Charolais crosses led the way at Aberdeen and Northern Marts' annual Christmas show and sale at Quoybrae, Caithness, securing both the champion and the reserve honours.

Supreme was a 621kg, 20-month-old home-bred bullock out of a Simmental cross Limousin cow from Michael Shearer, Lythmore, Westfield, Thurso. He was given the winning slap by the judge, Bill Cameron, Burnside of Edingight and later sold for £3000 or 483p per kg to Murray Lamont and his daughter Jennifer, of Mackays Hotel, Wick – buying for the 22nd consecutive year.

The reserve honours went to a Charolais cross heifer from D Coghill and Sons, Skinnet Farm, Halkirk, which passed the weighbridge at 636kg and realised 238p per kg or £1513.68 to John M Munro, butchers, Dingwall.

Bower Young Farmer James Gunn, Whitefield, Wick, lifted both the champion and reserve honours in the Young Farmers’ section. His champion, a 555kg, British Blue cross heifer bought from Martin Jenkins, Ha Bower, sold for £1900 to Balfour Baillie, Sebay View, Orkney while the reserve, a 636kg, Charolais cross bullock, bought from R and A MacKintosh, Glengolly, Thurso, made 232p or £1561.36 to John M Munro, Dingwall.

William Barnetson, and sons James and Will, Lynegar, Watten, scooped the Aberdeen-Angus award for a bullock weighing 705kg which sold for 238p or £1677.90 to AK Stoddart, Broxburn.

Beltex cross Charollais lambs from Kenny Sutherland, and sons Stephen and Kenneth, from Stainland and Sibmister Farms, Castletown, Thurso, bagged the top award amongst the sheep. They weighed in at 42.5kg apiece, they sold for £300 per head to Mackays Hotel, Wick.

Two 51.5kg Texels from JM Sutherland and Sons, Borrowston Mains, Dounreay, landed the blue and white sash amongst the lambs before selling for £115 per head again to John M Munro, Dingwall.

Alistair McCarthy, East Mey, Thurso, topped the Young Farmers section for a second consecutive year with a pair of home-bred, Beltex cross lambs scaling 43.5kg. The Bower YFC member stole the show with lambs bred out of Texel cross ewes which sold for £160 per head to John M Munro, Dingwall.

The same buyers paid £100 per head for the reserve pair from Angus Brims, Thuster Mains, Bilbster. This was two home-bred, 55kg, Texel cross lambs by a Boultach Texel tup, out of Suffolk cross ewes.

LEADING awards

Prime lamb pairs – Native – Light – 1, H, H and A Swanson, Tister Farm, Halkirk; 2 and 3, D, A and K Douglas, Achnamoine, Watten. Heavy – 1 and 3, J Campbell, Armadale; 2, H, H and A Swanson, Tister.

Suff – Heavy – 1, DA Budge, Brae-Esge, Castletown.

Cont – Light – 1, Stainland and Sibmister Farms, Stainland Farm; 2, R Campbell, Thirdpart, Watten; 3, J and B Swanson, Framside.

Tex – Light – 1, B and S Gillion, Lower Toftingall, Spittal; 2 and 3, H, H and A Swanson, Tister. Heavy – 1 and reserve, JM Sutherland and Sons, Borrowston Mains, Dounreay; 2, DA Budge, Brae-Edge, Watten; 3, J and MH Brims, Thuster Mains, Bilbster.

Any other cont – 1, JM Sutherland, Borrowston Mains; 2, R Campbell, Thirdpart; 3, DA Budge, Brae Edge, Westfield.

YFC – Cont – Light – 1 and champion and 2, Alistair McCarthy, East Mey, Mey. Heavy – 1 and reserve, Angus Brims, Thuster Mains, Bilbster. Native – 1, Lynn Sinclair, Clachan, Mid-Clyth.

Prime cattle – Bullocks – Light – 1, home-bred and overall champion, MG and A Shearer, Lythmore, Bridge of Westifeld; 2, Messrs Swanson, Quarryside, Castletown; 3, J Gunn, Whitefield, Wick. Heavy – 1, Messrs Swanson, Quarryside; 2, YFC’ best opposite sex to champion and reserve YFC’, J Gunn, Whitefield, Wick; 3, DA Budge, Brae-Edge, Westfield.

Heifers – Light – 1, Lauren Oag, Achiebeg Farm, Shebster; 2 and YFC’ champion, James Gunn, Whitefield, Wick. Heavy – 1, best opposite sex to champion and reserve overall, D Coghill and Sons, Skinnet, Halkirk; 2, Messrs Swanson, Quarryside, Castletow; 3, Finlay Swanson C/o H,H & A Swanson, Tister. A-A – 1 and 2, W Barnetson and Son, Lynegar, Watten; 3, Castle of Mey Trust, Longoe Farm, Mey