The Ross family of Ross Bros at Wardhead, Strichen, secured the overall honours in the Royal Northern Agricultural Society’s on the hook carcase competition.
Held on Thursday evening at Woodhead Bros in Turriff, judges Sandy Milne and Mike Riddell of Millers of Speyside were tasked with selecting the prime cattle and lamb carcases which were shown live the previous day.
They awarded the overall cattle carcase championship to the Ross family’s Beef Shorthorn bullock which also took first prize in the live judging at the Spring Show when judged by Nigel Cumming of Scotbeef.
It was bred by D Mitchell Scott, West Park, Auchterarder, and was bought at United Auctions, Stirling in October.
Fed on a home-grown ration with concentrates from Harbro, he scaled 387.1kg deadweight with a U+41 grade.
Harry Brown and family from Auchmaliddie Mains, Maud, stood reserve overall with a home-bred Limousin cross heifer by Craigatoke Jamieson, out of a Limousin cross Aberdeen-Angus dam.
Unplaced in the live judging, she was a full sister to last year’s overall champion live animal and weighed 369.9kg producing a -U4L grade.
Harry’s reserve champion heifer was his first prize winner from the live judging, a home-bred Aberdeen-Angus cross by Strathinver Bentley, out of a Limousin cross cow.
Bill Cameron, Burnside of Edingight, Grange, Keith, produced the best killing out percentage of 68% with a continental bred bullock.
In the sheep, Cheviots from Ian Stott, West Latch, Newburgh, Ellon, stood champion on the hook, having taking first place in the live medium hoggs.
They weighed 24.4kg and 24.6kg deadweight producing E3L grades.
Aberfeldy farmers Roddy and Hugh Thomson of West Park, took reserve overall in both the hoof and hook sections.
Their reserve winners were two home-bred April-born Beltex crosses scaling 22.3kg and 21.9kg with E3L and E3H grades.
The sire is a Mortons tup, bred out of Beltex cross Texel ewes from the 1,200-ewe commercial flock.
RESULTS
Carcase cattle (hoof)
Native bullock – 1, Ross Bros, Wardhead; 2, I & E Stott, West Latch; 3,
W & J Cameron, Burnside of Edingight. Continental bullock – Light – 1 and 2,
Blair Duffton & Steven Smith, Huntly; 3, G & E Davidson, Auchtydonald. Medium – 1 and reserve bullock champion, W & J Cameron, Burnside of Edingight; 2, Auchtydore Farms, Easterton of Lenabo; 3, G & D Anderson, Brucewells. Heavy – 1 and reserve overall champion hoof, Stewart Davidson, West Cortiecram; 2, R & D Farquhar, Tewel; 3, Harry Brown, Auchmaliddie.
Native heifer – 1, Harry Brown; 2, W & J Cameron; 3, Ross Bros. Continental heifer – Light – 1, Blair Duffton & Steven Smith; 2 and 3, W & J Cameron. Medium – 1 and 2, Harry Brown; 3, Ross Bros. Heavy – 1 and overall champion hoof, G & D Anderson, Brucewells; 2 and reserve champion heifer, Auchtydore Farms; 3, Ross Bros.
Carcase cattle (hook)
Native bullock – 1 and overall champion hook, Ross Bros; 2, Ellis & Keir, Cairncoullie; 3, W & J Cameron. Continental bullock – Light – 1 and 2, Blair Duffton & Steven Smith; 3, G & A Davidson, Auchtydonald. Medium – 1 and reserve bullock champion, G & D Anderson; 2, W & J Cameron; 3, Ross Bros. Heavy – 1, R & D Farquhar; 2, Harry Brown; 3, Ellis & Keir.
Native heifer – 1 and reserve champion heifer, Harry Brown; 2, Ross Bros; 3, W & J Cameron. Continental heifer – Light – 1, W & J Cameron; 2, Blair Duffton & Steven Smith; 3, Auchtydore Farms. Medium – 1, Margaret Penny, Shannas; 2, Auchtydore Farms; 3, Ross Bros. Heavy – 1 and reserve overall champion hook, Harry Brown; 2, Auchtydore Farms; 3, G & D Anderson, Brucewells.
Prime hogg pairs (hoof)
Light (under 44kg) – 1 and overall champion hoof, Sheep Park Farms; 2 and 3, D & J Thomson, West Park. Medium (44kg-48kg) – 1 and reserve overall champion hoof, D & J Thomson, West Park; 2, Rayne Farm; 3, Stott, West Latch. Heavy (over 48kg) – 1, Stott, West Latch; 2 and 3, J & E Forrester, Aldie.
Prime hogg pairs (hook) – Light – 1, 2, 3 and reserve overall champion hook, D & J Thomson. Medium – 1, 2 and overall champion hook, Stott, West Latch; 3, D & J Thomson Thomson. Heavy – 1 and 2, Forrester, Adie; 3, Stott, West Latch.
