Dingwall mart Christmas Show and Sale judge puts his money where his mouth is with purchases at well-attended event in Ross-shire's county town
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DINGWALL and Highland Marts Ltd today sold 26 prime cattle at its Christmas Show and Sale sponsored by Highland Tractors and judged by F Hutcheson, Fraser Brothers butchers.
Overall Champion and 1st prize best heifer – Messrs J Munro & Son, Invercharron, Ardgay for a 19-month-old 600kg Limousin
cross selling at 450.0p per kg (£2,700) to Messrs Fraser Brothers, Dingwall.
Reserve Champion and 1st prize best bullock – Messrs W J Jack & Son, Woodend, Killearnan for an 18-month-old 595kg Charolais cross selling at 336.2p per kg (£2,000.39) to Messrs John M Munro Ltd, Dingwall.
2nd prize best bullock – D A Budge Esq, Brae Edge Farm, Castletown, 238.9p.
2nd Prize best heifer – Messrs W A Fettes, Braes of Enzie, Buckie, 359.7p.
Prime bullocks (4) averaged 262.3p (N/C) and sold to 336.2p per kg and £2,000.39 gross for a 595kg Charolais cross from
Woodend, Killearnan, Muir of Ord.
Prime heifers (22) averaged 267.7p (+28.9p) and sold to 450.0p per kg and £2,700.00 gross for a 600kg Limousin cross from Invercharron, Ardgay selling to Messrs Fraser Brothers, Butchers, Dingwall.
The verdict: "A fantastic entry of prime cattle awaited our judge who found his unarguable champion which was st prize heifer and consigned by Messrs J Munro & Son, Invercharron, Ardgay. The judge later backed his decision purchasing this Limousin cross heifer, which excelled in every department, for £2700 (450.0p per kg).
The Reserve Champion ticket was awarded to a regular in the Dingwall prime ring Messrs W J Jack & Son, Woodend, Killearnan. The Charolais cross bullock entry from this stable was eventually knocked out at £2,000 (336.2p per kg) to another avid supporter of the live prime ring here at Dingwall, Messrs John M Munro Ltd, Dingwall.
A new section for the Champion Native Beast joined the format this year with the ticket being awarded to Messrs W A Fettes, Braes of Enzie, Buckie. Their entry realized £2,050 and purchased by Messrs I G Thomson, Butchers, Keith.
Other leading prices per kg:
Bullocks: Groam, Kirkhill, (LimX), 250.0p, Brae Edge Farm, Castletown, (SimX), 238.9p, Easter Sheeppark, Balblair, (CharX),
232.0p.
Heifers: Braes of Enzie, Buckie, (LimX), 359.7p, 265.0p, 260.0p, Mountrich Farm, Dingwall, (LimX), 275.0p, 270.0p, 266.0p, 265.0p, 260.0p, 255.0p, (CharX), 262.0p, Bridgend Farm, Dingwall, (LimX), 262.0p, 250.0p, Woodend, (LimX), 256.0p, Invercharron, (BRB), 250.0p.
"The judging had comparisons with a game of tennis at the famous Wimbledon Championships as the crowd was looking one way and then the other in anticipation of who would eventually be knocked out as champion."
Other leading prices per head:
Bullocks: Brae Edge Farm, (SimX), £1,720.08, Groam, (LimX), £1,562.50, Easter Sheeppark, (CharX), £1,484.80.
Heifers: Braes of Enzie, (ShoX), £2,050.29, Mountrich Farm, (LimX), £1,691.25, £1,660.50, £1,495.00, (CharX), £1,637.50,
Woodend, (LimX), £1,587.20, Groam, (LimX), £1,518.75, £1,512.50, Bridgend Farm, (LimX), £1,506.50, £1,476.00, Easter Sheeppark, (CharX), £1,464.00.
The mart also sold 1,088 prime sheep.
New season lambs (665) averaged 261.7p (+17.0p) and sold to 434.8p and £200 gross.
Feeding sheep (423) sold to £190 gross.
Prize list –
Champion pen of 3 lambs and 1st prize pen of 3 Beltex lambs – Messrs Conon Brae Farms, Torgorm, Conon Bridge sold at £200 (434.8p) for a pen of 46kg Beltex crosses.
Reserve Champion pen of 3 lambs and 1 st prize pen of 3 Texel lambs – A J Duncan Esq, Inshes Farm, Inverness sold at £170 (346.9p) for a pen of 49kg Texel crosses.
Pen of 3 Beltex lambs – 1st – Messrs Conon Brae Farms, Torgorm, £200, 2 nd – Messrs Angus, Barrogill Mains, £150, 3rd – Messrs Angus, Barrogill Mains, £120.
Pen of 3 Texel lambs – 1 st – A J Duncan Esq, Inshes Farm, £170, 2 nd – Messrs Smallburn Farm, Duffus, £150, 3 rd – D A Budge Esq, Brae Edge Farm, Castletown, £145.
