- Supreme Champion and Reserve
- Limousins win 13 out of 14 section championships
- Exhibitor-bred Champion
- Heifer Champion
- Steer Champion
- Champion sells for £3,200
The standard of cattle at this year’s Royal Highland Winter Fair held Wednesday 28th November 2012 at Ingliston, Edinburgh was strong from start to finish with the top end in all classes described by Judge Mr Michael Alford, Cullompton, Devon as being “balanced cattle which were well finished with great tops.”
And it was most definitely the Limousin breed that dominated the championship sections, winning the Overall and Reserve Overall Championships, as well as the majority of the section championships.
Having come through from a ‘phenomenal show’ of heifers, the first prize winner from the third of the Limousin-sired classes, Marvellous Mo, from the Ronick Limousin herd’s stockman Stuart Bett and his partner Lynsey McKay, Castleton Farm, Airth, Stirling went on to take the Heavyweight Heifer, Overall Heifer and Overall Supreme Championship.
By Lodge Dannyboy, a Saphir son (by Jacot) and out of a Limousin x Blue cow, she was bred by Alastair McLaren, Kinross and was purchased privately having won the Championship at Kinross Show and has since been a first prize winner for Stuart & Lynsey at Borderway Agri Expo. This was another “jewel in the crown” for Stuart Bett who teamed up with Craig Malone in both 2010 & 2011 to win the Commercial Championship two years running at the Royal Highland Show.
Weighing 590kg, she was described by Judge Mr Alford – who himself won the event in 2010 – as “a tremendous heifer oozing style from the minute she walked into the ring. She is a balanced heifer with a great top, eye muscle and depth of flesh.” Mr Alford then went on to back his judgement by purchasing the heifer for his Stillmans Butchers enterprise for £3,200.
Standing Reserve was first-time exhibitor Grant Morrison, Banffshire, with his lightweight heifer Willow Booby. Homebred, meaning this heifer also added the King George Cup for Best Exhibitor-bred Beast to her accolades, this one is by Haltcliffe Donny and is out of a Limousin-cross dam. Weighing 490kg, she has been shown locally, but this is her first major win and she will be retained for further showing next summer.
In what was a high quality show of commercial primestock cattle, Limousin sired animals won a remarkable 13 out of 14 of the Championships including Overall Supreme, and Reserve Supreme; and Champion and Reserve in the Heifer Championship; Lightweight Heifers; Lightweight Steers; Intermediate Steers; Heavyweight Heifers. A Limousin sired animal also won the Champion Steer and the Reserve Heavyweight Steer.
The Reserve Lightweight Heifer Championship went to the 510kg Stooshie, a Limousin-cross heifer from previous Overall Championship winners Hugh & Lynne Dunlop, Ochiltree, Ayrshire. Homebred, this one is by the herd’s stock bull and sire of many previous successful show beasts for the family, Silex, and is out of a Limousin-cross dam.
Standing Reserve in the Heavyweight Heifer section was Ellon, Aberdeenshire-based David & Neil Work and Scott Watson’s 640kg heifer Fire Flash. Bred by Balfor Baillie, Orkney, this one was purchased privately off the back of a championship win at Orkney County Show. She is by Staveley Hurricane and is out of a Limousin-cross dam.
In the Steer Championship, last year’s Overall Champion winner – the Girvan, Ayrshire-based Jennifer Hyslop – stood top with Jack Flash, a Limousin-cross steer out of a British Blue cross dam. By Fedneyhouse Dapper, he was bred by the Robertson Family of Logierait and was purchased at Caledonian Marts for £3,000. He came through as Champion Lightweight Steer having won the Young Farmers’ class.
Hugh & Lynne Dunlop continued their winning ways by securing the Reserve Lightweight Steer Championship with a Limousin-cross homebred steer Stoatir. By Goldies Oswald, this one is out of a Limousin-cross dam and weighs 530kg.
Taking the top spot in the middle weight section was Richard Wright’s winner of the second class of Limousin steers, Razor. By Bailea Spunkie, he is out of a Limousin x Blue dam and weighs 575kg, while reserve here went to the second prize steer from Razor’s class, Jackass from James Forsyth. This homebred Limousin-sired steer is by Seaview Bill and is out of a Blue cross and weighs 580kg.
Standing Reserve in the Heavyweight Steer section to the Reserve Overall Steer Champion was Rinky Dinky Doo, a Limousin steer bred by Messrs W Richardson and Son, Cumbria. This one is by Rossignol and is out of a Limousin-cross dam and weighs 650kg.
Well done to Stuart & Lynsey! Great to see the cup stay in Scotland!