Jolly Christmas Classic for Crieff cattle breeder

LIVESTOCK: Champion Limousin home-bred heifer Cheeky Kiss triumphs again at Thainstone fresh from title win at Livescot – selling for top price of the day at £4,600

Fresh from his win at Livescot on Saturday, Wilson Peters made the journey from Crieff to Thainstone worthwhile by winning the overall champion at yesterday’s Christmas Classic with a home-bred heifer.

This 610kg three-quarter Limousin heifer, Cheeky Kiss, by Anside Hawkeye was also first in her class at Livescot. She sold for the day’s top price of £4,600 (754p/kg) to the judges, Hugh Black, Lanark and Murray Lauchlan, Comrie.

Reserve overall, and following the champion through from being second in her class, was a 634kg British Blue cross Limousin heifer known as Sarah, from David and Neil Work, Mains of Dumbreck, Udny. This one sold for £2,600 (410p/kg) to Hugh Black.

Last year’s overall winner, Harry Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains, Maud, settled for being top steer with his 615kg Limousin cross, Louis, bred by John and Craig Robertson, Newton of Logierait, and bought for £1,300 at the Spectacular. Scott Watson bought this one for £1,722 (280p/kg).

In the butchers section the Work brothers took the championship with their 575kg Balfour Baillie-bred threequarter Limousin steer, Harvey, bought for £1,350 in August. He made £3,000 (522p/kg) to Forbes Raeburn Butchers, Huntly. Reserve was Wilson with Cotton Tail; a 570kg home-bred Limousin cross Simmental cross heifer which later sold for £2,300 (404p/kg) to Alastair Bruce, Fraserburgh.

A pen of two Suffolk cross lambs won the overall sheep championship.The 56kg lambs by a home-bred Suffolk tup were out of a Texel cross ewe and were shown by father and son duo Willie and John Brown, Hilton of Culsh, Turriff. They made the top price of £200 each to the judge, Louise Forsyth for WTS Forsyth Butchers, Peebles.

Prize list – Cattle overall: Wilson Peters. Reserve: David and Neil Word. Bullock: H Brown. Reserve: Donald Morrison, Kinlochbervie, with a 710kg Limousin cross (ns). Young Farmers Haltered: Sarah Balfour, Tomintoul, with a 610kg British Blue cross bullock (£2,000). Reserve: Jack Hendry with a 704kg Limousin cross heifer (£2,000). Butchers: David and Neil Work. Reserve: Wilson Peters. Young Farmers Unhaltered: Craig Buchan with a 584kg Limousin bullock (£1,753). Reserve: Stuart Ross, Fraserburgh, with a 584kg heifer (ns). Unhaltered: Ewan Fettes, Buckie, with a 554kg British Blue cross heifer (£1,717). Reserve: Sheep Park Farms, Bridge of Marnoch, with a 554kg Limousin cross heifer (£1,662). Sheep overall: Willie and John Brown, New Deer, with 56kg Suffolk cross lambs (£400). Reserve: Calum Angus, Mey, with 46kg Beltex cross lambs (£300). Butchers: Rory Gregor, Thainstone, with 42kg Beltex cross lambs (£360). Reserve: Calum Angus, with 50kg Beltex cross lambs (£260). Young Farmers: John Brown, New Deer, with 43kg Beltex cross lambs (£340) and reserve with 55kg Texel cross lambs (£260)

Pictures: Chris Sumner. Main pic: Cheeky Kiss from Wilson Peters won the overall championship and sold for £4,600; Comrie butcher Murray Lauchlan judged the cattle and bought half the champion; a crowded Thainstone ringside and auctioneer.