The annual Young Farmers Overwintering Competition hosted by Aberdeen & Northern Marts, sponsored by A H Mackay, West Greenland and Ross Bremner Transport took place at Caithness Livestock Centre, Quoybrae on Monday 7th April alongside the Show and Sale of Store Cattle including Aberdeen Angus and other Native Breeds sponsored by Highland News & Media.
Craig Buchan, Savoch, Longside judged the proceedings with eleven young farmers, from across the Caithness region participating in the event, with 27 head of cattle forward.
The Overall Champion was a Charolais cross heifer from Bower club member Sophie Tucker, 21 Smith Terrace, Wick which was tapped out by the Judge for the top price of £3,050.
Bred by A S Budge, Milton, Halkirk, the 472kg heifer went onto sell to Small Burn Farms, Plewlands, Duffus.
The Reserve Champion was awarded to Sophie Gunn, The Shiean, Hill of Forss, Thurso for her 495kg Limousin cross heifer which sold for £2,500 to the Judge.
The winner of the W & A Geddes Perpetual Trophy for the best Daily Live Weight Gain and the prize for Best Gross Margin Bullock was awarded to Isla Mackay, Strath Farm, Watten for her 534kg Limousin bullock with a daily live weight gain of 1.560kg.
The Best Daily Liveweight Gain – Heifer of 1.341kg per day was awarded to William Campbell, Heatherview, Watten for his 534kg Limousin cross heifer.
The Best Gross Margin Heifer prize went to Sophie Tucker for her champion heifer, she the special prize for the highest placed Charolais Cross Calf sired by a Registered Charolais Bull presented by the Scottish and Northern Charolais Club.
The prize for best paraded and presented animal was awarded to Sophie Gunn, The Shiean, Hill of Forss, Thurso.
The second top price of £2,620 was achieved for a 408kg British Blue cross heifer from Sophie Tucker, 21 Smith Terrace, Wick selling to G & L Carrol, Auchnarroch Farm, Kirkton of Kingoldrum.
The next top price of £2,380 was achieved three times over, first by Isla Mackay, Strath Farm, Watten for her 534kg Limousin bullock. Then twice by Abbie Dunnet, Linkmoor, Lower Warse, Canisbay for her homebred Limousin bullock’s, scalling 420kg and 560kgs respectively.
All three animals were purchased by W & J Cameron, Burnside of Edingight Grange, Keith.
The Show and Sale of Store Cattle including Aberdeen Angus and Native breeds, sponsored by the North of Scotland Newspaper, sold 1,313 store cattle.
The judge’s champion was a 550kg Limousin bullock from J & I Mackay, Hillhead, Lybster, which went onto achieve £2,580 selling to the judge. The reserve champion was awarded to a 547kgs Limousin cross heifer from D & S Webster, Keiss Mains, Keiss selling for £2,280.
Scott Chapman, Auctioneer at Aberdeen & Northern Marts said: “A fantastic Show of Cattle were sold through Caithness Livestock Centre, with a buzzing ringside of buyers present for all classes. Credit must go to the consigners for all the effort they put in.
"Thanks once again to our sponsors A H Mackay, West Greenland, Ross Bremner Transport and Highland News & Media for their generous support of the event.”
PRIZE LIST
Class 1 - Unhaltered Bullock
1st Lot 35 – Oliver Ruff, Riva, Upper Smerral
2nd Lot 30 – William Campbell, Heatherview, Gersa
3rd Lot 32 – Lewis Mackenzie, Brekka Bu, Barrock
Class 2 - Unhaltered Heifer
1st Lot 38 – Sophie Tucker, 21 Smith Terrace, Wick
2nd Lot 37 – James Swanson, Framside, Thurso
3rd Lot 36 - Lewis Mackenzie, Brekka Bu, Barrock
Class 3 - Unhaltered Heifer
1st Lot 40 – Oliver Ruff, Upper Smerral
2nd Lot 41 – William Campbell, Heatherview, Gersa
3rd Lot 39 – William Campbell, Heatherview, Gersa
Class 4 - Haltered Bullock
1st Lot 43 – Katie Gunn, Shop Farm, Scotscalder
2nd Lot 44 – Isla Mackay, Strath Farm, Watten
3rd Lot 42 – William Campbell, Heatherview, Gersa
Class 5 - Haltered Heifer
1st Lot 47 - Sophie Tucker, 21 Smith Terrace, Wick
2nd Lot 45 - Sophie Tucker, 21 Smith Terrace, Wick
3rd Lot 46 – Bethany Swanson, Framside, Thurso
4th Lot 48 - Lewis Mackenzie, Brekka Bu, Barrock
Class 6 – Haltered Heifer
1st Lot 50 - Sophie Tucker, 21 Smith Terrace, Wick
2nd Lot 51 – Sophie Gunn, The Shiean, Hill of Forss
3rd Lot 49 - Lewis Mackenzie, Brekka Bu, Barrock
Class 7 – Haltered Heifer
1st Lot 53 - Sophie Gunn, The Shiean, Hill of Forss
2nd Lot 52 - James Swanson, Framside, Thurso
3rd Lot 54 - Isla Mackay, Strath Farm, Watten
Class 8 – Haltered Homebred Bullock
1st Lot 56 – Abbie Dunnet, Linkmoor, Dunnet
2nd Lot 55 – Abbie Dunnet, Linkmoor, Dunnet
Class 9- Haltered Homebred Heifer
1st Lot 57 - James Swanson, Framside, Thurso
Champion
Lot 50 - Sophie Tucker, 21 Smith Terrace, Wick
Reserve Champion
Lot 53 - Sophie Gunn, The Shiean, Hill of Forss
Homebred Champion
Lot 56 – Abbie Dunnet, Linkmoor, Dunnet
Daily Liveweight Gain Bullock
1st Lot 44 - Isla Mackay, Strath Farm, Watten +1.560kg
2nd Lot 35 - Oliver Ruff, Riva, Upper Smerral +1.387kg
3rd Lot 34 - Oliver Ruff, Riva, Upper Smerral +1.321kg
Daily Liveweight Gain Heifer
1st Lot 41 - William Campbell, Heatherview, Gersa +1.341kg
2nd Lot 51 - Sophie Gunn, The Shiean, Hill of Forss +1.113kg
3rd Lot 50 - Sophie Tucker, 21 Smith Terrace, Wick +1.071kg
W & A Geddes Perpetual Trophy for Best Overall Daily Liveweight Gain – Lot 44 – Isla Mackay, Strath Farm +1.560kg
Gross Margin Bullock
1st Sophie Tucker, 21 Smith Terrace, Wick +£1,870
2nd James Swanson, Framside +£1,190
3rd Oliver Ruff, Riva +£1,100
Gross Margin Heifer
1st Isla Mackay, Strath Farm +£1,360
2nd William Campbell, Heatherview, Gersa +£1,190
3rd Oliver Ruff, Riva +£1,160
Special Prize for the highest placed Charolais Cross Calf sired by a Registered Charolais Bull presented by the Scottish & Northern Charolais Club
Lot 50 - Sophie Tucker, 21 Smith Terrace, Wick
Best Paraded and Presented Animal
Lot 53 - Sophie Gunn, The Shiean, Hill of Forss