Rory and Kyle Scott - Ayr show

Can you tell us about yourselves?

Rory: We are Rory and Kyle Scott aged 15 and 11. We live on our family farm, Shacklehill, Mossblown with our mum and Dad, Robbie and Margo. We milk 110-head of Holstein and Jersey cows through two Lely A3 robots. I am in S4 at Belmont Academy and am just about to sit my Nat 5 exams.

Kyle: I am in p7 at Tarbolton Primary but have spent more of the year at home due to lockdown. My main jobs at home are making sure the late to milk cows go to the robot and scraping down the cubicles. Rory feeds all the calves with the help of gran and papa. Gran is great with the calves but papa is still the boss and keeps us right!

Have you always enjoyed showing stock?

Rory: We got into showing livestock through our dad and papa. They have both been involved in showing cows for years at the local shows, and it was something we always wanted to do.

Dad always picked out the calves we showed when we were wee. Largs and Catrine were the first shows I can remember going to and taking part in, and it’s gone from there. Showing calves is something we love doing, and that has allowed us to start helping with the bigger stock as well.

Kyle: I’ve always loved showing calves – even though they’ve definitely got a mind of their own sometimes! That doesn’t put me off as I like a challenge. It’s usually the Jersey’s I help to show.

I find them easier to work with – as they’re probably a bit more petted. We both have our own jersey’s and have our favourites in the herd.

Rory: We would love to up the Jersey numbers, but that’s always up for discussion with Dad. They do put milk in the tank though, but there’s always a debate about numbers and space, but we’ll see what happens in the future!

So are Jerseys your favourite breed?

Rory: Our favourite breeds are both Holstein and Jerseys – they both have their own benefits, so I couldn’t pick. A bit of both.

We love our Jersey’s personalities as they are real characters who will happily go head-to-head with any Holstein in the shed. With the Holsteins, we enjoy learning about the families and different genetics and learning which AI bulls to pair with certain cows.

Kyle: I actually had two Red and Whites last year, and really liked them. They halter trained well.

Rory: We always find that if we start things on the halter young then you tend to get on better with them in the long run.

Kyle: You definitely have to bond with the cattle and gain their trust, if they don’t trust you, you’ll not get very far.

What’s the first show you can remember going to?

Rory: The first show we ever went to was Largs show. It was our Dad’s local show when he was growing up, so was a big part of the family’s life.

Kyle: Our favourite show would be Ayr as its our local show and we love showing at this with all our friends. It is a special show to be a part of and it’s just that bit bigger, and there’s lots to do at it. Its also a real achievement if you do well here.

Rory: We love the Highland Show as well because it’s a longer show so it’s like a holiday – we get off school for it! They’re having a live streamed calf show on the Saturday of the Highland Show, this year, so that will be our first actual show since before the first lockdown, which is really exciting. We’ve got six calves looked out to get training.

Do you have a favourite bit about showing?

Rory: Our favourite thing about showing is seeing the difference in our calves from when we pick them in their pens while they are really hairy to when you get them clipped up and walking on the halter. It’s great to see the transformation. I was lucky enough to be part of the Scottish Team at the HYB rally in 2019 and got to hold the Scottish Calf during the clipping competition. The difference at the end from the beginning is amazing.

Kyle: I find the transformation of the calves really rewarding. It’s a lot of work but its so enjoyable, and a real relief to see them doing well, after a lot of effort.

What has been your biggest success?

Rory: My biggest show success so far was winning the RHS dairy showmanship competition in 2019 and winning the junior handler at the Scottish Calf Show to qualify for the All Breeds all Britain Show the same year. The Scottish Team went on to win the Champion Holstein Calf section that year at the ABAB and it was great to be part of it.

Kyle: My biggest success is winning my class in the junior showmanship section of the All Britain All breeds show in 2018 with my Jersey, Winnie. That was awesome.

Have you had any disappointments?

Rory: Yes, lots - that’s all part of showing! One year when taking part in the Scottish Calf show my calf just decided it did not want to walk and refused to move. It had been totally fine at home but when I took it to the show it would not budge! It was a nightmare.

Kyle: I remember my calf, Emma, knocked me onto my bum just before I walked into the show ring at the RHS two years ago ¬– that was an entrance I will never forget!

If the calf decides on the day that it just doesn’t t want to walk, then there’s not much you can do about it.

Rory: People can tell at a show how much work you put in, from the show ring, and if the calf plays up it can be really frustrating, but that’s the joy of showing!

Who inspires you when it comes to showing?

Rory: We both look up to our Dad and Papa Billy. Our dad has always loved to show his best cows and we love being part of the show team.

We enjoy going to the shows, taking part in the showing and then meeting up with all our friends.

The best piece of advice I have been given is, ‘if at first you don’t succeed try, try again’.

Kyle: Dad is the HYB coordinator just now so we get plenty of constructive criticism and pointers. That’s great though, you need that help and advice, or you’ll not get anywhere.

My mum always tells me that, ‘you’ve got to work hard to achieve your goals” so that sticks in my mind.

Do you both work on the farm at home?

Rory: Yes, a lot. We help feed the calves and young stock and we also help put the late to milk cows through the robots and clean down the robots.

Kyle: Our dad loved it when we were in lockdown and couldn’t go to school. It meant he had two extra helpers outside!

What do you get up to when you are not farming or showing?

Rory: I play football with Auchinleck Talbot 2006s and really enjoy it. It can be difficult during the summer though when the games coincide with the shows on a Saturday, and I have to choose which to go to. I really enjoy both though so we juggle it somehow!

Kyle: I play rugby with Ayr Rugby Club p7s and love it. It was a bit boring when we weren’t allowed to play contact rugby due to Covid but thankfully we are allowed to again. Contact is much better than touch!

What do you see happening in the future?

Rory: We both want to be farmers but if we couldn’t I would like to be an Accountant or Auctioneer. We both want to try and work with stock when we’re older. I know a few people that are auctioneers and really like the idea of doing that. I like watching Glyn Lucas selling the dairy cattle at Carlisle!

Kyle: I would like to be a vet. I love animals so I want to do something that involves farming or animals in some shape or form.

Do you have any funny showing stories?

Rory: At the Scottish show when my calf just wouldn’t move. It had been going great up until then. I was gutted, but it just seemed to decide it didn’t want to perform, and that was that! I can laugh about it now but I was raging at the time.

Kyle: Like Rory, it wasn’t funny at the time, but getting headbutted and put on the ground by my calf at the Highland is funny now, looking back. I suppose you could say it was a learning experience!!