New owner of the Logie pedigree cattle herds, David Stubbs and stockmen Andrew and James Reid, of AJR Farms, Ellon, came home in style from the recent 'Paris Show' at Simagena, having purchased the reserve junior Charolais for a whopping €11,500.

Heading home to her new home just outside Ellon, is Opale, a December 2017-born heifer backed by some of the best show and sale topping genetics in France. Bred by Gaec Lally, Opale is by Mannequin RJ, a real heavyweight in the breed which boasted a potential weight of 1650kg as a junior and went on to win national agricultural events in his native homeland and breed show winning calves. Her dam is Camargue RJ which in turn is by Uranus, another top show performer in France.

This new purchase adds to the six other full French-bred heifers and a bull bought by the Logie team in a bid to introduce new genetics to their 25-cow Charolais herd which runs alongside 100 pedigree Aberdeen-Angus.

The first heifer bought by Andrew for the herd was Naya, a Berry Mic daughter out of the top show cow, Jasette, a Glasgow daughter that was the first super champion of honour female adults at Moulins – the grand finale of 25 qualifying competitions. Bred by Eric Jacquemin, she was bought at Agrimax Metz in October 2017 as a yearling.

A month later, the 10-month-old bull calf, Nobel, another backed by show wining genetics was bought over the 'phone at Cercy-la-tour. He is by Hatenon, the champion at Moulins in 2015 and Paris show champion in 2016 and 2017.

Since then, four other heifers have been acquired at La Roche Sur Yon, in November 2018 to include the 10-month-old Oh Dream, by Universe RA, along with the yearling heifers, Naiade, Nutella and Nougatine. All purchases were done through Simon Perrot of Simon Genetic.

Add to that the various embryos purchased at previous events in France and the Logie herd of pure French-bred cattle is growing fast with three ET calves already on the ground out of Laika, a Horace JD daughter that stood senior champion and Gran Prix d'honor of females at Simagena last month.