YFC championships at Aberdeen
Aberdeen and Northern Marts is renowned for having a strong following of YFC memebers when it comes to exhibiting the very best of the area’s overwintered cattle.
And for the third consecutive year, Belhelvie JAC member Ian Thomson of Middleton of Potterton has lifted the overall championship in a show of young farmers’ overwintered cattle for the third consecutive year.
Ian’s success came at the culmination of the 2006/07 competition which is run by Aberdeen & Northern Marts in conjunction with the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs, which aims to give young people practical experience in selecting and preparing cattle for show and sale, as well as learning the business skills needed to operate a successful beef finishing enterprise.
A show of cattle took place at Thainstone Centre, Inverurie on Thursday night, with a sale held on Friday morning.
The overall champion and heifer champion was picked by judge Alan Turnbull of Meadowend Farm, Clackmannan from a line-up of nearly 70 entries. It was a March 2006-born Limousin bred by Nairn’s MacArthur Brothers of Mid Fleenas which tipped the scales at 452kg and sold at £1600 to James Forsyth, Mid Bishopston, Whithorn, Newton Stewart.
The sale leader at £2300 was the home-bred champion from Lower Speyside young farmer Ewan Dow, Plewlands Farm, Duffus, Elgin. His April 2006-born Limousin cross steer weighed 444kg and was bought by Blair Duffton, Bogie Street, Huntly.
Blair was also the buyer of the overall steer champion and paid £820 for the November 2005-born Limousin cross. Bred by A W D Stephen & Co, Meikle Geddes, Nairn it was exhibited by David Johnston, Crossbrae, Boyndie, Fraserburgh.
Other leading prices included £1800 paid by James Forsyth for a 428kg February 2006-born Limousin cross heifer from Neil Dow, Plewlands Farm Duffus Elgin and £1350 paid by Blair Duffton for a 474kg August 2005-born Charolais cross heifer from Gary Raeburn, Bogie Street, Huntly.
Averages for the day were as follows:
32 steers averaged 162.5p/kg (£810.31); 30 heifers averaged 178.03p/kg (£831)