Businessman turns top breeder

Successful businessmen have long enjoyed investing in agriculture, particularly pedigree livestock.

Few manage to a real mark, but this is not the case for Yorks-based John Weatherill.

Already a success in the mobile communications field, as owner of interbreed silverware winning Limousin cow Millington Tangerine, Mr Weatherill can now add leading cattle breeder to his CV.

Tangerine, by herd sire Woodhouse Prince and out of Newsham Lemon, was described by Co Antrim-based judge Billy Robson as an outstanding female with style, character and great femininity.

Shown with her calf at foot, Tangerine now heads to the Royal, Great Yorkshire and Royal Welsh under the guidance of stockman John Speck.

Mr Robson’s reserve choice was the Charolais champion, 2000-born French bred bull Ronsard from Neil Barclay’s Harestone herd. Mr Robson reckoned it had been a tough call between the two, with the Charolais displaying exceptional scale and conformation with good mobility.

He also paid particular praise to the commercial champion, Charolais-sired steer The Wart from the Colwyn Bay-based Roberts family.

Limousins also led the way in the interbreed team competition, beating off stiff competition from the Belgian Blue team.

Among the sheep lines it was the turn of Scotland’s leading native breed, the Blackface, to take top honours.

Claiming the silverware was the Ramsay family’s Milnmark flock with a two-shear tup bought last year from Andrew Hamilton, Glenmanna.

By an 11,000gns Milnmark sire and out of ewe by a 2600gns Blackcraig tup, this was the first time the Ramsays had brought the tup out since paying 5500gns for him at Newton Stewart last autumn.

Settling for reserve spot here was the Charollais champion, a ewe from Robert and Maimie Paterson, Dunblane.

This ewe, by Southfield Big Brother and out of a homebred ewe, had earlier stood reserve in the interbreed pairs competition when teamed up with the male champion, an aged tup from Willie and Carol Ingram, Logie Durno.

First place in the pairs went to the Texel duo, a shearling ewe from John Forsyth’s Glenside flock and a Glenside bred tup owned by Douganhill Farms and partners.

Making their debut in this year’s sheep lines were the Swaledales led by Appleby, Cumbria-based Arthur Slack’s shearling tup, with the Marwood’s shearling ewe standing reserve.

The Jersey champion stole the limelight in the dairy interbreed award, as Andrew Wilson’s second calver took top spot for his 12-cow herd, which runs alongside more than 250 Holstein cows at Carskerdo Farm, Cupar.

Calved on 13 May, the champion Wellhead Rocket Boo, is giving 28 litres a day having been bought in February from the Wellhead herd dispersal, Bristol.

Interbreed judge Brian King said Boo had been impossible to beat, with excellent udder attachment and teat placing.

“Jerseys aren’t meant to be big cows and she is a perfect example of what a Jersey should be, compact, excellently put together and giving plenty of milk for a cow of her size.”

Reserve to the Jersey was the Holstein leader from Brian Yates, Logan Outside Roxy.

Second calver Roxy is by Comestar Outside and, having given more than 10,000 litres in her first lactation, is still giving 45 litres a day after calving in December.

Roles were reversed, though, in the team award, with the Holstein quartet lifting the silverware ahead of their Channel Island rivals.

