The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Farmers show off at championship
Recognised as one of the best shows of elite dairy cattle in the UK with £25,000 in prize money up for grabs, AgriScot boasted an increased entry of 117 cows this year.
For the first time, an exhibitor took both the Super Heifer and Super Cow championships with the same breed.
Mark Nutsford, who milks 140 British Holsteins at Ravenscroft Hall, Cheshire, under the Riverdane prefix was delighted to take both awards.
He said: “I last won here in 2005 and haven’t shown here for a few years but Gilmour (Lawrie) persuaded me to come back and I am glad I did.”
The Super Cow title went to the fourth calver, Sahara Sanchez Ambrosia by Gen-mark Stmatic Sanchez.
She last calved nine months ago and is still yielding 55kg per day and was champion at Nantwich show this summer.
Reserve was a Jersey shown by Lindsay Fleming, Downpatrick, County Down. This fourth calver, Bluegrass Vindications Harp by Vindication CJCC is no stranger to the show ring, having won Dairy Expo three times, Dairy Day once and the Highland Show twice.
She belongs to a trio of Irishmen, Linsday, John Henning and Keith Agnew and kept at Michael Yates Castle Douglas farm.
The super heifer was the January calved Riverdane Brady Sharon by ButxButler Atwood Brady.
Described by judge Kevin Wilson, of Thursby, Carlisle, as “A heifer with a great future ahead of her,” she was interbreed champion at Cheshire County Show.
Reserve was Mungo Bryson, Whiteflat, Catrine, Ayrshire, with his Red and White heifer, Whiteflat AA Anita Red by Apples Absolute Red, she was champion at Tarbolton Show and West of Scotland Red and White champion.
The Lawrie family at Cuthill Towers, Milnathort, had the best Ayrshire heifer in the August calved, Cuthill Towers, Mad Rae by Cuthill Towers Madison. This one from their herd of 240 milkers was being shown for the first time.