Steers take the spotlight

The heifer champion was Queen Bee, a Limousin from Stewart and Lynsey Bett, Stirling. The May 2018-born heifer by Derrygullinane Kingbull was bred by Llyr Hughes, Anglesey and bought by the Betts from the Welsh Winter Fair in 2018 where it was the champion calf.

In reserve was Havana, a Limousin cross from Renton and Redden, Allanton. The November 2017-born heifer is by Limousin bull, Mereside Godolphin and out of a British Blue dam. It was bought from Messrs Telfer, Stocksfield at Carlisle in September 2018 where it was champion suckled calf. It was also reserve champion at Beef Expo and Northumberland county show earlier in the season.

Claiming the silverware in the commercial calf championship was Tokyo, a Limousin cross heifer from Neil Slack, Penrith. By AI sire, Lodge Hamlet, it is out of a British Blue cross dam and was shown weighing 388kg. The home-bred heifer was also champion calf at Stokesley show and was third in its class at Agri Expo.

In the overall sheep championship, the Beltex champions, which were also the overall winning butchers lambs took the title. This was a first win at LiveScot for Andrew Baillie, Lanark who won with a pair of gimmer lambs by Clary Desperado, a tup he bought in Carlisle in 2018 for 10,000gns. The pair weighed 84kg combined and later sold for the top price of the day of £300 to M.J. Stark, Bluebell.

The hill champions, a pair of South Country Cheviots from Andrew Reid and Samantha Howatson, Langholm, stood in reserve. The lambs were by a home-bred tup and weighed a combined 83kg.

Taking the championship title in the dairy ring was Cauldcoats Samurai Mollie 2 from Donald Laird, Pathhead, Mid Lothian. The third calved cow is by home-bred bull, Caulcoats Samurai, a Regancrest-Mr Samuelo son and out of home-bred cow Cauldcoats Leduc Mollie. Having calved at the end of October with twins, it was shown giving 50kg a day. It was classified VG29 as a second calver and was placed first in its class at the Royal Highland earlier this year.

This was the most successful outing so far for Carnduff Comet Girl Red which was placed second to the champion in the senior cow class before going on to take the reserve honours. Bred and exhibited by Willie and Margaret Bryson, Lesmahagow the third calved cow is by Carrock Comet, a stock bull by Maple-Downs-I G W Atwood. It calved in July and is currently giving 45kg a day following a second lactation of over 12,000kg.