A bumper quality line-up of prime show cattle, described as “excellent” by the judges, saw the top two honours go to Charolais crosses at the 18th Aberdeen Christmas Classic, staged at Thainstone Mart, on Monday and Tuesday.

Nevertheless, it was the pre-sale champion a Charolais cross heifer, fittingly from young Harry Brown – Aberdeen Fatstock Club’s president – that undoubtedly stole the show both in terms of appearance and value, when she sold for the day’s lead price of £5000 to one of the judges, John Davidson a butcher in Inverurie.

“That’s as good a Charolais as I’ve seen in a good number of years. She’s got great length, width and spring of rib,” he said She’s an absolute cracking beast and an easy winner with a great roast of beef on her,”

Backing up these statements, Iain Mathers the second judge from Mathers, Inverurie, who later found out that he bred the mother of the champion, which was sold privately as a heifer, added: “It was an excellent show of cattle and it was good to see the top winners with more cover on them than in previous years.

“More and more consumers are beginning to realise that extra cover adds to the hanging and the overall flavour of the meat.”

It’s the superior quality of stock on display that, as always, attracts a large number of meat buyers from all over the country to this event – and it was a point that Mr Brown, was keen to stress too.

“We have the most prestigious two-day show and sale of primestock in Scotland here which has again raised the standard of cattle and sheep with the young farmers also having done us proud.

“But, it is the number of buyers here from all corners of the country who come year after year after year, who are most reflective of the quality of stock in the North-east,” he said.