Classic event ‘condensed’ due to Covid

More than 90 prime cattle and lambs are forward for judging at next week’s Aberdeen Christmas Classic.

The annual event , organised by Aberdeen and Northern Marts (ANM) in conjunction with the Aberdeen Fat stock Association, takes place at the Thainstone Centre, near Inverurie. It has been scaled back due to Covid-19 restrictions , and no spectators will be permitted this year.

“The Aberdeen Fatstock Association committee is very pleased to be able to hold a reduced and condensed Aberdeen Christmas Classic in light of Covid-19,” said Aberdeen Fat stock Association chairman Ross Williams.

“This prestigious event is regarded as Scotland’s premier show of prime animals and is a great opportunity for butchers and processors to buy the very best of Scottish beef and lamb.”

The show of 45 unhaltered prime cattle and 25 pairs of prime lambs will take place on Wednesday at 7pm.

It will be followed by a sale of the entries the day after at ANM’s weekly prime sales.

The judging will be streamed live on the ANM website.

The judges are Bill Cameron, Burnside of Edingight, Grange, Keith, for the cattle, and Charles Anderson, Nether Stenries, Carrutherstown, Dumfries, for the lambs.

ANM prime and cull cattle manager Tim McDonald said: “Despite the difficult circumstances surrounding C ovid -19, Aberdeen and Northern Marts is pleased to still be offering another terrific entry of prime animals for sale at this year’s smallscale event.”

He added that ANM would also be holding its annual sale of pedigree sheep on Monday, prior to the Christmas Classic event.

More than 200 in-lamb female sheep are forward for sale including 82 Texels, 70 Suffolks, 24 Beltex, 12 Blue Texels, six Bluefaced Leicesters and 12 other pedigree breeds.

Full details of the shows and sales , including information on online bidding and live streaming, is online at anmarts.co.uk

WINNERS: Beltex crosses from Rory Gregor, left, won last year’s prime lambs show.