Limousin cross heifer rules supreme at the Aberdeen Christmas Classic
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A Limousin Cross heifer from Wilson Peters, Cuilt Farmhouse, Monzie stood overall champion at the Aberdeen Christmas Classic, held at Thainstone Centre, Inverurie on Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 of November.
The annual event, held in conjunction with Aberdeen Fatstock Association and kindly sponsored by Rapid Project Development (RPD), attracted a tremendous line-up of prime and butchers’ animals from well-known stockmen and women throughout Scotland.
Taking the Overall Christmas Classic Open Championship, when tapped out by judge Ryan Briggs from Briggy’s Quality Butchers was a February 2022-born heifer scaling 620kgs.
The heifer sired by Uptonley Living the Dream and out of a Limousin cross dam, sold for the top price of £4800 to Scott Watson, on behalf of B T Kitson Butchers, Hutton Rudby, North Yorkshire.
Wilson Peters also took the Champion Butchers award for a homebred Limousin cross heifer, scaling 552kgs.
Sired by Carmon Lionbar, out of a Limousin cross dam, this September 2022-born heifer sold to £3800 to weekly supporter Alistair Bruce of Bruce of the Broch Butchers, Fraserburgh.
The overall reserve champion was awarded to W Robertson & Son, Fodderletter, Tomintoul, for a homebred Limousin cross bullock scaling 734kgs, selling to the main sponsor John-Paul and James Duxbury from RPD for £3000.
The Overall Reserve Butchers Champion was awarded to a Limousin cross heifer scaling 580kgs from H D Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains, Maud which sold for £2600 to John Scott Meats, Paisley.
Anna Fettes, Braes of Enzie Buckie, stood Young Farmers’ champion with a May 2022-born Limousin cross heifer scaling 644kgs, which sold for £3000 to Border Meats, 19 High Street, Lockerbie.
Taking the reserve champion in the Young Farmers’ section was Cally Harper, Westholme, 7 Deveron Road, Turriff, for a July 2021-born Limousin cross heifer scaling 696kgs, which realised £2700 to Bowland Foods, Preston.
A British Blue cross heifer bred by the Robertsons at Logierait exhibited by Blair Duffton and Steven Smith, 2 Bogie Street, Huntly scaling 664kgs realised £4026 (610ppkg) to Sunnyhill Farms.
The next top price of £2680 or 335p per kg came from the Fraser family, Easter Clune Farm, Lethen, airn, for a homebred, September 2021-born Limousin cross heifer which sold to Border Meats, 19 igh Street, Lockerbie.
Lewis Keir, Cairncoullie, Glenkindie made the next top price of £2546 or 335p per kg for another Limousin cross heifer scaling 764kgs selling to Bowland Foods, followed by an August 2021-born Aberdeen Angus heifer from the Ross Bros, Wardhead, Strichen which realised £2520 (315ppkg) to Border Meats, 19 High Street, Lockerbie.
The next top price of £2508.25 was paid for an April 2022-born Aberdeen Angus cross Heifer scalling 636kgs from Sheep Park Farms, Sheep Park, Bridge of Marnoch selling to Forbes Raeburn Butchers, Bogie Street, Huntly.
In the Open Unhaltered Beef Cattle section judge Charlie Anderson, Nether Stenries Farm, Carrutherstown awarded champion to H D Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains, Maud for a homebred Limousin cross heifer scaling 574kgs which sold to Ryan Briggs, of Briggy’s Quality Butchers for
£2308.50 (405ppkg).
Mr Anderson tapped out the reserve Unhaltered champion from Angus Greenlaw, Sheep Park Farms, for Limousin heifer scaling 602kgs selling to John Scott Meats, Paisley for £2250.
In the Young Farmers Unhaltered section, the champion was awarded to Thomas Hall, 6 Bruce Brae, Longside for a Limousin Cross heifer bred by H Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains, Maud scaling 602kgs which sold for £2340 (390ppkg) to Munros of Dingwall.
The reserve Unhaltered Young Farmers champion went to Emma Smith, Drumnahive, Kildrummy, Alford, for a homebred Limousin cross bullock, which realised £2378.50 (355ppkg) to Scotbeef, Inverurie.
Tim McDonald, Cull and Prime Cattle Manager at Aberdeen & Northern Marts said: “Another successful Christmas Classic saw 63 head of cattle supported by buyers from all across the United Kingdom saw 43 heifers sell to average 390.5ppkg and 20 bullocks average 345.7ppkg.
"Thank you to everyone who has supported the Christmas Classic 2023 and we are delighted that main sponsor RPD have confirmed that will continue their sponsorship at the 2024 event.”
