Kinlochbervie crofter and fish merchant Donald Morrison, of Cairn Nulla, Burnside, enjoyed a red-letter day at the Aberdeen Christmas Classic, achieving his first clean sweep of the overall show plaudits before also netting the highest price from the post-show prime cattle sale.
“I have won both the heifer and bullock championships in one go at the Spring Show previously, but this is the first time I have ever taken both the top awards together at the Christmas Classic,” said Donald, who keeps cattle to show as a hobby on his crofting land in the north-west Highlands.
Donald previously won the overall Christmas Classic championship in 2011 and took the reserve title in the overall last year.
Show judges James Allan, of Malcolm Allan & Sons, Falkirk, and former UK butcher of the year John Davidson, of Inverurie, praised the “tremendous show of cattle” forward to the show ring.
They said their focus had very much been on selecting cattle offering carcases fit for the butchery trade and, as such, they were glad to see a prevalence of lighter cattle than in previous years.
“It’s great to see the message is getting across to farmers,” said Mr Davidson.
“The weights of the cattle were good this year.”
He added: “In all it was an exceptional display of meat. I was delighted by the quality and I look forward to filling my shelves with it.”
Following through with his intentions to do exactly that, Mr Davidson ultimately went to £5,800 to secure the supreme champion entry, Bervie’s Bonnie Babe, for his Inverurie butcher’s store on Burn Lane.
Conceding there was “not a lot in it” for the final overall championship placings, both the show judges praised the leading heifer as “outstanding”.
Mr Morrison had bought the 20-month-old Limousin cross heifer, which was bred in Kingussie by J Pirie, of Chapel Park, at Dingwall last October.
During the summer the daughter of the Limousin bull Breconside Darkness progressed to stand crofters champion at the Black Isle Show and was also reserve champion at Sutherland for Mr Morrison, who runs the NorScot fish merchanting business.
Splitting hairs for the overall title, Mr Allan explained: “Ultimately she was just that little bit sweeter compared to the bullock and she carries herself better.”
The overall reserve rosette was Mr Morrison’s leading bullock, You Can’t Take It With You, which was later bought by Mr Allan for his Falkirk butchery for £2,000.
This 17-month-old Limousin cross steer, sired by Volcano, was bred in Cumbria by W Richardson & Son and was bought unshown from the spring show and sale at Penrith.
He beat Bonnie Babe to the top championship standing at Sutherland Show and was more recently placed fifth at LiveScot.
Of the other leading show champions, Reece and Lucy Simmers’ Young Farmers’ overall champion Aftershock sold for £2,900 to butchers Gary & Charles Raeburn, of Bogie Street, Huntly.
Murray Rainnie’s butchers’ champion Pixie Lott, from Loanhead, Logie Coldstone, was another to sell to judge James Allan, this time for £2,800.
Averages were: 29 heifers at £1,778 a head and £2.91 per kg, with a further four lots sold to an average of £3,375 a head and £5.36 per kg. This compares to 27 at £2,108 and £4.69 last year.
Bullocks (25) £1,831.51 a head and £2.78 a kg with a further two lots sold to an average of £2,450 per head or £3.79 per kg. This compares to 32 at £1741.56 and £2.73 a kg last year.
In the sheep ring there was no stopping Caithness breeders Calum and Vivienne Angus, of West Mey, who added yet another prime lamb championship win to their tally of nine in the Classic’s history books.
Their winners were a pair of previously unshown 53kg April-born Beltex cross wedder lambs, home-bred out of Beltex cross Texel ewes.
The couple, who also took the butchers’ lamb championship with a pen of ewe lambs bred the same way, have a flock of 1,500 ewes and hoggs outside Thurso.
Their prime winners made the top price of £300 each to W & J Cameron, of Burnside of Edingig, Keith.
The Angus’s butchers’ lambs sold for £440 for the pair to John Davidson Butchers, of Inverurie.
