Young Farmers out in force at overwintering competition held at Thainstone
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A novice exhibitor sold the top price animal at this year’s Young Farmers’ overwintering competition held at Aberdeen and Northern Marts’ Thainstone Centre this week.
The event, sponsored by Ledingham Chalmers, attracted a strong show of animals brought out by members from SAYFC’s North Region, which were purchased at the autumn sales and reared over the winter.
In total, 30 heifers sold to average £1181.54 or 264.6p per kg and 28 steers levelled at £1195.77 or 241.3p.
Topping the sale at £1850 was a January, 2019-born Limousin cross heifer weighing 548kg from Garioch YFC member, Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple, Inverurie.
Bred by EA Sim, Cairnview, Rorandle, Monymusk, she tipped the scales at 548kg and sold to A Anderson of behalf of an undisclosed buyer.
Next best at £1650 was Keith YFC member, Mark Robertson with his first prize Limousin cross heifer from Easter Fodderletter, Tomintoul.
Scaling 388kg, this 11-month-old heifer was bred by Gordon Cameron, Newton Cottage, Acharacle and also sold to Grant Dinnie, Bridgeton, Alford, on behalf of an undisclosed buyer.
Keith YFC member, Jack Hendry from Heads of Auchinderran, Keith, received £1580 for his first prize, May, 2019-born Limousin cross heifer weighing 424kg.
Bred by WD Stephen and Co, Meikle Geddes, Nairn, she sold to Backmuir Livestock, Keith.
The overall champion from first time exhibitor and Ross Sutherland member, Duncan Munro, Invercharron, Ardgay, Sutherland, sold for £1450 to Backmuir Livestock.
Tapped out by judge Willie Purdon, Stravenhouse Farm, Carluke, was a February, 2019-born Limousin cross heifer purchased from Ian Stewart, Reisgill, Lybster.
Scaling 478kg, she sold to Backmuir Livestock, Keith.
Also selling for £1450 was the champion bullock from Lower Speyside member, Kyle Cruikshank, Clury, Dulnian Bridge, Grantown-on-Spey.
This was a 530kg, March, 2019-born Limousin cross bullock bred by Gordon Cameron, Newton Cottage, Acharacle, which also sold to Backmuir Livestock, Keith.
The home-bred championship was also awarded to Duncan Munro, Invercharron, with a January, 2019-born Limousin cross bullock, which was knocked down to Backmuir Livestock.
Weighing 540kg, he is by Powerhouse Lynx and stood second at the Royal Northern Spring Show.
Nairn JAC member, Ally Fraser, Easter Clune, Lethen, won the home-bred heifer section with a 354kg, 12-month-old Limousin cross heifer. She sold for £1200 to Harry Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains, Maud, Peterhead.
Two other animals made £1380 including Finn Christie’s first prize bullock bred by Una MacDonald, Lower Cairnglass, Inverness.
Selling to Backmuir Livestock, this April, 2019-born bullock weighed 484kg and stood first at the Rising Stars in December.
Matching that price was Keith YFC member, Ryan McConnachie’s 638kg, October, 2018-born Simmental cross bullock from Midtown of Buchromb, Dufftown.
Bred by A and A Wright, Lagavaich, Glenlivet, he sold to Backmuir Livestock.
Ryan’s brother Kian, received £1300 for his second prize, April, 2019-born Limousin cross heifer bred by Gordon Cameron, Newton Cottage, Acharacle.
Weighing 438kg, he sold to Backmuir Livestock.
The best overwintered steer award was won by Martyn Horner, Cluseburn, Inverbervie, with a 448kg, May, 2019-born Limousin cross, while the best overwintered heifer title and Calladrum Cup went to Mark Robertson, Easter Fodderletter, Tomintoul, with his 388kg, April, 2019-born Limousin cross.
