Quality show forward at Caithness Christmas show and sale

4th December 2019

A Charolais cross bullock from Michael Shearer, Lythmore, Westfield, Thurso, took the prime cattle championship at Aberdeen and Northern Marts' annual Christmas show and sale held at Caithness Livestock Centre.

Tapped out by judge Bill Cameron, Burnside of Edingight, Grange, was a 20-month-old, home-bred bullock weighing 621kg.

Bred out of a Simmental cross Limousin dam, he sold for £3000 to Murray Lamont and his daughter Jennifer, of Mackays Hotel, Wick, who were buying at the event for the 22nd consecutive year.

"We are delighted to secure the prime cattle and lamb champions at another show and sale of quality stock," said Murray Lamont. "Producers will be able to taste the champions at our annual Taste of Caithness Champions Dinner held in the spring at Mackays Hotel."

The reserve honours in the prime cattle section went to a Charolais cross heifer from D Coghill and Sons, Skinnet Farm, Halkirk. Crossing the weighbridge at 636kg, she made 238p per kg or £1513.68 to John M Munro, Dingwall.

Bower Young Farmer James Gunn, Whitefield, Wick, lifted both the champion and reserve honours in the Young Farmers' section.

His champion, a 555kg, British Blue cross heifer bought from Martin Jenkins, Ha Bower, sold across the water for £1900 to Balfour Baillie, Sebay View, Tankerness, while the reserve champion, a 636kg, Charolais cross bullock, bought from R and A MacKintosh, Glengolly, Thurso, made 232p or £1561.36 to John M Munro, Dingwall.

William Barnetson, and sons James and Will, Lynegar, Watten, scooped the best Aberdeen-Angus award for a bullock weighing 705kg which sold for 238p or £1677.90 to AK Stoddart, Broxburn.

The open prime lamb championship went to a pair of Beltex cross Charollais lambs from Kenny Sutherland, and sons Stephen and Kenneth, from Stainland and Sibmister Farms, Castletown, Thurso.

Weighing 42.5kg apiece, they sold for £300 per head to Mackays Hotel, Wick.

Taking the reserve honours in the open prime lamb championship was a pen of two 51.5kg Texels from JM Sutherland and Sons, Borrowston Mains, Dounreay, which sold for £115 per head to John M Munro, Dingwall.

Another Bower Young Farmer member, this time Alistair McCarthy, East Mey, Thurso, ruled supreme for a second consecutive year in the Young Farmers' prime lambs with a pair of home-bred, Beltex cross lambs scaling 43.5kg.

By a Beltex tup and bred out of Texel cross ewes, they sold for £160 per head to John M Munro, Dingwall.

The same buyers paid £100 per head for the reserve pair from Angus Brims, Thuster Mains, Bilbster. This was two home-bred, 55kg, Texel cross lambs by a Boultach Texel tup, out of Suffolk cross ewes.



PRIZE LIST

Young Farmers' prime sheep (sponsored by Duncan & Todd Opticians Ltd)

Pen of two light continental bred lambs

1 and champion - Lot 430 - Alistair McCarthy, East Mey, Mey

2nd - Lot 429 - Alistair McCarthy, East Mey, Mey



Pen of two heavy native bred lambs

1st - Lot 431 – Lynn Sinclair, Clachan, Mid-Clyth

Pen of two heavy continental bred lambs

1 and reserve champion – Lot 432 – Angus Brims, Thuster Mains, Bilbster

Open prime sheep (sponsored by Nona Mackay)

Pen of two light any other native bred lambs

1st – Lot 409- H H & A Swanson, Tister Farm, Halkirk

2nd – Lot 408- D A & K Douglas, Achnamoine, Watten

3rd – Lot 407 - D A & K Douglas, Achnamoine, Watten

Pen of two light any other continental bred lambs

1 and champion – Lot 404 - Stainland & Sibmister Farms, Stainland Farm

2nd – Lot 405- R Campbell, Thirdpart, Watten

3rd – Lot 425 – James & Bethany Swanson, Framside

Pen of two light Texel lamb

1st – Lot 401- B & S Gillion, Lower Toftingall, Spittal

2nd – Lot 403- H H & A Swanson, Tister Farm, Halkirk

3rd – Lot 402 – H H & A Swanson, Tister Farm, Halkirk

Pen of two heavy Suffolk lambs

1st – Lot 415 – D A Budge, Brae-Esge, Castletown



Pen of two heavy native bred lambs

1st –Lot 413 -Joyce Campbell, Armadale Farm Armadale

2nd – Lot 411 – H H & A Swanson, Tister Farm, Halkirk

3rd – Lot 410 – Joyce Campbell, Armadale Farm, Armadale

Pen of two heavy Texel lambs

1 and reserve champion - Lot 426 – J M Sutherland & Sons, Borrowston Mains, Dounreay

2nd – Lot 420 – D A Budge, Brae-Edge, Watten

3rd – Lot 423 – J & M H Brims, Thuster Mains, Bilbster



Pen of two light any other continental bred lambs

1st – Lot 418 – J M Sutherland, Borrowston Mains, Dounreay

2nd – Lot 417 – R Campbell, Thirdpart, Watten

3rd – Lot 416 – D A Budge, Brae Edge Westfield

Prime cattle (sponsored by NFU Mutual)

Light bullock

1, best home-bred and overall champion – Lot 1 – M G & A Shearer, Lythmore, Bridge of Westifeld

2nd – Lot 3 – Messrs Swanson, Quarryside, Castletown

3rd – Lot 2 – James Gunn, Whitefield, Wick

Heavy bullock

1st – Lot 5 - Messrs Swanson, Quarryside, Castletown

2, Young Farmers’ best opposite sex to champion and reserve Young Farmers’ champion – Lot 6 – James Gunn, Whitefield, Wick

3rd – Lot 4 – D A Budge, Brae-Edge, Westfield

Light heifer

1st – Lot 8 – Lauren Oag, Achiebeg Farm, Shebster

2 and Young Farmers’ champion – Lot 7 – James Gunn, Whitefield, Wick

Heavy heifer

1, best opposite sex to champion and reserve overall champion – Lot 11 – D Coghill & Sons, Skinnet, Halkirk

2nd – Lot 10 – Messrs Swanson, Quarryside, Castletown

3rd – Lot 9 – Finlay Swanson C/o H H & A Swanson, Tister Farm, Halkirk

Aberdeen-Angus bullock

1 and best Aberdeen-Angus – Lot 13 – W Barnetson & Son, Lynegar, Watten

2nd – Lot 12 – W Barnestson & Son, Lynegar

3rd – Lot 14 – Castle of Mey Trust, Longoe Farm, Mey

PHOTO - Prime cattle champion pictured from left, Michael Shearer, Jennifer Lamont, Murray Lamont, Alix Sutherland and Ron Mackay