CATTLE RESULTS
Overall beef cattle Donald Morrison, of Cairn Nulla, Burnside, Kinlochbervie, with the 20-month-old 648kg Limousin cross heifer Bervie’s Bonnie Babe, sired by the Limousin bull Breconside Darkness and bred by J Pirie, of Chapel Park, Kingussie. Purchased at Dingwall last October, crofters champion at the Black Isle Show and reserve champion at Sutherland. Sold for £5,800 to John Davidson Butchers, Burn Lane, Inverurie. Reserve: Donald Morrison, of Cairn Nulla, Burnside, Kinlochbervie, with the 17-month-old 650kg Limousin cross steer You Can’t Take It With You, sired by Limousin bull Volcano and bred by W Richardson & Son, Cumbria. Purchased unshown from the spring show and sale at Penrith, champion at Sutherland Show and fifth at LiveScot. Sold for £2000 to butchers Malcolm Allan & Sons, Falkirk.
Heifer Donald Morrison, of Cairn Nulla, Burnside, Kinlochbervie, with the overall champion, Bervie’s Bonnie Babe. Reserve: Murray Rainnie, Loanhead, Logie Coldstone, Aboyne, with the previously unshown 20-month-old 646kg British Blue cross heifer Black Pearl. Home-bred out of a pure Limousin cow and sired by the privately bought British Blue bull Oxcroft Everest. Sold for £1,902.75 or £2.95 per kg to Balfour Baillie, of Sebay Cottages, Tankerness.
Bullock Donald Morrison, of Cairn Nulla, Burnside, Kinlochbervie, with the reserve overall, You Can’t Take It With You. Reserve: David Work & Son, Mains of Dumbreck, Udny, Ellon, with a 20-month-old 584kg British Blue cross steer. Home-bred out of a Limousin cross cow and sired by the British Blue bull Oxcroft Ching. Previously third at the spring show on his only other outing. Sold for £1,875.75 or £3.05 per kg to Bruce of the Broch, Broad Street, Freserburgh.
Butchers’ cattle Murray Rainnie, of Loanhead, Logie Coldstone, Aboyne, with the 20-month-old 614kg Limousin cross heifer Pixie Lott. Bred by C McMillan, of Ardbeg, Islay, out of a Limousin cross and sired by an Allanfauld Limousin. This was her first show outing, having been bought on Islay. Sold for £2,800 to Balfour Baillie, of Sebay Cottage, Tankerness. Reserve: Blair Duffton and Rebecca Stuart, of Bogie Street, Huntly, with Wee Madame, a 14-month-old British Blue cross 580kg heifer, bred by J Munro & Son, of Invercharron, Ardgay, out of a Limousin cross cow and sired by the British Blue, Black and Blue Diesel. Purchased at the Spectacular in September. Sold for £2,500 to IS Sinclair, of Clyth Mains, Occumster, Lybster.
Un-haltered beef cattle R & C Walker, of Upper Woodside, Rothiemay, Huntly, with a 23-month-old 676kg Limousin cross heifer, which was bred by JA Cruickshank, of Coleburn Farm, Longmorn. Sold for £3.35 per kg or £2,261.25 to Forbes Raeburn Butcher, of Bogie Street, Huntly. Reserve: Blair Duffton and Rebecca Stuart, of Bogie Street, Huntly, with a 19-month-old 520kg Limousin heifer, sired by the Limousin bull Rossignol and bred by Lloyd Fowlie, of Guise, Tough, out of a Limousin cow. Bought privately. Sold for £3.25 per kg or £1,690 to A & E Cumming, of Tillydesk, Ellon.
Young farmers’ prime Reece and Lucy Simmers, of Backmuir, Keith, with Aftershock, a 19-month-old 642kg British Blue cross steer, sired by the Limousin bull Frewstown Breakdance. Bred by James McConachie & Son, of Lethendry, Cromdale, out of a British Blue cow and bought for £1,500 at the Thainstone show and sale in October. Sold for £2,900 to Forbes Raeburn Butcher, Bogie Street, Huntly. Reserve: Reece and Lucy Simmers, of Backmuir, Keith, with Merlot, a 23-month-old 680kg Limousin cross heifer, bred by Willie McLaren, of Muirhouses Farm and bought for £3,200 at the Thainstone Spectacular last year. Sired by the 9,000gns stock bull Hafodlas Abram and a full sister to both the 2011 Christmas Classic Young Farmers’ overall champion and the 2012 Classic YF reserve. Sold for £2,400 to AW Herd & Son, Rosemount Place, Aberdeen.