Pen of 3 Suffolk lambs – 1st – A J Duncan Esq, Inshes Farm, £140, 2 nd – A J Duncan Esq, Inshes Farm, £142, 3 rd – Messrs Conon Brae Farms, Torgorm, £127.
Pen of 3 Cheviot lambs – 1 st Messrs A A & D Fraser, Fleucharry, Dornoch, £138, 2 nd – W J Coutts Esq, Berryburn, Dunphail, £112, 3 rd – S Owen Esq, Caulternich, Kilmorack, £115.
Pen of 3 Blackface lambs – 1 st – Messrs R G O & K Watson, Drynie Farm, Dingwall, £117, 2nd – Messrs W R McIntyre & Co, Tulloch Farm, Dingwall, £103, 3 rd – J McCafferty Esq, Cruitiain, Dulnain Bridge, £128.
New season lambs (665) averaged 261.7p (+17.0p) and sold to 434.8p per kg and £200 gross for a pen of 46kg Beltex crosses from Torgorm, Conon Bridge selling to Messrs Fraser Brothers, Butchers, Dingwall.
Feeding sheep (423) sold to £190 gross for a Texel ewe from Woodside, Muir of Tarradale.
The verdict: "On conclusion of the prime cattle judging our judge ventured over to the sheep pens where no less than 40 pens of 3 prime lambs were placed to cast his expert eye over. The judging had comparisons with a game of tennis at the famous Wimbledon Championships as the crowd was looking one way and then the other in anticipation of who would eventually be knocked out as champion. After much deliberation the champion ticket was awarded to the 1st Prize Beltex lambs consigned by Conon Brae Farms, Torgorm.
As with the cattle the Jjudge backed his decision, purchasing these lambs which scaled 46kg and realized £200 (434.8p). Closely following was the Reserve Champion pen which was found in the Texel class.
This well-fleshed pen of 3 consigned by regular consignor Mr A J Duncan, Inshes, Inverness scaled 49kg and were knocked
down to A J Jamieson, butchers, Fochabers. A new section to the show and sale saw a Champion Hill ticket awarded to the 1st
prize pen of Cheviot lambs consigned by Messrs A A & D Fraser, Fleucharry, Dornoch which were knocked down to John Stewart, butchers, Banff for £138.
Outwith the show lamb, trade was more buoyant with the more fed sheep presented to the usual full ringside of buyers. Ewe trade remains firm as the first pure Texel forward in months produced some delight to our competitive ringside.
Other leading prices per head and per kg –
New season lambs: TexX – Inshes Farm, £170, £133, 346.9p, 277.4p, 277.1p, Smallburn Farms, £150, 297.0p, Brae Edge
Farm, £145, £136, 278.9p, East Croftmore, Boat of Garten, £141, Birchwood, Dornoch, Muirton Mains, Urray, £131, 8 Englishtonmuir, Bunchrew, £130, Inveruglas Farm, Kingussie, 278.3p, 274.5p, 271.7p; BeltX – Barrogill Mains, £150, 344.8p,
297.0p, 296.3p, 284.3p, 280.0p, Inshes Farm, £132, £130, Torgorm, 279.6p, Inshes Farm, 277.9p, 276.6p, Midbadgrinan, Culbokie, 270.6p; SuffX – Inshes Farm, £142, £140, 289.8p, 269.2p,Midbadgrinan, £132, Inshes Farm, £131, Muirton Mains,
£131, 304.7p, Lochdhu, Nairn, £130, Torgorm, 282.2p; Chev – Fleucharry, £138, 270.6p, 263.0p, Wester Dunnet, Thurso,
£133, Berryburn, 263.2p, Caulternich, 261.4p; BFL – Whitebog, Rosemarkie, £128.50, 252.0p; BF – Cruitiain, £128, £118,
266.7p, Drynie Farm, £117, £113.50, £110, 272.1p, 261.9p; Hill Chev – Drimore, £99, Laikenbuie, £99, Lynemore, Grantown
on Spey, £92, £90.
Feeding sheep: Tex ram – Tigh-na-Giomannich, Rafford, £158; CharX ewe – Brae Edge Farm, £155; Tex ewe – Lochdhu,
£150, £133; TexX ewe – Smallburn Farms, £133 £118, £116, £110, Drimore Farm, Lochboisdale, £116, Lochdhu, £116, £110,
Balnabual, Dalcross, £113, Tigh-na-Giomannich, £107, Drynie Farm, £106, Greenland Mains, Castletown, £105, £100; Chev
ewe – Drimore Farm, £126, South Balkeith, Tain, £118, Upper Rosemount, Tain, £104; Dorset ewe – Smallburn Farms, £119,
£113; Lyx ewe – Woodside, £119; HDW wdr – Brae Edge Farm, £118; CHM ewe – East Croftmore, Boat of Garten, £116, Ord
Farm, Invergordon, £110; Cross ewe – Laikenbuie, Nairn, £116; Mule ewe – Balnabual, £106, Ord Farm, £104; CharX ewe –
Drimore Farm, £101; BF ewe – Drynie Farm, £74, Marys, Heights of Docharty, £71.
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