Gold Rush adds fresh prize to glittering hoard

Some of the finest cattle from across Scotland gathered at Keith Show for the Scottish Beef Supreme Cattle Championship.

The contest, which is now in its fourth year, has sections for native, continental and commercial cattle as well as an overall championship prize. To qualify for the competition, entrants must put forward an animal which has won a breed championship at any Scottish agricultural show this year.

This year’s judge was Jimmy McMillan Jr, who is stockman for Sterling Simmentals in Cheltenham, and the son of well-known Brechinbased stockman Jim McMillan.

He hailed a “tremendous show of cattle” and paid tribute to the efforts of the stockmen and women. He selected the commercial champion as his supreme and said she stood out as soon as she came in the ring.

He was referring to Charolais cross heifer Gold Rush from Blair Duffton and Rebecca Stuart of Huntly and Insch.

The 15-month-old heifer was bought for £3,200 in Dungannon, Northern Ireland, at a fixture where Mr Duffton was the judge. Prior to her supreme win at Keith, she stood champion of champions at Fettercairn, reserve overall champion at Echt and Banchory, and commercial champion at New Deer, Turriff, Black Isle and Keith.

In the continental cattle section, both the champion and reserve titles went to senior bulls. The top title went to fouryear-old Limousin bull Whiskey Lord from Harry and Lynwen Emslie of Kinknockie, Mintlaw. Prior to his beef championship win, he was champion of champions at Turriff and New Deer, breed champion at the Royal Welsh, and part of the winning interbreed team at the Highland.

In the native section, the champion title went to the supreme winner from last year’s contest – six-year-old Aberdeen-Angus cow Mosstonmuir Ingrid, champion at Echt and New Deer and reserve at Keith.

Gold Rush from Blair Duffton and Rebecca Stuart of Huntly and Insch.