Young farmers overwintered cattle Show and Sale
Class 1 - Unhaltered purchased light heifers - 1 Cameron Hunter, West Cairnhill, 448kg, £1040; 2 Martyn Horner, Cluseburn, 442kg, £1040; 3 Molly Stuart, Lettoch, Glenlivet, 450kg, £1060 and 4 Lorna Edward, Meikle Ardrone, 360kg, £900.
Class 2 - Unhaltered purchased light bullocks - 1Keely Mitchell, Carron Mains, Aberlour, 504kg, £1190; 2 Harvey Stuart, Lettoch, Glenlivet, 472kg, £1090; 3 Lorna Edward, Meikle Ardrone, Keith, 480kg, £1070 and 4 Molly Stuart, Lettoch, Glenlivet, 404kg, £980.
Class 3 - Unhaltered purchased heavy heifers - 1 Nicole Morrison, Heads of Auchinderran, Aultmore, 482kg, £1220; 2 Cameron Hunter, West Cairnhill, Insch, 534kg, £1200; 3 Sally Glennie, Burnside, Keig, 564kg, £1220 and 4 Jenna Ross, Wardhead, Strichen, 538kg, £1200.
Class 4 - Unhaltered purchased heavy bullocks - 1 Thomas Hall, Hillview Mill Lane, Stuartfield, 518kg, £1240; 2 Craig Buchan, Nether Savoch, Longside, 542kg, £1280; 3 Craig Buchan, Nether Savoch, Longside, 552kg, £1220 and 4 Jenna Ross, Wardhead, Strichen, 548kg, £1210.
Class 5 - Haltered purchased light heifers - 1 Mark Robertson, Fodderletter, Tomintoul, 388kg, £1650; 2 Harry Ross, Coldhome, Dallas, 396kg, £1030; 3 Thomas Hall, Hillview Mill Lane, Stuartfield, 358kg, £940 and 4 Hugh Fraser, Glenernie, Dunphail, Forres, 328kg, £1180.
Class 6 - Haltered purchased light bullocks - 1 Craig Buchan, Nether Savoch, Longside, 410kg, £1220; 2 Kian McConnachie, Midtown of Buchromb, Dufftown, 438kg, £1300; 3 Martyn Horner, Cluseburn, Inverbervie, 442kg, £1080 and 4 Jack Hendry, Heads of Auchinderran, Aultmore, 398kg, £1060.
Class 7 - Haltered purchased intermediate heifers, 1 Jack Hendry, Heads of Auchinderran, Aultmore, 424kg, £1580; 2 Ally Fraser, Easter Clune, Nairn, 438kg, £1060; 3 Duncan Munro, Invercharron, Sutherland, 446kg, £1070 adn 4 Callum Naismith, Balmaleedie House, Marykirk, 458kg, £1080.
Class 8 - Haltered purchased intermediate bullocks - 1Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Inverurie, 484kg, £1380; 2 Keely Mitchell, Carron Mains, Aberlour, 478kg, £1180; 3 Graeme Rhind, Newton of Struthers, Kinloss, 512kg and 4 Kyle Cruickshank, Clury, Grantown of Spey, 478kg, £1100.
Class 9 - Haltered purchased heavy heifers-1 Duncan Munro, Invercharron, Sutherland, 478kg, £1450; 2 Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Inverurie, 548kg, £1850; 3 Cameron Hunter, West Cairnhill, Insch, 502kg, £1200 and 4 Martyn Horner, Cluseburn, Inverbervie, 476kg.
Class 10 - Haltered purchased heavy bullocks - 1 Kyle Cruickshank, Clury, Grantown on Spey, 530kg, £1450; 2 William Moir, Newmill, Home Farm Cairness, 696kg; 3 Ellen Glennie, Burnside, Keig, 524kg, £1180 and 4 Harry Ross, Coldhome, Dallas, 524kg, £1200.
Class 11 - Haltered homebred heifers- 1 Ally Fraser, Easter Clune, Nairn, 354kg, £1200; 2 Harvey Stuart, Lettoch, Glenlivet, 438kg, £1220 and 3 Molly Stuart, Lettoch, Glenlivet, 472kg.
