Caithness mart has ‘buzzing ringside’ for Young Farmers competition
The annual Young Farmers overwintering competition hosted by Aberdeen & Northern Marts took place at Caithness Livestock Centre, Quoybrae, on Monday.
It was hosted alongside the show and sale of store cattle including Aberdeen Angus and other native breeds sponsored by Highland News & Media, publishers of the John O’Groat Journal.
The Young Farmers event was sponsored by A H Mackay, West Greenland and Ross Bremner Transport.
Craig Buchan, Savoch, Longside judged the proceedings with 11 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 £3050. 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 £2500 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, which also won her 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 £2620 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 £2380 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 bullocks, scaling 420kg and 560kg 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 Highland News & Media, sold 1313 store cattle.
The judge’s champion was a 550kg Limousin bullock from J & I Mackay, Hillhead, Lybster, which went onto achieve £2580 selling to the judge. The reserve champion was awarded to a 547kgs Limousin cross heifer from D & S Webster, Keiss Mains, Keiss selling for £2280.
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.”
Young Farmers prize list
Class 1 Unhaltered Bullock: 1 Oliver Ruff, Riva, Upper Smerral, 2 William Campbell, Heatherview, Gersa, 3 Lewis Mackenzie, Brekka Bu, Barrock.
Class 2 Unhaltered Heifer: 1 Sophie Tucker, 21 Smith Terrace, Wick, 2 James Swanson, Framside, Thurso, 3 Lewis Mackenzie, Brekka Bu, Barrock.
Class 3 Unhaltered Heifer: 1 Oliver Ruff, Upper Smerral, 2 William Campbell, Heatherview, Gersa, 3 William Campbell, Heatherview, Gersa.
Class 4 Haltered Bullock: 1 Katie Gunn, Shop Farm, Scotscalder, 2 Isla Mackay, Strath Farm, Watten, 3 William Campbell, Heatherview, Gersa.
Class 5 Haltered Heifer: 1 Sophie Tucker, 21 Smith Terrace, Wick, 2 Sophie Tucker, 21 Smith Terrace, Wick, 3 Bethany Swanson, Framside, Thurso, 4 Lewis Mackenzie, Brekka Bu, Barrock.
Class 6 Haltered Heifer: 1 Sophie Tucker, 21 Smith Terrace, Wick, 2 Sophie Gunn, The Shiean, Hill of Forss, 3 Lewis Mackenzie, Brekka Bu, Barrock.
Class 7 Haltered Heifer: 1 Sophie Gunn, The Shiean, Hill of Forss, 2 James Swanson, Framside, Thurso, 3 Isla Mackay, Strath Farm, Watten.
Class 8 Haltered Homebred Bullock: 1 Abbie Dunnet, Linkmoor, Dunnet, 2 Abbie Dunnet, Linkmoor, Dunnet.
Class 9 Haltered Homebred Heifer: 1 James Swanson, Framside, Thurso.
Champion: Sophie Tucker, 21 Smith Terrace, Wick. Reserve Champion: Sophie Gunn, The Shiean, Hill of Forss. Homebred Champion: Abbie Dunnet, Linkmoor, Dunnet.
Daily Liveweight Gain Bullock: 1 Isla Mackay, Strath Farm, Watten +1.560kg, 2 Oliver Ruff, Riva, Upper Smerral +1.387kg, 3 Oliver Ruff, Riva, Upper Smerral +1.321kg.
Daily Liveweight Gain Heifer: 1 William Campbell, Heatherview, Gersa +1.341kg, 2 Sophie Gunn, The Shiean, Hill of Forss +1.113kg, 3 Sophie Tucker, 21 Smith Terrace, Wick +1.071kg.
W & A Geddes Perpetual Trophy for Best Overall Daily Liveweight Gain: Isla Mackay, Strath Farm +1.560kg.
Gross Margin Bullock: 1 Sophie Tucker, 21 Smith Terrace, Wick +£1,870, 2 James Swanson, Framside +£1,190, 3 Oliver Ruff, Riva +£1,100.
Gross Margin Heifer: 1 Isla Mackay, Strath Farm +£1,360, 2 William Campbell, Heatherview, Gersa +£1,190, 3 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: Sophie Tucker, 21 Smith Terrace, Wick.
Best Paraded and Presented Animal: Sophie Gunn, The Shiean, Hill of Forss.
