
She has been storming the local shows so far this summer, winning her breed section at Drymen, Gargunnock and Stirling, and then going onto secure the inter-breed title at all three of those events.
Heterozygous polled, she is sired by the successful stock bull Claragh Franco and out of the polled French cow, Gigue.
At Stirling show last week, they also secured the reserve breed championship, with Grahams Scarlett, a two-year-old heifer, also entered for the Highland.
The four days at Ingliston are always a busy time for the Graham’s Family Dairy team, but the family’s Limousins have provided many highlights for them there over the years too.
Notably, Grahams Samy (imported as a calf at foot from France) won the breed title there twice, as well as the cattle inter-breed, in 2005. His daughter, Grahams Butterfly, also won the breed championship there, in 2007.
Stewart’s competitive nature will ensure that he puts his all into emulating that past success and he is well matched with Lynsey, who developed a competitive spirit through taking part in pony club games from a young age.
In fact, she won the Prince Philip Cup at the Horse of the Year Show at Wembley in 1992.
A senior equine vet nurse based at the University of Glasgow Equine Hospital, her lifelong love and experience with horses allowed her to seamlessly fit into the cattle world after meeting Stewart.
They now have daughter Darcy as part of the team, who seems equally keen on livestock, aged just four.
Stewart adds: “We love the social side of showing; all of our friends are involved in it, so it’s our hobby as well as our job. But I won’t pretend that it’s all about the taking part for me – my aim is always to win.”
