The annual Young Farmers overwintering competition hosted by Aberdeen & Northern Marts in conjunction with the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs (SAYFC), and kindly supported by new sponsor Miller Plant Ltd, took place at Thainstone Centre, Inverurie on Saturday the 29th of March 2025.
The Calladrum Cup, which is won by collecting points for highest feeder margin, highest average daily liveweight gain, best presented and paraded animal and best quality animal, was presented to Keely Mitchell, Carron Mains, Aberlour.
The competition now in its 33rd year encourages young farmers to take part in the buying and selling of cattle through the live auction system and, in particular to practice the art of stockmanship in the tasks of selection, feeding, presenting and parading animals for Show and Sale.
The show was ably judged by Taylor Holloway, of Crawlaw Farm, Galston, East Ayrshire, with 48 Young Farmers, including 5 novice exhibitors from across the North East of Scotland participating in the event, with 75 head of cattle forward.
Jack Hendry, Heads of Auchinderran, Keith, won the Best Quality Animal position with a Limousin Cross bullock scalling 645kg, which also took home the overall bullock prize. The best quality animal went on to sell for £3,250 to Blair Duffton, 2 Bogie Street, Huntly.
The overall heifer was awarded to Finlay Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond, for his Limousin heifer scalling 532kg, which sold for £2,900 to B T Kitson Butchers, 25 South Side, Hutton, Rudby, Yarm.
The Overall Home Bred champion was awarded to a Charolais cross heifer scalling 508kg from Molly Stuart, Lettoch Farm, Braes of Glenlivet, Ballindalloch which went on to sell for £3,450 to The Firm of Campbell, Daleford, Rathen, Fraserburgh.
Molly also secured first place in the Best Presented and Paraded and the Charolais prize.
The sale was held after the show and witnessed a strong trade, with a busy ringside of buyers present and increased averages on the year.
The sale saw 51 heifers sell to a top of £8.31 per kg and averaged £5.19 ppkg (+£1.40 on the year), and £2,483.92 average per head (+£642.81 on the year) and 23 bullocks selling to a top of £6.604 per kg and averaging £4.87 ppkg (+£1.60 on the year), and £2,613.48 per head (+£843.96 on the year) and with an overall sale average £5.08ppkg (+£1.47 on the year), £2,524.19 average per head (+£700.78 on the year) was achieved.
The top price of the day £3,600 was achieved for a Limousin cross heifer scaling 433kgs from Abbie Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains, Maud selling to Rachael Davidson, Corsairtly Farms, Keith.
Two animals cashed out at £3,500, first for the 1st prize un-haltered heifer, a 668kg British Blue cross from Stuart Ross, Wardhead, Strichen which sold B T Kitson and secondly for a 530kg Limousin cross bullock from Keely Mitchell, Carron Mains, Aberlour which sold to Blair Duffton.
The first prize un-haltered bullock from Stuart Ross, Wardhead, Strichen sold his 672kg British Blue bullock for £3,400, to B T Kitson.
A 460kg Limousin cross heifer from Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple, Inverurie achieved £3,100, purchased by G & L Carroll, Aucharroch Farm, Kirriemuir.
The 2nd prize bullock from Jenifer Hall, 6 Bruce Brae, Longside, Peterhead achieved £2,900 for a Limousin cross scalling 610kg selling to B T Kitson.
Two animals achieved £2,850, firstly for a 500kg second prize Limousin heifer from Kyle Cruickshank, Clury Farm, Dulnain Bridge, Grantown, selling to Mr Drever and secondly for a 485kg un-haltered Limousin cross heifer from Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple selling to G & L Carroll.
PRIZE LIST
Judge - Taylor Holloway, Crawlaw Farm, Galston, East Ayrshire
Kindly sponsored by Miller Plant Ltd.
Class 1 Unhaltered Heifers
1st – Lot 2 from Stuart Ross, Wardhead, Strichen
2nd – Lot 3 from Lucy Gordon, Candacraig Home Farm, Strathdon
3rd – Lot 1 from Ryan Pirie, Overton of Bruxie, Maud
Class 2 Unhaltered Bullocks
1st – Lot 4 from Stuart Ross, Wardhead, Strichen
2nd – Lot 5 from Euan Rae, Annieswells, Maud
3rd – Lot 7 from Blair Wilson, Drumachie, Clochan, Auchnagatt
4th – Lot 6 from Euan Rae, Annieswells, Maud
Class 3 Unhaltered Heifers
1st – Lot 11 from Jasmin Strachan, Backhill of Camaloun, Auchterless
2nd – Lot 15 from Scott Muir, Shapinsay, Honeyneuk, Maud
3rd – Lot 17 from Ashleigh Auchnie, 5 Blair Cottages, Altyre
4th – Lot 19 from Molly Poyser, Cummerton Farm, New Aberdour
Class 4 – Unhaltered Bullocks
1st – Lot 25 from Scott Muir, Shapinsay, Honeyneuk, Maud
2nd – Lot 21 from Cameron Muir, Shapinsay, Honeyneuk, Maud
3rd – Lot 22 from Blair Wilson, Drumachie, Clochan, Auchnagatt
4th – Lot 23 from Natalie Milne, Meikle, Rowater, Cornhill
