A busy ringside of spectators gathered for day one of Stirling Bull Sales where four breeds passed through the judging ring.
The Aberdeen-Angus judging was under the watchful eye of Owen Tunney of the Morpheus herd in Cheshire.
Mr Tunney tapped out two junior bulls as champion and reserve, with the overall honours going to Gordon Profit Y814 from the trustees of the late Gordon R Brooke from Duns.
This was Gordon Profit Y814, an ET bred out of the Rawburn Lord Ross sired, Belhaven Pole Star H070, which has bred numerous high sellers at 40,000gns, 22,000gns and 17,000gns.
Born in April 2022, he is by Cheerbrook Profit V138.
The reserve Aberdeen-Angus championship went to Duncanziemere Scorpion Y471, from Alistair Clark and family, Cumnock, Ayrshire.
This April 2022-born bull is by Auchincrieve Exodus U285, which has bred sons to 30,000gns and averaged over 9,000gns.
His dam is the Rawburn Jester Eric sired, Duncanziemere Schelda R142.
In the seniors, champion went to Andrew Hodge and daughter Emma’s Rulesmains Paycheck Y680, from Duns.
This March 2022-born son of Blelack Prince Camelot W017, stood reserve male champion at the Great Yorkshire Show.
His dam is the Duncanziemere Judge R170 sired, Rulesmains Princess V171.
Reserve senior was Norman Bellfield’s December 2021-born Daneside Bombadier, from Macclesfield.
He is by Gretnahouse Blacksmith, out of Tonley Belle.
Amongst the intermediate classes, Jonathan and Lisa Doyle’s Drumhill Emerald Fire YF671, from Cookstown, Northern Ireland, took reserve.
This April 2022-born is by Drumhill Quintin, out of Drumhill Evora.
Tapped out as reserve intermediate was D Strachan and Sons’ Shawtonhill Black Blade Y866, from Strathaven in Lanarkshire.
He is an April 2022-born son of Shawtonhill Ninja, out of Shawtonhill Black Beth.
Hazel McNee from Over Finlarg, Tealing, Dundee, had a big job judging 10 classes in the Simmental breed.
She tapped out the intermediate leader as her overall champion from Richard McCulloch’s Overhill House herd at Armadale, Bathgate.
Brought out by freelance stockman Brian Wills, was Overhill House Neo 22, which Mrs McNee described as a ”classy bull” that was not too extreme and was exactly what a Simmental should be.
This April 2022-born is one of the first sons to be offered by the 26,000gns Pistyll Kingsman, and bred out of the Hillcrest Jerome sired, Seepa Daffodil.
He stood third overall in the Beef Breeder at the Highland Show and was champion at Stirling Show.
Reserve overall went to Islavale Neuk 22 from the Stronach family’s herd at Berryleys, Keith.
This similarly aged bull is by the privately purchased Shacon Hannibal, which is also the father of the 8,000gns Islavale Lullaby, sold as a calf to the Simmers family.
The dam is the Chestermann Varney-sired, Islavale Gretel.
Morayshire breeders Iain Green and family from Corskie, Garmouth, took champion in the seniors with January 2022-born, Corskie Nohow 22, by the privately purchased Rathnashan Kellogg’s.
His dam is Corskie Jubilee, which is by the 45,000gns Bel Dhu Capercaillie.
James Griffin, from Huntingdon, took reserve senor with Hemingford Nelson 22, by the 9,000gns Saltire Jaguar 18.
The Stronachs also stood reserve intermediate with Islavale Nicho 22, one of the first sons of Coose Lincoln, to be offered for sale.
Reserve junior went to nearby breeders, Geoff and Kate Anderson, Wester Greens Farm, Lossiemouth, with Quarryhill Niagara 22, an AI son of Curaheen Bandit.
Bred from Islavale Jitterbug, he was reserve champion at Nairn Show and male champion at Grantown Show.
Bulls from the late Donald Biggar’s Chapelton herd at Castle Douglas lifted both the champion and reserve honours yesterday.
Judge Mary Cormack of the Rougemont herd, Hertfordshire, awarded the championship to April 2022-born Chapelton Samuel.
He is a polled son of Chapelton Nomad, out of the Chrichton Paddy-sired, Chapelton Heathermaid.
The reserve championship went to another Chapelton Nomad son, this time March 2022-born Chapelton Sebastian, out of the Chrichton Paddy-sired, Chapelton Wild Eyes.
The female championship went to David and Tom Bradley Farmer’s Meonside herd from Dumfries.
Their champion, Meonside Irania Rosie Shelby, is an April 2022-born daughter of Caramba Kinvara, out of Coldrochie Irania Rosie.
Reserve was Lucinda Townsend’s Coxhill Wheat R692, from Moffat in Dumfriesshire.
This May 2021-born daughter of Millerston Kasper, and sold in-calf to Glenisla Masterton.
Amongst the Salers bulls, judged by Tom Walling, Over Whitlaw, Selkirk, champion went to Laurencekirk breeders Gerald and Morag Smith from Drumsleed.
This was Drumsleed Rowan, a polled September 2021-born son of Whitebog Convener, out of Rigel Dimont Blk.
Reserve was Rednock Storm from Gill and Malcolm Pye, Stirling.