jonathan.long@rbi.co.uk


BEEF CATTLE
Interbreed Millington Grange Estates’ Limousin cow Millington Tangerine; res, N Barclay’s Charolais bull Ronsard.
Junior interbreed H Emslie’s Limousin heifer Ballymoney Veronica; res, J Biggar’s Beef Shorthorn heifer Chapelton Heathermaid 613.
Interbreed team Limousin; res, Belgian Blue.
Native interbreed team Beef Shorthorn; res, Aberdeen Angus.
Aberdeen Angus A Clark’s heifer Duncanziemere Jody; res, J and S Montgomery’s heifer Lorabar Blackbird.
Beef Shorthorn M A Holmes cow Holmeere Georgia Rose; res, B R Wear’s heifer Redhill Bundaberg Lovely.
Belted Galloway C S Fletcher’s bull Barwise Jigsaw; res, C Keswick’s heifer Muil Heather.
Charolais N R Barclay’s bull Ronsard; res, Swalesmoor Charolais’ bull Swalesmoor Aladin.
Simmental I A Hunter’s bull Tillylair Moss; res, A J Minshall’s bull Hazelden Ringmaster.
Limousin Millington Grange Estate’s cow Millington Tangerine; res, W Campbell and Sons’ bull Millbrook R2K.
Highland C Lawrie’s cow Conachair 8 of Lagg; res, A Kennedy’s heifer Roxanne of Donnachadh.
Lincoln Red M Read’s cow Hemingby Mattie; res, A Mylius’ bull St Fort General.
Salers W Davidson’s bull Portos; res, G S McClymount’s heifer Cuil Talula.
Belgian Blue A Craig’s cow Woodview Sue; res, R A and N J Wheelright’s bull
Ballygrange Vinney.
Galloway J and A Finlay’s heifer Blackcraig Noreen; res, J and S Ross’ heifer Bertha 214 of Romesbeoch.
Longhorn A Gifford’s heifer Benchil Edith; res, A Gifford’s heifer Benchil Fiammetta.
Hereford J M Cant and Partners bull Solpoll 1 Brigadier; res, C S Fletcher’s bull Barwise 1 Wellington.
Blonde G and A Hamilton’s bull Ardmore Upgrade; res, I C and S D Archer’s cow Marstonmill Penelope Pitstop.
Commercial cattle R G Robert’s Limousin cross steer The Wart; res, A and E Vance’s Limousin cross heifer Candy Ass.
Beefbreeder/Breedplan Championship S McGovern’s Charolais bull Garracloone Vudame; res, Crawford Brothers’ Limousin bull Vigot.

DAIRY CATTLE
Interbreed J and I Wilson’s Jersey cow Wellhead Rocket Boo; res, B G Yates’ Holstein cow Logan Outside Roxy.
Junior interbreed F R Lawson and Son’s Holstein cow; res, P and J Mattinson’s Ayrshire cow.
Interbreed team Holstein; res, Jersey.
Holstein B G Yates’ cow Logan Outside Roxy; res, Almond Holsteins and Longfordhill Holsteins’ cow Almond Silky Avis.
Ayrshire A Hodge’s cow Rulesmains Monkscloth; res, A Hodge’s cow Rulesmains Ranger Lorna.
Jersey J and I Wilson’s cow Wellhead Rocket Boo; res, R Hunter’s cow Clydevalley Jude Luita.
Dairy Shorthorn J Teasdale and Son’s Brafell; res, J Teasdale and Son’s cow Weaverdale Molly 55.

SHEEP
Interbreed W Ramsay and Sons’ Blackface tup; res, R and M Paterson’s Charollais ewe.
Interbreed pairs Texel; res, Charollais.
Blackface W Ramsay and Sons’ tup; res, W Ramsay and Sons’ shearling ewe.
Suffolk T and J Bailey’s shearling ewe; res, M A Evans’ tup lamb.
Texel J Forsyth’s shearling ewe; res, W J Knox’s ewe.
North Country Cheviot Hill C J and J M Symons’ shearling ewe; res, J M Elliot’s tup.
North Country Cheviot Park J S Mackay’s ewe; res, D N Campbell and Sons’ tup lamb.
Bluefaced Leicester M and C Drummond’s shearling ewe; res, J M Kerr’s tup.
Border Leicester J W Brown and Others’ tup; res, W Young’s shearling ewe.
Ryeland G and A Bishop’s shearling ram; res, S J Bryden’s ewe lamb.
Beltex E McAllister’s tup; res, J J Barclay’s shearling tup.
Charollais R and M Patterson’s ewe; res, W and C Ingram’s tup.
Cheviot A T Elliot’s ewe; res, W J Douglas’ shearling tup.
Jacob M Leggate’s shearling ewe; res, S Dodsworth’s shearling tup.
Shetland K Sharp’s shearling ewe; res, R Douglas’ shearling ram.
Scotch Mule W Sanderson’s ewe; res, J M Kerr’s ewe lamb.
Lleyn B Walling’s tup; res, N Lawrence’s ewe.
Hebridean C D Laurie’s ewe; res, J and E M Moore’s shearling ewe.
Oxford Down G C Watson and C Grain’s tup; res, J W Hook’s ewe lamb.
Rouge S Smyth and Sons’ ewe; res, D Jane’s shearling tup.
Bleu Du Maine J W and K M Davison’s ram; res, J W and K M Davison’s shearling ewe.
Swaledale A Slack’s ewe; res, R Marwood and Sons’ tup.
Hampshire Down J and O Mercer’s shearling tup; res, M Adams’ shearling ewe.
Commercial sheep A Leggate’s prime lambs; res, J Runciman’s shearling ewe.