Two Limousin herds from Keith ended day one of Stirling Bull Sales on a high when they claimed the overall and reserve honours in the breed championship.
The first day of the multi-breed event at United Auctions’ Stirling Agricultural Centre saw six breed shows take place ahead of the various breed sales tomorrow.
Landing the junior championship and overall honours for a second consecutive year at the May event was the Davidson family – Richard, Kathleen, Richard and Rachael – from Corsairtly.
Second consecutive win for Corsairtly
Tapped out by commercial producer Drew Kennedy, Tom of Cluny Farm, Aberfeldy, was Corsairtly Upperclass, the second youngest bull in the Limousin offering.
Born in January 2023, he is one of the first sons of the privately purchased Whinfellpark Ronaldo, bought in 2021.
His dam is the Maythorn Focker sired dam, Corsairtly Macey, which is one of 60 cows in the herd situated on the outskirts of Keith.
Stephen, Denise, Martin and Melissa Irvine of the nearby Anside herd, took reserve overall with the runner-up in the juniors.
This was December 2022-born Anside Tesla, by Anside Prometheus, which has bred sons to 17,000gns, 14,000gns and 10,000gns, and out of the Powerful Irish dam, Anside Nalani.
Anside lands reserve honours
Senior champion in the Limousins was Dyke Tango, from Jimmy and Donald MacGregor, Milton of Campsie.
He is a June 2022-born son of Whinfellpark Ohagan.
Ian Nimmo’s Maraiscote herd from Wishaw, claimed the reserve senior honours with Maraiscote Tyler, by Bassingfield Machoman.
The six classes of Charolais bulls were judged by Welsh breeder Medwyn Williams of the Castellmawr herd on the Llyn Peninsula.
Mr Williams, whose father established the herd in the 1980s, tapped out his two junior winners in the overall championship.
Claiming the top honours and receiving the Morton Strachan Quaich, when presented by granddaughters Emma and Stephanie Mailer, was Loganbar Topgun, from Murray Lyle, Mid Cambushinnie, Dunblane.
This December 2022-born bull is by Thrunton Nike, out of the Bostonia Invincible-sired, Loganbar Nutmeg.
Murray Lyle wins two top awards in Charolais breed
Murray also won the senior championship with Loganbar Topdollar, a September 2022-born son of Maerdy Pore, out of the Westcarse Jumbo-sired, Loganbar Newdawn.
Forfar breeders Grant and Mark Smeaton of the Bombax herd at Cotton of Ovenstone, Inverarity, took reserve overall champion with the reserve junior winner, Bombax Topper.
He is an October 2022-born son of the 12,000gns Glenericht Ryder, bought at Stirling in 2021, and out of the Kersknowe Jambo-sired dam, Goldies Olwen.
Johnny and Raymond Irvine of the Inverlochy herd at Tomintoul stood reserve senior champion with August 2022-born Inverlochy Tiree.
This one is by the 12,000gns Caylers Napoleon, a sire which has bred tremendously well for the herd, with sons selling to a top of 15,000gns.
Tiree’s dam is the Blelack Giggsey daughter, Inverlochy Margo.
Just three classes of Simmentals were forward for judge Jonnie Hazelton of the 20-cow Ranfurly herd near Dungannon, Northern Ireland.
Islavale awarded Simmental championship
Taking the overall championship and also flying the flag for the north-east was the Stronach family of the Islavale herd at Keith.
Shown by daughter Emma, was Islavale Norse 22, a November 2022-born son of the privately purchased Shacon Hannibal 16 from Northern Ireland, which has bred bulls to 11,000gns.
He is bred out of the Curaheen Bandit dam, Islavale Empress.
Lindsay Moffat, who runs her own Braidwood herd alongside the family’s Innerwick herd near Dunbar, stood reserve overall champion with Braidwood Nero.
A similar entry of Aberdeen-Angus bulls judged by Orkney’s John Davidson of Sutherquoy, Sandwick, was won by local breeder Stephanie Dick from Westerton Farm, Cowie.
Stephick herd produces A-A champion
This was with Stephick Elvis Y395, an August 2022-born embryo calf by Weeton Diamond Mine, out of the Rawburn Black Hawk-sired, Weeton Evora P439.
Elvis is a full brother to the bull calf champion at the Black Beauty Bonanza and Stars of the Future Calf Show, which sold for 6,800gns.
His maternal sister Stephick Evora, was junior champion at the Royal Highland Show in 2022.
The new Aberdeen-Angus breeders at Blelack in Aberdeenshire, the Calcott family, took reserve overall champion with Blelack Hill Enoch Y005.
Brought out by Gabbie Massie, this April 2022-born bull is by Rodmead Primero R746, out of the Weeton Evolution sired dam, Blelack Eyebright.
Gill and Malcolm Pye’s Rednock Salers herd from Stirling claimed the championship honours in the breed’s only class of bulls.
Rednock and Coxhill lead the way in Salers and Beef Shorthorns
Their winner, June 2022-born Rednock Shaggy Poll, is by Rednock Oswald.
Reserve was Rednock Salvador, a March 2022-born son of Baron, this time exhibited by Malcolm and Kyle Fleming of the Killyboggin herd, Northern Ireland.
In the only class of Beef Shorthorns, champion went to Lucinda Townsend’s June 2022-born Coxhill Sterling, by Meonside Nidavellir, from Moffat.
Reserve was Duncan Welsh’s similarly aged Westbroad Soloman, by Millerston Paymaster, from Kilmarnock, Ayrshire.