A CLUTCH of top trophies was heading for Angus and Fife yesterday evening after the Christmas Classic prime stock show at Thainstone.

Out of a tremendous selection of top cattle, judge Gerald David, from Minehead, Somerset, picked a Charolais cross heifer from Bert and Patsy Paton, Spott, Glenprosen, as his overall champion.

The heifer, Oompa Loompa, was shown by the Patons’ daughter Wendy Hunter and was back in the ring where it was bought at the Thainstone Spectacular back in August.

Bred by Michael Durno, Auchorachan, Glenlivet, the heifer was sired by the home-bred Glenlivet Single Malt and out of a Limousin cross cow.

The Patons’ initial investment of £1700 was amply rewarded when Mr David backed up his judgement with a winning bid of £4800, or £10.21 per kg for 470 kg.

Oompa Loompa had already been reserve light heifer at the Winter Fair.

This is the third overall victory for the Paton family at this event.

They also won in 1998 with the heifer Anastasia and in 2001 Wendy and her husband Stuart Hunter triumphed with the steer Buzz.

They were also to take the butchers’ class champion yesterday with the Limousin cross steer General Lee, which they had bought at the Caledonian Marts special sale.

Bred by T. Hamilton, Bridgehouse, Linlithgow, and out of the Limousin bull Muirhouse Lagonda, it tipped the scales at 515 kg yesterday and was bought by J. B. Penman, Crail, for £4200.

The reserve steer champion came from David Blair, Littleinch, Balmerino, who was showing at the Christmas Classic for the first time.

The Blairs have 400 acres of cereals and 60 suckler cows of their own but yesterday’s winner was bought at the Thainstone Spectacular from its breeder Addie Gunn, Upper Dounreay, Thurso.

Named Red Adair, it was out of a Belgian Blue cross cow and got by AI from the Limousin bull Wintles Adam.

Weighing 530 kg, it sold to Colin Taylor, Elgin, at 230p per kg.

Reserve overall champion and champion steer was a 660kg Limousin cross from Smallburn Farms, Rothes, Elgin.

Their own breeding and out of a Belgian blue cross cow it had been successfully shown during the summer.

It was also to be bought by the judge for £2800.

The sheep championship went to a pair of 51kg Beltex cross wether lambs from the 160-ewe flock of Angus Greenlaw and Louise Wilken, Sheep Park Farms, Bridge of Marnoch, Aberchirder.

The reserve went to Wendy Willox, St Katherines, Fyvie, with a pair of 40kg Texel cross lambs.

Both lots were bought by J. B. Penman, Crail, the champions for £280 each and the reserves for £160 each.

At the ringside there was a generally good buzz.

Possibly, this was because the eagerly-anticipated single farm payments should start to appear in less than a week.

Also, the prospect of the end of the beef export ban has already started to lift spirits. However, there were varied views as to when this might happen.

National Beef Association chairman Duff Burrell had made the long journey up from his farm in Northumberland.

He had just returned from meetings with DEFRA confident that everything was on track for a swift resumption, possibly as early as mid-February.

“We must be confident and not let self doubt come into it, otherwise we will be exploited and delays will result,” he said.

Donald Biggar, interim chairman of Quality Meat Scotland, said he shared Mr Burrell’s optimism.

“If there are glitches they will be political rather than scientific, but I am really looking forward to getting going with exports soon,” he said

Brian Pack, chief executive of ANM on whose premises yesterday’s event was held, was more sanguine.

Reflecting on the convoluted 10-year history of the export ban he felt there was still the potential for frustrating delay and that the first consignments might not leave these shores until April or even May.

The problem may lie at the opposite end of the beef market from yesterday’s display of prime stock.

With the Over Thirty Month Scheme ending on January 20 and no large-scale market for older animals until the export market opens up, there is the potential for a glut of lower-grade older beef dragging down the whole market.

A speedy resumption of exports will be the key to the beef market throughout 2006.