The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Quality of Black Beauty stock hailed
Aberdeen-Angus breeders from across Scotland gathered at the Thainstone Centre, Inverurie, yesterday for the Black Beauty Bonanza.
Organised by the North East Aberdeen-Angus Club, the bonanza is a show of pure and cross AberdeenAngus calves and yearlings.
Judge Alistair Cormack, of Lower Largo, Fife, praised the quality of stock paraded in front of him.
“The standard of the cattle was outstanding,” said Mr Cormack.
“It was a great advert for the breed and the quality was so high, especially with the younger cattle. There was a lot of breed character about the animals and good locomotion.”
In the heifer section, the calf championship was an entry from Turriff-based Hamish and Margaret Sclater’s Deveron herd.
Previously unshown, Deveron Felicity T580 is an April-born daughter of Deveron Leggat, which sold privately to the Wattie family’s Tonley herd, and out of Deveron Felicity J296.
The reserve heifer calf champion title was awarded to January-born Retties Ruissea from Richard and Carol Rettie at Devonside, Clackmannanshire.
By Retties JFK and out of Belhaven Ruisseau, she stood reserve calf champion at the Agri Expo and reserve junior female at Stars of the Future last weekend.
In the yearling heifer section, the champion title was awarded to January-2016 born Cardenwell Miss Blossom from father and daughter duo Graham and Fiona Willox of Meikle Pitinnan, Oldmeldrum.
By the herd’s stock bull Burnside Jamie Eric, and out of Cardenwell Miss Bracken, she previously stood reserve champion at Tarland and third at the Highland Show.
Standing reserve in the yearling heifers was 19-month-old Tonley Princess S273 from the Wattie family’s Tonley herd at Mains of Tonley, Alford.
Bv the 8,000gn Blelack Evor, which has bred sons to 24,000gn, and out of Tonley Princess N970, she stood champion at the Keith Show in August and is destined for the Stirling Bull Sales in February.
Meanwhile, in the bull section the champion title for a calf went to an Aprilborn entry from Hannah Heerema’s Balavilhouse herd at Balavil Estate, Kingussie.
Shown by stockmen Robert Marshall and Colin MacDiarmid, Balavilhouse Postman is a result of the in-calf cow purchase of Blelack Prunella.
By Blelack Lord Blackcock, he stood first at Agri Expo and second at Stars of the Future.
The reserve bull calf champion was sevenmonth-old Cairnton Blackbeard from Ken and Margaret Howie’s Cairnton herd at Lumphanan.
Shown by the couple’s 15-year-old daughter, Nicola, he is by the herd’s previous stock bull Haymount Walarlo and out of Cairnton Blackbird. He stood first at Banchory Show earlier this year.
In the yearling bull contest, the champion rosettes went to May-2016 born Cardona Edwin from Robbie Galloway at Longleys, Bridge of Allan.
Shown by stockman Ewen McRobert, he is by Nightingale Dunbar and out of Cardona Edwina. He was champion at Perth this year and overall champion at Stars of the Future last year. He is destined for sale at Stirling in February.
The reserve yearling bull champion was March-2016 born Logie Explosive from AJR Farms, Milton of Collieston, Ellon. Shown by stockmen Andrew and James Reid, he is by Rawburn Enoch and out of Logie Elegant.
AJR Farms also took home the champion rosettes in the pair of calves contest with a duo from the Deveron herd standing reserve.
The champion title in the pair of yearlings section went to an entry from the Cardona herd, while Isle of Skye breeder Donald Rankin stood reserve.
Lastly, first in the junior commercials went to C. and E. McCombie, Auchincrieve. J.G. Reid of Tullochleys, Clatt, Huntly, was first in the senior section.
“Great advert for the breed and the quality was so high”