Three cattle championships in a row for Crieff ’s Peters
Some top quality stock and a busy turn-out of spectators made for a great atmosphere at Saturday’s Livescot event at Lanark Mart, which saw Wilson Peters, of Cuilt Farmhouse, Monzie, Crieff, secure his third consecutive overall cattle championship.
His best this year was A’dora Derriere, a 590kg Limousin cross heifer bought at the Royal Northern Spring Show in March from John and Craig Robertson, of Newton of Logierait, Ballinluig. Sired by Powerhouse Harlequin and out of a Limousin cross dam, she had a successful summer show season, standing first at the Royal Highland and champion at Dunblane, Kirriemuir and Braco shows.
Judge Jason Wareham, who runs his own abbatoir, farm shop and butchery, alongside a 100-strong suckler herd in Heathfield, East Sussex, described his champion as an “outstanding heifer that anyone would love to own”.
At the sale after the show, the champion fetched £3,300, to North Yorkshire butchers B&T Kitson.
For reserve overall, Mr Wareham plumped for the steer champion Prince Harry, another Limousin cross, this time from Craig and Katreen Malone, of Pitcairn Farm, Cardenden, Fife. Bought at Caledonian Marts’ sale at Stirling from Shona Stevenson, this one weighed 586kg and went onto sell for £2,200 to butchers Howieson of Newmains. The Malones also secured the commercial calf championship, with a March-born Limousin cross heifer, She’s A Belter, bought from Gillbank Farm, Carluke.
Reserve overall heifer was Too Glam To Give A Dam, a 652kg Limousin cross heifer from Alister and Liz Vance, of Bridgehouse, Newton Stewart, bought at Brecon in February.
In the steers, the reserve ticket went to Hugh Dunlop, of Holehouse, Ochiltree, with Coolio, a home-bred 480kg Limousin cross, by Milbrook D’artagnan, out of a Limousin cross dam.
Leading the way in the dairy section was Hugh Neilson, of East Brackenridge, Strathaven, with the third calver Holstein Miriesdale Saloon Atlee. Bought as a calf from the Black and White sale at Carlisle, this Sandyvalley Saloon daughter was classified VG87 as a heifer and is producing 58kg a day.
Standing reserve to her was another Holstein, Emerald Doorman Twizzle, a VG88 second calver from Andrew and Euan Lawrie, of Grange Hall, Pettinain. Also bought at the Black and White sale, in 2016, this one is giving 45kg daily.
In the sheep lines, the best of the butchers’ lambs went onto take the top spot overall, judged by Brian Mactaggart, of Douganhill Farms, Castle Douglas. Describing the show of lambs as “tremendous”, he tapped out a pair of Beltex cross lambs from the Hall family, of Inglewood Edge, Dalston, Carlisle, who were taking their seventh overall sheep championship at the event. Weighing 39kg each, these ewe lambs went on to sell for £230 each to Jimmy Stark, of Bluebell, Milton of Campsie.
The reserve overall ticket went to the hill sheep champions, two 39kg Blackface wedder lambs from Tommy and Craig Macpherson, of Pitsundry, Bankfoot, Perth. They were bought at Dalmally from the Mclartys of Little Port Farm, St Fillans. At the sale, they fetched £150 each, selling to Crieff butchers David Comrie and Son.
Second best butchers’ lambs were the top Texel duo, from Robert and Iain Struthers, of Collielaw, Carluke. These 43kg ewe lambs, sired by a homebred ram, later sold at £128 apiece to G Whyte, of Pett Farm, Muthill.
The reserve hill champions were the Cheviots, 43kg home-bred wedder lambs from the Cavers family of Sorbie, Langholm. Sired by a Mainside ram, they sold at £174 for the pair to Vivers, of Annan.