IT was ladies’ day at Caledonian Marts’ Stirling centre when a heifer from Steph Dick first secured the Young Farmers’ championship at the Clyde and Central calf rally, before going on to claim the top price of £4500.

Considered to be one of the best shows of calves at the rally for some time, Steph’s 11-month-old Mojito, a Limousin-sired heifer, was originally bought from the Troughton family at Ardachy Estate, North Connel, for £780 at Oban, last December. Bred from a Limousin cross mother and on her first show outing with Steph, who runs her own Stephick Limousin, Aberdeen-Angus and British Blue herds at Mains of Throsk, Stirling, Mojito was bought by the Keith Commercials team of Craig and Jack Hendry, Kyle Cooper, Darren Davidson and Gary Wright.

The Scottish Farmer:

         Steph Dick's Mojito made £4500

Steph had a good day, winning a number of prize tickets as well as the reserve title in the open section with her second prize heifer, Midori. This 19-month-old was bought from Willie Stevenson, Coilavoulin, back in September and is sired by his stock bull, Naby Director. She’s done well on the show circuit too, winning a red ticket at LiveScot as well as a blue at Agri-Expo, and sold to A MacGregor, Parkdyke, Stirling, for £2300. 

Selling for the second highest price of £3000, however, was David Wright’s third prize heifer from Woodend, Ardgour. The 14-month-old Limousin cross tipped the scales at 520kg and sold back to her breeder, Gordon Cameron, of Newton Cottage, Acharacle, to join the beef herd. 

The Scottish Farmer:

      Brian Harper's open champion, Caley Lass, made £2600

One man who’s making a name for himself at Caledonian Marts – particularly the Premier sale in September – is Brian Harper, of Greenwells, Maddiston, who won the open championship with a home-bred heifer that went on to sell for £2600 to showman, Cammy Jackson, Birkenshaw Farm, Armadale. The seven-month-old named Caley Lass is by Huntershall Phillipe and out of a show heifer bought from the Alford family that stood reserve at the Agri-Expo and LiveScot. 

The Scottish Farmer:

         At £2300 was this heifer from Suzie Dunn

Another Greenwells-bred beast was in the money when Suzie Dunn’s first prize heifer sold to the judge, Ian Miller, of North Lurg, Midmar, to join his breeding herd. Bought by SAYFC National chair Suzie last November, she is by Hunstershall Frankel and out of a Limmy cross cow. 

Two sold for £2000 apiece, including a fifth prize heifer from Alasdair MacLean, from the Isle of Tiree. His Limousin cross was bred at Knock O’ Ronald and was another to sell to A MacGregor. 

The Scottish Farmer:

         Kirsty and Andrew's reserve YF champion made £2000

Matching that was the next lot in and the YF reserve from Kirsty and Andrew Morton, which had been bought from the McCallum family, Strathfanaig, at the Premier sale. Champion British Blue, she stood second in her class at Countryside Live and did well on the Argyll show circuit for the McCallums. She heads to a new home at Loanhead of Kinnoir, Huntly, with Blair Duffton. 

The Scottish Farmer:

        Best of the hoggs was this pair from Craig Arnott

The show of prime hoggs, saw a Texel cross pair from Craig Arnott, Norrieston Place, Thornhill, win the top award. Bought from Craigievern last year, this grass-fed duo weighed 46kg apiece and made £138 to the judge, Craig Tulloch, of WP Tulloch Butchers, Paisley, who also bought the reserve at £128 apiece, a 51kg pair from Nicole Murray, Low Keir, Bridge of Allan. 

LEADING awards:

Young Farmers’ calves

BullocksBorn January 1 to March 28, 2017 – 1, reserve Lim and best opposite sex to champion, S Dunn and C Jackson, 545kg, £1350 to B Harper, Greenwells; 2, Shearman Enterprises, 515kg, £1280 to W Dandie, Learielaw; 3, D Logan, Greenhead, 445kg, £1020 to JH and NT Turnbull, Meadowend. Born April 7 to May 20, 2017 – 1, A and K Morton, Lochend, 470kg, £1650 to G Scott, Meikle Ittington; 2, D Logan, Greenhead, 395kg, £1600 to M Barker, Middlebankhead; 3, A Weir, Castlecary, 510kg, £1200 to W Dandie. 

HeifersBorn January 3 to 21, 2017 – 1, S Dunn, Willowbank, 535kg, £2300 to I Miller, North Lurg; 2, S Dick, Mains of Throsk, 565kg, £1420 to AF Thomson, Lammerview; 3, D Wright, Woodend, 520kg, £3000 to G Cameron, Newton Cottage. Born February 15 to April 19, 2017 – 1, champion Limousin and supreme, S Dick, Mains of Throsk, 405kg, £4500 to Keith Commercials, Heads of Auchinderran; 2, reserve champion and BB champion, A and K Morton, Lochend, £2000 to B Duffton, Loanhead of Kinnoir; 3 and Charolais champion, R Kennedy, Ardbeg, 430kg, £1400 to M Robertson, Easter Fodderletter. Born April 20 to May 17 – 1, F McNicol, Strathview, 390kg, £1700 to A Paul and Son, Greigsland; 2, L Pilkington, Easter Cornton Road, 445kg, £1600 to R Nelson, Cuttlehill; 3, K Harrower, Craigievern, 460kg, £980 to WP Tulloch, Paisley. 

Home-bredHeifer – 1 and champion, A and K Morton, Lochend, 485kg, £1400 to J McAlister, West Thomaston. Bullock – 1 and reserve, S Dick, Mains of Throsk, 515kg, £1220 to W Dandie, Learielaw. 

Unhaltered – Heifer – 1, reserve unhaltered, K and A Morton. Bullock – 1, unhaltered champion, K and A Morton. 

Special prizes – Best stockman – A Weir, Castlecary. Best stockwoman – S Dick. Best novice – M Steel, Wester Mye. 

HoggsLightweight (34kg-42kg) – 1, G Black, West Norrieston; 2, P Gray, MacKeanston Cottage; 3, A Morton, Townfoot of Dundaff. Mediumweight (43kg-47kg) – 1 and champion, C Arnott, Norrieston Place; 2, C Findlay, Prinhall; 3, C Rankin, Badenheath. Heavyweight (48kg+) – 1 and reserve, N Murray, Low Keir; 2, H Harrower, Craigievern; 3, K Harrower, Harrower. 

The Scottish Farmer:

          Raymond Kennedy's Charolais champion and sold for £1400

Open calvesBullocks – 1, B Harper, Greenwells, 375kg, £1400 to K Donaldson, The Guards; 2, J and M Campbell, Forthview, 500kg, £1180 to T Paul, Newbigging; 3, D Drysdale, Kinneswood, 520kg, £1150 to J Gilvear, Graystale. Heifers – 1 and champion, B Harper, Greenwells, 390kg, £2600 to C Jackson, Birkenshaw, Armadale; 2 and reserve, S Dick, Mains of Throsk, 520kg, £2300 to A MacGregor, Parkdyke, Stirling; 3, C Harrower, Craigievern, 415kg, £1020 to A Blair, East Kerse.