A Highland heifer which reigned supreme in the ring at three northern shows this summer won the female championship at yesterday’s breed show in Oban.
The three-year-old from John Cooper’s Tordarroch fold at Farr, near Inverness, won the Black Isle, Nairn and Dornoch shows and was yesterday attracting interest from overseas buyers ahead of today’s sale.
Heather 12th of Tordarroch, a daughter of Moluag of Kilpatrick and Heather 11th of Innisard, is in-calf to Iona sire, Macrae Charles of Maol. She was shown by Sarah Noble and brought out by Fife stockman Bryon MacNaughton, who has enjoyed considerable success with his own cattle.
In reserve place was Anna of Eilean Mor, from Karen and Michael MacGregor, Port an Aiseig, Acharacle, Argyll.
It was the first time this three-year-old, shown by Jane Brown, had been off the farm. She is by Ceannard 16th of Cnoc and out of Sobhrach of Eilean Mor. The impressive line-up of young handlers was won by 14-year-old Logan Ross, from Dumfries and Galloway.
The breed’s vice-president, Jim Paice, Defra farming minister between 2010-12, predicted Highland cattle would benefit from changes in agricultural policy which will lay greater emphasis on the environment.
He said: “Highland cattle are very economical to keep and mine are grazing SSSIs. I keep them because they do well on pretty ropey grass and rushes.”