NAIRN JAC member, Paul Wilson from Wester Cairnglass, Gollanfield, secured the overall championship with his home-bred champion at the recent Young Farmers’ overwintering competition held at Dingwall and Highland Marts’ Dingwall centre. 
Paul’s champion, a 12-month-old Limousin cross heifer, named Murray’s Girl after Paul’s 11-week-old son, Murray, is by a home-bred son of Middledale Toronto, out of a Limousin cross cow. 
Weighing in at 515kg, she is a ¾ sister to Mud Wrestler which stood supreme champion at the Spectacular in 2011, and sold to Donald and James Fraser, Easter Clune, Lethen, Nairn, for £1520. 
Taking the reserve honours was Strathspey YFC member, Kyle Cruikshank from Clury, Dulnain Bridge, Grantown-on-Spey, with the open champion. 
This was an 11-month-old, 540kg British Blue cross heifer bought from breeder, William Kennedy, Fleucharry, Dornoch, for £1450, last October. Sired by Kersey Geronimo, she sold for the top price of £2100 to the judge, Mark Munro from Invercharron, Ardgay, producing the highest gross margin of £650. 
Kyle also stood reserve in the open section with a 575kg Charolais cross bullock bought for £1060 which made £1350 when sold to Backmuir, Keith. 
Inver-Ross YFC member, Jessie Bisset from Easter Springfield, achieved the highest daily liveweight gain of 1.34kg per day. 
Of the 21 Young Farmers’ calves forward, the 12 bullocks averaged 232.4p per kg while 10 heifers cashed in at 261.4p. 

LEADING awards:

Unhaltered bullock – 1 and unhaltered champion, Scott MacRae, Shawpark, 515kg, £1280; 2 and reserve unhaltered, Scott Dingwall, Culbokie East, 415kg, £1100; 3, Alistair MacIver, Easter Auchterflow, 450kg, £1100. 
Unhaltered heifer – 1, Aimie Bisset, Easter Springfield 445kg, £1000; 2, Archie Bisset, Easter Springfield, 410kg, £950. 
Home-bred bullock – 1 and reserve home-bred, Georgia Fraser, Little Croy, 515kg, £1180. 
Home-bred heifer – 1, home-bred champion and overall champion, Paul Wilson, Wester Cairnglass, 515kg, £1520; 2, Megan MacIver, Wester Coltfield, 490kg, £1050; 3, Eilidh Sutherland, Easter Sheep Park, 455kg, £1050. 
Home-bred bullock – 1, Eilidh Sutherland, 440kg, £1000. 
Haltered bullock – 1 and reserve haltered champion, Kyle Cruikshank, 575kg, £1350; 2, Antonia Taylor-Ramsay, The Glebe, 500kg, £1200; 3, Paul Wilson, 450kg, £1100. 
Haltered heifer – 1 and haltered champion, Kyle Cruikshank, 540kg, £2100; 2, Paul Wilson, 435kg, £1140; 3, Antonia Taylor-Ramsay, 400kg, £1100. 
Special prizes – Best stockperson – Megan MacIver. Best new exhibitor – Eilidh Sutherland. Junior – Kyle Cruickshank. Best from InverRoss – Scott MacRae.