A chance purchase two months ago certainly did have a Silver Lining for Fife-based couple Craig and Teen Malone, Pitcairn, Cardenden, when a steer of that name took the overall beef title at LiveScot at Lanark.
Despite the weather, a big crowd made the trip to Lawrie and Symington’s mart to see Silver Lining make a bit of recent history as one of the few Charolais to win for the couple.
Bred by Duncan Semple, Dippen, Carradale, in Kintyre, this silver dun,
by Carradale Felix, caught the eye of judge Jimmy Wood of Popes Farm, Preston. He sold for £5,800 to Kitsons Butchers in Yorkshire.
As a buyer of 450 to 500 head of prime cattle each week for his meat business,he said:
“This beast had presence right from the get-go and he was shown in just the right condition to appeal to the high street butcher’s market, with just a perfect amount of cover.”
Craig had bought the animal for his wife, Teen, as a pick-me-up after she’d contracted Covid.
She said: “He really proved that every cloud has a silver lining.”
North-east show teams also had a good day, with Blair Duffton, from 2 Bogie Street, Huntly, proving unbeatable in the heifer section.
Leading the females for him – and also placed reserve supreme – was Babybell, a 13-month-old Limousin cross heifer bred by Gary Bell, Haaside, Lockerbie, and bought at a spring sale in Thainstone.
Reserve female for Blair was Truffle, the same age as her herd mate but bought at Carlisle from the Guise Partnership.
Reserve steer was Black Bomber, a Limousin cross by Rossignol shown by Katrina and James Little, and Hanna Donaldson, The Guards, Ireby, Wigton, Cumbria. He had been champion at the Carlisle Expo show.
Sheep
Meanwhile, Beltex crosses again reigned supreme at LiveScot, where the Hall family from Inglewood Edge, Dalston, bagged yet another title.
Joanne Hall, daughter April and stockman Jonnie Aiken went all
the way with a pair of May-born wedder lambs by a Faughhill sire.
They passed the weigh bridge at 42kg each and later sold for £680 per head to Mathiesons Butchers, Edinburgh.
Judge Harry Wood, together with his father Jimmy Wood – the cattle judge – was most impressed with the quality of sheep, but admitted there wasn’t much difference between the champion and reserve winners.
Taking the reserve honours was another Beltex pairing from last year’s winners, John Guthrie and his daughter Kirsty from Cuiltburn, Muthill, Crieff.
Their April-born wedder lambs by a home-bred sire scaled 45kg and made £400 each to Jimmy Stark, Paisley meat wholesalers.
Blackfaces landed both the champion and reserve honours in the coveted Mountain and Moorland section.
Supreme was Tommy MacPherson, son Craig and his son Lewis’s pair from Pitsundry, Bankfoot, which scaled 88kg.
They were bred by Iain McLarty, Little Port, and bought at Dalmally in September.
They also sold to Mathiesons Butchers for £400 each.
Reserve M and M were the runner-up Blackies, from TN Cavers, Sorbie, Ewes, who were unable to attend due to the horrendous weather.
Their lambs were shown by Euan Orr and David Clarke.
The Halls from Inglewood Edge also won the Texels, with 42kg wedder lambs by a ram bought from Robin Slade.