J S Baillie, Sebay Farm, Tankerness, Orkney topped the sale of exhibition cattle at the Thainstone Spectacular on Friday, August 23, when his February 2024 born Limousin cross heifer, achieved a top price of £9,000.
The animal, which took the 2024 Haltered Heifer championship sold to Susan and Allan Campbell, Alt na Craik, Corrow Farm, Lochgoilhead.
The champion heifer in the 2023 section, went onto sell for the second top price of the day of £6,000, which was a 10-month-old Limousin cross heifer, scaling 440kg from G & J Greenlaw, Balgairn Farms, Ballater to an undisclosed telephone bidder.
Graham Sutherland, The Antlers, Occumster, Lybster sold his 286kg Limousin cross heifer Belinda, for the third top price of the day to Slack and Haugh, Plumtree House, Newby, Penrith for £5,600.
Stewart Bett, Boquhan Farmhouse, Kippen, Stirling, judged the show of exhibition cattle, where he awarded the overall champion position to the 2023 champion bullock, a Limousin cross bullock from Balfour Ballie, Sebay View, Tankerness, Orkney. The Limousin cross, sired by Huntershall Rosco went onto sell to John D Work, Mains of Dumbreck, Udny, Ellon for £3,400.
Lot 14 overall spectacular champion
£4,000 was smashed twice for two Limousin cross heifers both sired by Redriver Powerful, from Balfour Baillie, firstly was a May 2023 born calf scalling 450kg and the second was a five-month-old, 243kg heifer selling to Sophie Weir, 8 Tower Place, Morayshire.
A March born Limousin cross bullock won the 2024 section from the Fraser Family, Easter Clune Farm, Lethen, Nairn was tapped out at £3,900 selling to Julie Sedgewick, Ricknall Grange Farm, Aycliffe, Durham.
The Robertson Family of Newton of Logierait, Pitlochry, achieved £3,500 for their January 2024 born, Limousin cross Charolais heifer which took the reserve champion Haltered Heifer 2024. The animal scalling 302kg sold to A Ireland, Feoch, Darvel, Ayrshire.
J Scott Watson, Old Repeater Station, Carnoustie purchased a May 2023 born Limousin cross heifer scaling 590kg from J S Youngson, Westerton, Echt for £3,200.
The Robertson’s, Newton of Logierait, Pitlochry sold their 495kg Limousin cross heifer for £2,700 to Wilson Peters, Cuilt Farmhouse, Monzie, Crieff.
Lot 29 champ heifer 2024 and top prize
Just behind at £2,500 was a six-month-old, 306kg Limousin cross heifer Jojo from G Sutherland, The Antlers, Occumster, Lybster selling to Emslies Livestock, Kinknockie, Mintlaw, Peterhead.
The event, sponsored by Blackadders, saw heifers average 7.657 per kg or £3,155.79 and bullocks level at 4.880 kg per kilo or £2,301.82 per head.
In total 30 calves forward sold to the average of £2,842.67 (+£509.34 on the year).
Scott Chapman, auctioneer at Aberdeen and Northern Marts said: “Credit must be given to the producers of the cattle that were forward, who were duly rewarded for their efforts as buyers from nationwide were fiercely competing to obtain future show winners.
We would like to thank Blackadder’s Solicitors for their continued sponsorship of the event which makes the event the success it is.”