Thainstone Spectacular tops at £2600
Averages were up, but fewer exhibition cattle were sold at the annual Spectacular held by Aberdeen and Northern Marts at Inverurie in Aberdeenshire.
The event, which attracted show champions from across northern Scotland, eventually saw 45 of the 55 cattle traded.
Top price at £2600 was the Charolais champion, Hazey Jane, from regular winner and noted calf producer Michael Durno, Glenlivet, Banffshire.
This 396kg nine month old heifer, by the Auchorachan stock bull Glenlivet Singlemalt and out of a Limousin cross, was bought by veteran showman Bertie Paton, Glenprosen, Kirriemuir.
Hazey Jane had over the summer stood commercial champion at two shows in Aberdeenshire – Turriff and Tarland. She is likely to re-emerge for Mr Paton at the Royal Highland Winter Fair at Ingliston, Edinburgh, in November.
The supreme championship for the second successive year was won by Balfour Baillie, Tankerness, Orkney. His leader was Natasha, a six-month-old 348kg Limousin cross heifer by Loosebeare Amazon and out of the same Limousin cross cow that bred his champion at last year’s Spectacular.
Natasha clearly impressed judges Alistair Cormack, Leven, Fife and Robin Roberts, Llangefni, Anglesey.
Mr Roberts backed up his decision by paying £2200 to purchase her. He said: “She has got a nice style starting from the head carrying through the back. There is width in the hind quarter and through the plates. There is also good depth in the hind quarters. Added to that is that she is very stylish in the ring.”
Mr Baillie, who has just 22 suckler cows, had earlier declared himself “over the moon” after Natasha – a first prizewinner at the East Mainland and County Show on Orkney – won the event’s main award.
Next at £2000 was a five month old 310kg Limousin cross bullock, by Elrick Urgent and out of a British Blue cross cow, from Ian Wilson of J and J Wilson, Gollanfield, Inverness. This second prizewinner sold to Aileen Ritchie, Whitecairns, Aberdeen.
Mr Wilson won the bullock championship with The Highlander, a yearling 434kg Limousin cross by Ronick Hawk and out of a home-bred British Blue cross Simmental. It was on its first outing in the showring and sold at £1100 to Murray Rainnie, Logie Coldstone, Aberdeenshire.
Taking the reserve bullock championship was the Baillie family business of James S Baillie and Co.
Their winner was Black Jack, a 434kg nine-month-old by Loosebeare Amazon and out of an Aberdeen-Angus cross cow. He was reserve supreme at the Orkney County Show and also won the East Mainland’s reserve calf award. Buyer at £1300 was Mr Paton.
The reserve heifer championship went to another Highland-based operation – father and son James and Mark Munro, Ardgay, Sutherland.
Taking the award for them was their Nairn show heifer champion and Latheron reserve supreme, Hot Chocolate, a 354kg home-bred Limousin cross by their Limmie stock bull out of a Limousin cross. She made £1800 to Andrew Anderson, Elgin, Moray.
Unhaltered champion was a 296kg eight month old British Blonde cross heifer bred by Bill and Ilona Thompson, New Pitsligo, Aberdeenshire. She sold for £1100 to William Timm, Airmyn. Mr Timm also paid £1400 for another Blonde cross from the Thompsons.
Other leading prices:
A 506kg 16-month old Limousin cross heifer, by Vampire, from Liam Muir at Midhouse, Harray, Orkney, sold at £1700 to Wilson Peters, Crieff, Perthshire.
A 460kg yearling Limousin cross heifer, by Middledale Toronto, from Wester Cairnglass to Mr Paton at £1700.
A yearling 498kg Limousin cross steer, Dark Knight, from Simmers at Backmuir, Keith, Banffshire, sold at £1700 to Norman Innes, New Aberdour, Aberdeenshire.
A Charolais cross heifer, by Glenlivet Singlemalt, from D G Kennedy, Cainsbay, Wick, sold at £1650 to Wilson Peters, Crieff, Perthshire.
Averages: 22 heifers £1226 (328p/kg); 23 steers £1018 (269p/kg) (Aberdeen and Northern Marts).