Taking Stock

Just as we start to put the Perth Bull Sales to the back of our memory, the Taking Stock team are heading back up north again.

An early - and I mean early flight out of Gatwick tomorrow morning will ensure we bring you the news, gossip and scandal from the Scottish Winter Fair - well pictures and class judging results anyway!

I've got my tip for the overall cattle champion and I'm sure Jonathan has an idea or two as to who will take the sheep championships, but we won't share those until we know we're on a winner!

Judging starts at 8.30am so we'll keep you updated with pictures as and when internet connection allows.

So watch this space.........

Judging is already underway at the Scottish Winter Fair, with Somerset-based Gerald David placing entries in the Continental cattle classes.

Leading the way in the medium weight Limousin steer section were regular Smithfield winners Hugh and Lynn Dunlop, Holehouse, Ayr, with their homebred Goldies Oswald son Spooks.

Judging is also underway in the sheep classes, with Andrew Hamilton, Glenshiel, Thornhill, Dunfries taking charge of the proceedings. So far he has tackled the three Blackface classes, with J and T Macpherson taking top and second spot in the medium weight class.

Having just watched the Limousin section this morning, I’m pleased to report some quality steers and heifers have come before judge Gerald David.

In the steer section, the lightweight class was won by Hugh Dunlop, with Lynne and the halter and their Goldies Oswald sired Spooks. Taking the middleweight section was the Mudd and Bentley partnership from Keswick, Thirsk. They won with their 560kg Limousin cross Little John bred by John Smith-Jackson.

The heavy weight class was taken by R J Wright with their Ronick Hawk bred 672kg steer called Ready Steady.

In the heifers, of which I would say there was a greater display of quality, the lightweight class was won by Neil Slack’s reserve champion from Agri Expo, Carlisle Rhianna. Bought from Messrs Scott, Thirwell, she weighs 482kg and could be a hot contender for the lightweight overall championship.

In the middle section, Gavin Scott won with another Thirwell Castle heifer, this time the Cankirk Hilton sired Between the Sheets.

The heavyweight section was the class likely to have given Mr David the hardest time. Taking this red ticket was J and D Hyslop with Midget Gem, a Killerton Travis sired heifer out of a Charolais cross dam.

Will bring you some pics of these beauties later on……. (although we have to warn you our internet connection isn’t the best!).

Winning the Charolais lightweight heifer section was Mr and Mrs B S Paton’s Ma Wee Pet, a 488kg heifer bred by Hugh Dunlop.

In the heavyweight section Michael and Melanie Alford’s heifer She’s The One took the red ticket in a strong class, with Hugh Dunlop’s Smirnoff Ice standing a close second.

Following the completion of championship judging we can now bring you full championship listings from the Scottish Winter Fair, Ingliston. Its been a relatively quiet day here in terms of attendance, but nevertheless the quality of the stock has lived up to its reputation.

Cattle
Overall Champion H and L Dunlop’s Limousin cross steer Spooks; res, G Scott’s Limousin cross steer Hong Kong Pooie.
Light steers H and L Dunlop’s Limousin cross Spooks; res, Gavin Scott’s Limousin cross steer Hong Kong Pooie.
Medium steers H and L Dunlop’s Charolais cross Magners; res, A Ritchie’s Charolais cross steer My Boy.
Heavy steers R J Wright’s Limousin cross Ready Steady; res, J and D Hyslop’s Limousin cross Flash Harry.
Light heifers B Paton’s Charolais cross Ma Wee Pet; res, E McPherson and Sons’ Charolais cross Silver Dollar.
Heavy heifers G Scott’s Limousin cross Between the Sheets; res, M and M Alford’s Charolais cross She’s the One.

Sheep
Overall Champion Messrs M Stewart’s Suffolk x Texels; res, J T Whiteford’s Texel crosses.
Butchers Lambs Messrs M Stewart’s Suffolk x Texels; res, J T Whiteford’s Texel crosses.
Hill championship J and T MacPherson’s Blackfaces; res, S Scott’s South Country Cheviot’s.
Blackface J and T MacPherson; res, R and B Dickie.
Swaledale D and B Greenwood; res, C T Akrigg.
North Country Cheviot Douganhill Farms; res, W and T Thompson.
South Country Cheviot S Scott; res, B and M Cockburn.
Halfbred H Cockburn and partners; res, J Campbell and Co.
Young Farmers I Baillie’s Beltex; res, J T Whiteford’s Texel crosses.

Competing for crowd attention on the same day as the prime stock judging at the Scottish Winter Fair was the Aberdeen Angus Calf Show.

Taking the overall calf title was Willie Brown’s January 2007 heifer Drumdow Elsa G444. Sired by The Moss Etambo, she is out of a home bred cow and was shown here for the first time this year.

Standing a close reserve and coming through from a strong line up of young bulls was John Lascelles October 2006 born Balmachie Eugene. Again shown for the first time this year, this bull is by Dalrene Cruz and out of Idvies Euxene. He will definitely be a bull to watch in the future.

John also took the reserve female title, this time with Balmachie Belinda, a Cudlobe Yellowstone daughter out of Netherton Belle.

Taking the reserve male title was Richard and Carol Rettie’s homebred bull Rettie’s Jewel Eric. Another Cudlobe Yellowstone son, he is out of Cardona Jewel Erica.

Leading faces in the primestock show world have just clinched the championships in both the sheep and cattle classes at the Scottish Winter Fair.

Heading up the championship line-up in the cattle lines were Hugh and Lynn Dunlop, Holehouse, Ayr with their Limousin cross steer, Spooks - appropriately named as he was born during an episode of Spooks last year!

Reserve here went to Gavin Scott with another Limousin cross steer, Hong Kong Pooie, which followed Spooks through from the sections classes earlier today.

For all of you who couldn't get to the Scottish Winter Fair yesterday or for those who might catch a glimpse of yourself in the crowd, check out our picture gallery from the show.

My personal favourite is the lovely shot of Lynne Dunlop and her winning animal Spooks, not to metion the guy who's ringing home to find out how to show his sheep! Enjoy!

The Scottish National Fatstock Club, organisers of the Scottish Winter Fair, are set to have preliminary discussions with the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, organisers of the Royal Highland Show, with the intention of jointly staging a Scottish Winter Fair in November.

Following an approach by the Fat Stock Club to the Society, two of the RHASS' directors have been charged with taking the idea forward with club officials.

Previous attempts to merge Scotlands two major winter events, the Winter Fair and Agriscot, have failed and while these talks do not involve the management of Agriscot at this stage, they have been informed of the situation.

RHASS chief executive Ray Jones said the initial idea was for an event appealing to the farming community and the general public, featuring livestock, food and other attractions.

While nothing has been said officially, suspicions are likely to be that a particularly lacklustre attendance at last year's Winter Fair is one of the reasons behind the initiation of talks.

The partnership document for the new company which will run the 2008 Royal Highland Winter Fair was signed by key members of the Scottish National Stock Club and the Royal Highland Agricultural Society this week.

The new board consists of John Dykes, James Cullens and David Dunsmuir from RHASS and Jim Meikle and Gavin Scott from SNFSC and will be led by chairman Bruce Lang.

The partners have been allocated different responsibilities according to their area of expertise, working to keep the successful shop window for prime cattle and sheep.