Young farmers’ un-haltered beef cattle Reece and Lucy Simmers, of Backmuir, Keith, with Jager, a 724kg 20-month-old Limousin cross steer, bred by G Scott, of Gateside, Linlithgow, and bought for £1,400. Previously first as a calf at the Winter Fair last year. Sold for £2.65 per kg or £1,908 to Scotbeef, of North Street, Inverurie. Reserve: Craig and Jack Hendry, of Heads of Auchinderran, Aultmore, Keith, with a 21-month-old 674kg Limousin cross steer, bred by G MacArthur, of Mid Fleenans, Nairn. Sold for £2.90 or £1,943 to Ugie House, Church Road, Keith.
SHEEP RESULTS
Texel Michael Leggat, of Cairnton, Forgue, Huntly, with a February born Texel ewe lamb, sired by the Kelso Picasso son Tullagh Saracen and bred out of a ewe by Glenside Razzle Dazzle. Placed first at New Deer and third at Turriff, and a full sister to a ewe that was sold at Lanark for 7,500gns. Sold for 2,400gns to W Duthie, of Woodside of Chapelton, by Brechin. Reserve: Robert H Wilson, of North Dorlaithers, Turriff, with an in-lamb gimmer, sired by the Sportsmans Scout son Teiglum Tornado and bred out of a ewe by Ettrick No Limits, which herself is a daughter of a 7,200gns ewe by Douganhill Lionheart. Sold for 2,800gns to T Muirhead, of Ptarmigan House, Blair Atholl.
Suffolk Henry Stuart & Sons, of Davishill, Udny, Ellon, with an in-lamb gimmer, sired by Deveronside Discovery and bred out of a ewe by Davidshill Ace of Diamonds. Sold for 1,200gns to SW Robertson, of Conval Street, Dufftown, Banff.Reserve: Andrew Knox, of Mid Haddo, Fyvie, Turriff, with an in-lamb gimmer, sired by Rhaedr Frankel and out of a ewe by Strathisla Speed. Sold for 850gns to SW Robertson, of Conval Street, Dufftown, Banff.
Beltex S Wood, Woolhillock, Skene, Aberdeen, with the ewe lamb Woodies Wish Upon a Star ET, sired by Hanibal and bred out of a home-bred Woodies ewe. Sold for 1,100gns online.
Prime Calum Angus, of West Mey Farm, Mey, by Thurso, with a 53kg pair of previously unshown April-born Beltex cross wedder lambs, home-bred out of Beltex cross Texel ewes. Sold for £300 per head to W&J Cameron, of Burnside of Edingig, Keith.Reserve: Rory Gregor, of Oakfield, Thainstone, Inverurie, with a pair of 41kg home-bred Beltex cross lambs, out of Beltex cross ewes. Sold for £200 per head to Scotbeef, of North Street, Inverurie.
Pen of Butchers’ lambs Calum Angus, of West Mey Farm, Mey, by Thurso, with a 51.5kg pair of April-born Beltex cross ewe lambs, home-bred out of Beltex cross Texel ewes. Previously un-shown. Sold for £220 per head to John Davidson Butchers, of Inverurie.Reserve: Rory Gregor, of Oakfield, Thainstone, Inverurie, with a pair of 41.5kg home-bred Beltex cross lambs, out of Beltex cross ewes. Sold for £180 per head to Scotbeef, of North Street, Inverurie.
Young farmers’ sheep John Brown, of Hilton of Culsh, New Deer with a pen of two 52kg Texel cross lambs, home-bred out of home-bred Texel cross ewes and sired by a home-bred Texel. Previously un-shown. Sold for £200 per head to Hugh Gordon, of Clochanhill, Stonehaven.Reserve: Rory Gregor, Oakfield, Thainstone with a pair of 41kg home-bred Beltex cross lambs, out of Beltex cross ewes. Sold for £140 per head to John Scott, of Sandyford Road, Paisley.