For a second year running, J Munro & Son won the overall championship at the Thainstone Spectacular.
Jointly sponsored by chartered accountancy firm Anderson, Anderson and Brown, and law firm Blackadders, the annual show and sale of exhibition cattle, suitable for future showing, enjoyed a strong trade at Thainstone Centre, Inverurie on Friday, August 24.
The overall champion – selected by Judge Dermot Small – was an 11-month-old Limousin cross heifer ‘Baby Shambles’, weighing 495kg, from J Munro & Son, Invercharron Farm, Ardgay, which achieved the event’s top price of £4,000 and sold to D Blair & Son, Littleinch Farm, Balmerino, Newport on Tay. The overall champion was also awarded the champion title in the animals born on or before 31st December 2017 section.
John Angus, Head of Livestock at Aberdeen & Northern Marts, said: “Congratulations to the Munro family for retaining the Thainstone’s Spectacular overall championship for a second year and all the participants on their accomplishments.
“The event attracted a fantastic line-up of prize winning livestock, which reflected in the strong trade as bidders purchased cattle to feature in upcoming show and sale competitions.”
J Munro & Son also achieved strong results with their team, which saw their 5-month-old Limousin cross bullock named ‘Benjamin’, weighing 268kg, place second in the junior weight class of the haltered bullock born in 2018 section and realised £3,000, selling to Sandylane Farm, Throsk, Sterling. While their 11-month-old British Blue cross heifer, weighing 483kg, sold to J & M Nisbet, Sorn Mains, Ayrshire, also for £3,000 and placed 3rd in the heavy weight class of the haltered heifer born in 2017 section. A price of £2,600 was paid by Miller Farms, Mid Lurg, Midmar, Inverurie, for their 15-month-old Limousin cross heifer, weighing 545kg, which was selected first in the heavy weight class of the haltered heifer born in 2017 category.
Notable Orkney breeder Balfour Baillie also realised strong results in the show and sale. The top-selling bullock exhibited by Mr Baillie and champion of 2017-born bullocks was a Limousin-cross weighing 513kg, which achieved £3,400 selling to D Blair & Son, Littleinch Farm, Balmerino, Newport on Tay. Mr Baillie’s 345kg Limousin-cross bullock, which claimed the 2018 Orkney Country Show champion title, achieved the reserve title among 2017-born bullocks and was purchased for £2,300 by S Dunn, Willowbank Farm, Throsk, Stirling. Weighing 540kg, Mr Baillie’s British Blue-cross heifer realised £2,100 and was purchased by John D Work, Mid Lurg, Midmar, Inverurie.
J Robertson & Co, Newton of Logierait, recorded notable results with their team, as the top-selling 10-month-old Limousin cross heifer, weighing 380kg, achieved £2,900, paid by Mr Hopwood, Manchester. The next top price came from a 5-month-old Limousin cross bullock, weighing 291kg, which sold for for £2,500 to JCB Commercial and was awarded the champion title in the 2018-born bullock category. Their 9-month-old Limousin cross bullock, weighing 430kg, was selected first in the intermediate weight class of the haltered bullock born in 2017 category, and sold for £2,300 to A Ireland, Feoch Darvel, Ayrshire. Lastly, their 10-month-old Limousin cross heifer was named reserve champion in the 2017-born heifer section and realised £2,200, selling to K & M Parker, Wyrebeck, Long Lane, Scorton.
Heifers sold to £4,000 to average 449.7 pence per kilo and £1,983.75 per head. Bullocks sold to £3,400 to average 406.4 pence per kilo and £1,728.42 per head.
