Home-bred success for Harper

Second overall championship for Falkirk farmer

Brian Harper had plenty to celebrate at the premier show and sale of haltered calves at Stirling’s Caledonian Marts yesterday when he secured his second overall championship in a row, this time with a home-bred calf that went on to attract a bid of £2,400.

Having done well at this event in previous years with bought-in calves, this year’s win was all the sweeter thanks to having bred the five-month-old bullock himself at Greenwells, Falkirk.

Named Blue Magoo, the 290kg spring-born stot Limousin was bought by Cameron Jackson, Woodyett, Lanark.

The reserve senior champion from Perthshire farmers, John and Craig Robertson, Newton of Logierait, Pitlochry, was the one that attracted the top price of the day of £2,800 when the December-born heifer sold to Dougie McBeath and Sarah Jane Jessop, Greenyards, Stirling.

She was trumped in the show by the senior champion that went on to stand reserve overall, an August 2017-born Limousin cross bullock named Harry from Shona Stevenson and her husband Alan, from the Laird family’s Sunnyside, Cumnock.

He was bought by the judge, Craig Malone, Pitcairn, for £2,600.

Next at £1,900 was Tom Miller’s British Blue and reserve junior champion from Glenhead, California, Falkirk, a British Blue cross heifer by Huntershall Frankel and out of a Limousin cross cow.

Duncan Semple, from Dippen, Carradale, was another to celebrate a good day when he landed the Charolais championship with a senior heifer that was also the best bred in Kintyre and Knapdale, as well as the prize for the best presented stockman. She caught the eye of RH Brunton, Crudie Acres, Arbroath who bought her for £1,600.

It was a Limousin cross heifer by Emslies Galileo that was Duncan’s dearest at £1,900 when sold to Paul McHarg, Crofthead, Ochiltree. This reserve champion from Mid Argyll is out of the same Blue that bred the 2013 butchers’ champion at the Winter Fair.

Champions

Senior: Shona Stevenson, Sunnyside, Cumnock, with an August 2017-born bullock called Harry. Bought as a calf at foot from John McAllister, Wester Thomaston, he is by Easegillhead Exterminator and out of a Limousin cross cow. He was also reserve Limousin champion and reserve supreme.

Reserve: John and Craig Robertson, Newton of Logierait, Pitlochry, with a home-bred December-born heifer by the privately purchased stock bull, Penthryn Jacob, and out of a Limousin cross cow. Junior: Brian Harper, Greenwells, Falkirk, with a home-bred five-monthold Limousin bullock named Blue Magoo. Sired by Easegillhead Exterminator and out of a Limousin cross cow, he was also Limousin champion and claimed the overall title.

Reserve: Tom Miller, Glenhead, California, with a seven-month-old British Blue cross heifer. Sired by Huntershall Frankel and out of a Limousin cross cow.

The sale champion, Blue Magoo, was shown by Brian Harper from Greenwells, Falkirk, and sold for £2,400.