Class 12 - Haltered homebred bullocks - 1Duncan Munro, Invercharron, Sutherland, 540kg, £1380.
Champion bullock - Kyle Cruickshank, Clury, Grantown of Spey.
Champion heifer - Duncan Munro, Invercharron, Ardgay, Sutherland.
Homebred champion- Duncan Munro, Invercharron, Sutherland.
Homebred reserve champion - Ally Fraser, Easter Clune, Nairn
Overall champion-Duncan Munro, Invercharron, Ardgay, Sutherland
Special prize for highest place Charloais cross calf sired by a registered Charolais bull presented by the Scottish & Northern Charolais Club - Cameron Hunter, West Cairnhill, Insch
Best presented and paraded - 1 Mark Robertson, Fodderletter, 388kg, £1650; 2 Graeme Rhind, Newton of Struthers, 512kg; 3 Jack Hendry, Heads of Auchinderran , 424kg, £1580 and 4 Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, 484kg, £1380.
Highest daily liveweight gain (steers) -1Martyn Horner, Cluseburn, Inverbervie (1.493); 2 Harry Ross, Coldhome, Dallas, Forres (1.425); 3 Ryan McConnachie, Midtown of Buchromb, Dufftown (1.363); 4 Keely Mitchell, Carron Mains, Aberlour – (1.329) and 5 Craig Buchan, Nether Savoch, Longside – (1.288).
Highest average daily liveweight gain (heifers) - 1 Duncan Munro, Invercharron Farm, Ardgay (1.248); 2 Alexia Chalmers, Midhill of Seggat, Auctherless, Turriff (1.223);3 Cameron Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond, Insch (1.219)4 Martyn Horner, Cluseburn, Inverbervie (1.180) adn 5 Martyn Horner, Cluseburn, Inverbervie (1.151).
Highest margin (steers) - 1 Jenna Ross, Wardhead, Strichen (£500); 2 Jenna Ross, Wardhead, Strichen (£490); 3 Kyle Cruikshank, Clury Farm, Dulnain Bridge (£470); 4 Martyn Horner, Cluseburn, Inverbervie (£460) and 5 Craig Buchan, Nether Savoch, Longside (£430).
Highest margin (heifers) -1 Mark Robertson, Easter Fodderletter, Tomintoul (£670); 2 Finn Chrisite, Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple, Inverurie (£550); 3 Jack Hendry, Heads of Auchinderran, Keith (£530); 4 Sally Glennie, Burnside, Keig (£380)and 5 Cameron Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond, Insch (£380).
Calladrum Cup - 1 Mark Robertson, Easter Fodderletter, Tomintoul; 2 Martyn Horner, Cluseburn, Inverbervie; 3 Jack Hendry, Heads of Auchinderran, Aultmore; 4 Duncan Munro, Invercharron Farm, Ardgay, Sutherland adn 5 Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple, Inverurie.
Best overwintered steer - 1 Martyn Horner, Cluseburn, Inverbervie; 2 Kyle Cruikshank, Clury Farm, Dulnain Bridge, Grantown of Spey; 3 Harry Ross, Coldhome, Dallas, Forres; 4 Jenna Ross, Wardhead, Strichen and 4 Craig Buchan, Nether Savoch, Longside,
Best overwintered heifer - 1 Mark Robertson, Easter Fodderletter, Tomintoul; 2 Jack Hendry, Heads of Auchinderran, Aultmore; 3 Duncan Munro, Invercharron Farm, Ardgay, Sutherland; 4 Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple, Inverurie and 5 Cameron Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond, Insch.
Novice - 1 Duncan Munro, Invercharron, Ardgay; 2 Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple, Inverurie and 3 Cameron Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond, Insch.
Junior - 1 Duncan Munro, Invercharron; 2 Finn Chrisite, Newton of Balquhain adn 3 Cameron Hunter, West Cairnhill.