Class 5 – Unhaltered Heifers
1st – Lot 30 from Jasmin Strachan, Backhill of Camaloun, Auchterless
2nd – Lot 32 from Jennifer Hall, 6 Bruce Brae, Longside
3rd – Lot 26 from Alanah Gordon, Candacraig Home Farm, Strathdon
4th – Lot 27 from Alanah Gordon, Candacraig Home Farm, Strathdon
Class 6 – Unhaltered Heifers
1st – Lot 37 from Kian McConnachie, Midtown of Buchromb, Dufftown
2nd – Lot 35 from Cameron Muir, Shapinsay, Honeyneuk, Maud
3rd – Lot 39 from Thomas Hall, 6 Bruce Brae, Longside
4th – Lot 40 from Craig Reid 5 Blair Cottages Altyre
Class 7 – Haltered Heifers
1st – Lot 42 from Finlay Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond
2nd – Lot 43 from Georgia Fraser, Little Croy Farm, Croy
3rd – Lot 41 from Molly Poyser, Cummerton Farm, New Aberdour
Class 8 – Haltered Bullock
1st – Lot 45 from Jack Hendry, Heads of Auchinderran, Keith
2nd – Lot 44 from Thomas Hall, 6 Bruce Brae, Longside
3rd – Lot 46 from Cameron Muir, Shapinsay, Honeyneuk, Maud
Class 9 – Haltered Heifer
1st – Lot 48 from Harvey Stuart, Lettoch Farm, Braes of Glenlivet, Ballindalloch
2nd – Lot 49 from Kyle Cruikshank, Clury, Dulnain Bridge
3rd – Lot 50 from Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple
4th – Lot 47 from Cameron Muir, Shapinsay, Honeyneuk, Maud
Class 10 – Haltered Bullock
1st – Lot 51 from Keely Mitchell, Carron Mains, Aberlour
2nd – Lot 53 from Georgia Fraser, Little Croy Farm, Croy
3rd – Lot 52 from Finn Christie Newton of Balquhain Pitcaple
Class 11 – Haltered Heifer
1st – Lot 55 from Jack Stuart, Lettoch Farm, Braes of Glenlivet, Ballindalloch
2nd – Lot 56 from Gregor Milne, Kennieshillock Farm, Lhanbryde
3rd – Lot 54 from Ryan McConnachie, Midtown of Buchromb, Dufftown
Class 12 – Haltered Bullock
1st – Lot 59 from Jayne Mitchell, Ploverwards Grange
2nd – Lot 62 from Keely Mitchell, Carron Mains, Aberlour
3rd – Lot 60 from Natalie Milne, Meikle Rowater, Cornhill
4th – Lot 61 from Ellie Milne, Meikle Rowater, Cornhill
Class 13 – Haltered Heifer
1st – Lot 66 from Abbie Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains, Maud
2nd – Lot 63 from Kate Mitchell, Ploverwards Grange
3rd – Lot 67 from Wilson Stott, Larach, East Fiddie, Skene
4th – Lot 65 from Ryan McConnachie, Midtown of Buchromb, Dufftown
Class 14 – Haltered Heifers
1st – Lot 68 from Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple
2nd – Lot 69 from Craig Reid, 5 Blair Cottages, Altyre
3rd – Lot 71 from Hannah Lorimer, Cadgerford, Kingwells
4th – Lot 72 from Molly Poyser, Cummerton Farm, New Aberdour
Class 15 – Home Bred Bullock
1st – Lot 73 from Finlay Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond.
Class 16 – Home Bred Heifer
1st – Lot 76 from Molly Stuart, Lettoch Farm, Braes of Glenlivet, Ballindalloch
2nd – Lot 77 from Ellie Milne, Meikle Rowater, Cornhill
Champion Home bred
Lot 76 from Molly Stuart, Lettoch Farm, Braes of Glenlivet, Ballindalloch
Champion Bullock
Lot 45 from Jack Hendry, Heads of Auchinderran, Keith
Champion Heifer
Lot 42 from Finlay Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond
Best Quality Animal
Lot 45 from Jack Hendry, Heads of Auchinderran, Keith
Best Presented and Paraded Animal
1st Lot 76 from Molly Stuart, Lettoch Farm, Braes of Glenlivet, Ballindalloch
2nd Finlay Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond
3rd Gregor Milne, Kennieshillock, Lhanbryde
Calladrum Cup Winner
Keely Mitchell, Carron Mains, Aberlour
Best Overwintered Steer
1st Keely Mitchell, Carron Mains, Aberlour
2nd Scott Muir, Shapinsay, Honeyneuk, Maud
3rd Cameron Muir, Shapinsay, Honeyneuk, Maud
Best overwintered Heifer
1st Alanah Gordon, Candacraig Home Farm, Strathdon
2nd Finlay Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond
3rd Abbie Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains, Maud
Highest Average Daily Wait Gain, Steers
1st Scott Muir, Shapinsay, Honeyneuk, Maud – 1.440
2nd Cameron Muir, Shapinsay, Honeyneuk, Maud – 1.381
3rd Euan Rae, Annieswells, Maud – 1.345
Highest Average Daily Wait Gain, Heifers
1st Alanah Gordon, Candacraig Home Farm, Strathdon – 1.649
2nd Scott Muir, Shapinsay, Honeyneuk, Maud – 1.511
3rd Hannah Lorimer, Cadgerford, Kingswells – 1.486
Highest Gross Margain, Steers
1st Stuart Ross, Wardhead Strichen - £1920
2nd Keely Mitchell, Carron Mains - £1550
3rd Euan Rae, Annieswells, Maud - £1490
Highest Gross Margain, Heifers
1st Stuart Ross, Wardhead, Strichen - £2240
2nd Abbie Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains - £1950
3rd – Kyle Cruickshank, Clury Dulnain Bridge, Grantown - £1550
Novice Award
1st Abbie Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains
2nd Scott Muir, Shapinsay, Honeyneuk, Maud
3rd Euan Rae, Annieswells, Maud
Junior Award
1st Finlay Hunter
2nd Abbie Brown
3rd Scott Muir
Club Award
1st Keith
2nd New Deer
3rd Lower Speyside