The open sheep championship was won by 11-year-old exhibitor Seth Miller, The Lurg, Inverurie, who was showing at the Christmas Classic for the first time.
He just has eight ewes of his own at home, but his champion pure Beltex lambs weighing in at 42.5kg were bought in September.
Seth runs his sheep alongside dad Alan’s flock of 100 cross ewes and he had his first taste of success this summer when his lambs won both on the hoof and on the hook at Echt Show.
His lambs made the top price of the day of £300 each to judge, Sam Carlisle, Border Meats, Lockerbie.
Reserve was George Stuart, Milltown of Birness, Ellon, with his pair of 56.5kg Suffollk cross Texel lambs by the £10,000 Redbrae Rambo, which has been a successful breeder of pedigree tups. This was George’s first time showing prime lambs at Thainstone for over 20 years. They also went to Border Meats for £180 per head.
The butchers’ champions were a pair of 49.5kg three-quarter Beltex lambs from Helen and Steven Smith, Scobshaugh, Cortachy, Angus. This was the first show for this pair of lambs but this mother and son duo won the same award at last year’s Christmas Classic. Jamie Scott of Paisley took them home for £250 per head.
Reserve were brothers, David and William Moir, Home Farm, Caithness, with a pair of blue Texel cross Beltex lambs scaling 41.5kg each. These lambs by a Cairness sire also won the best by a Texel sire and best presented. Their lambs went to W G Troup, Shaggart, Sauchen for £220 per head.
The brothers also took the red, white and blue in the Young Farmers section with a pair of pure Beltex lambs scaling 45.5kg each and being shown for the first time. They sold for £270 per head to Backmuir Trading, Keith. Gary Morrison, Bush, Keith, took reserve with his 44.5kg Beltex lambs, sold for £190 each to Jamie Scott.
