A later date staged alongside the Aberdeen Christmas Classic at Thainstone, proved popular for Black Beauty Bonanza show of Aberdeen-Angus calves and yearlings, which attracted some 107 entries from 29 Scottish herds.

Normally, the event is staged earlier in the month and at the end of the week, but in a bid to pull in a wider audience, the North-East Aberdeen Angus Club took the decision to trial the Bonanza on the Tuesday afternoon of Classic.

Despite the ongoing challenging conditions faced in the north-east due to Storm Arwen, more than 100 entries were forward too, with judge, Graeme Massie, Dinnet, most impressed by the quality on parade.

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"The show has improved year on year and this year has been no exception," said Mr Massie who only last month saw the dispersal of the family's Blelack herd reach new records.

"The top winners in each section were fantastic, although some of the classes were more difficult to judge than others when there can be a huge range in age."

While there was no overall winner, Neil and Mark Wattie's Tonley herd from Alford, scooped their fair share of the silverware, winning two of the top four awards.

The father and son duo first won the yearling heifer championship with Tonley Ester W712, an April 2020-born daughter of Tonley Kasper, a bull that sold for 11,000gns to the Thrunton, Saville and Hallington pedigree herds. The dam, Tonley Ester R132, a Blelack Evor daughter, is equally notable having stood third as a yearling at the Highland and later sold privately for a five-figure sum.

Late, the Watties bagged the bull calf honours with Tonley King Paco X812, a March 2021-born son of Tonley Jester Eric, a bull whose first five sons sold at Stirling averaged in excess of £9000. First at the Stars of the Future, King Paco is bred from Wall Kind Pride L004 which was bought alongside his dam at Neil Dobson's Wall dispersal, is by Wall Renegade.

Charles McCombie's 120-cow Auchincrieve herd from Rothiemay, was another in the tickets, winning their second heifer calf championship, this time with the January 2021-born Auchincrieve Lady Image X675. Previously unshown, this youngster paraded by Ashley Stewart, with assistance from Olivia Busson, is the first calf by the 9000gns Blelack Prince Copper and out of the Rodmead Primero heifer, Auchincrieve Lady Image U389.

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Mr McCombie's winning heifer calf also made up part of the champion pair of calves alongside his similarly aged bull, Auchincrieve Juggernaut Eric X711, by Rodmead Primero.

Wall Lady Ruth E397 which has produced four bulls sold into pedigree herds and bred the 29,000gns heifer calf at the Angus Fever sale at Carlisle, again came up with the goods for Richard and Carol Rettie's Retties herd from Methven, Perth, too. Their September 2020-born Retties Lord Edwin W150, which bagged the trophy for the best yearling bull, is an ET bred from a flush from Lady Ruth, and sired by the 11,000gns Duncanziemere Edwin. Lord Edwin also stood male champion and reserve overall at the Summer National Show at West Morland.

LEADING awards

Heifer calves – Senior – 1 and champion heifer calf, C and E McCombie's Achincrieve Lady Image X675, by Blelack Prince Cooper; 2, Ballindalloch Home Farms' Ballindalloch Pam X619, by Ballindalloch Earl; 3, Mr and Mrs E MacGregor's Raddery Lady X262, by Deveron Exstatic. Intermediate – 1 and reserve heifer calf, R Gardiner's Newton Jill Erica X090, by Newton Muchalls Theo; 2, AS Hodge's Rulesmains Elegent X527, by Blelack Lord Heartford; 3, C and E McCombie's Auchincrieve Erica X727, by Blelack Prince Cooper. Junior – 1, NA Wattie's Tonley Beth X819, by Tonley Jester Eric; 2, K Rennie's Fiddlehall Ellie X042, by Mosston Muir The Boss; 3, NA Wattie's Tonley Evas Honey X817, by Tonley Jester Eric. Baby – 1, R Gardiner and C Smart's Newton Muchalls Eyre X094, by Gretnahouse Florian; 2, Ballindalloch Home Farms' Ballindalloch Flo X42, by Ballindalloch Pistyll; 3, K and M Howie's Cairnton Duchess X470, by Cairnton Black Captain.

Yearling heifers – Senior – 1 and yearling heifer champion, NA Wattie's Tonley Ester W712, by Tonley Kasper; 2, AJR Farms' Logie Euxen W028, by Blelack Prince Cornelius; 3, Mr and Mrs H Thomson's Tynet Bolero W065, by Rawburn Jumbo Eric. Junior – 1 and reserve yearling heifer, Mrs J Barclay's Harestone Red Black Ruby W500, by Royal Added Value; 2, NA Wattie's Tonley Ester W788, by Tonley Kasper; 3, D Walker's Galcantray Eurivine W372, by JAC Just Eric.

Bull calves – Senior – 1, C and E McCombie's Auchincrieve Jura Eric X672, by Blelack Prince Cooper; 2, C and E McCombie's Auchincrieve Kamikaze X676, by Tonley Excel; 3, D and P Murray's Wolflaw Joss Eric X812, by Belhaven Full Moon. Intermediate – 1, C and E McCombie's Auchincrieve Juggernaut Eric X711, by Rodmead Primero; 2, AJR Farms' Logie President X159, by Blelack Prince Cornelius; 3, Mr and Mrs E MacGregor's Raddery Eclipse X264, by Deveron Exstatic. Junior – 1 and champion bull calf, NA Wattie's Tonley King Paco X812, by Tonley Jester Eric; 2, Ballindalloch Home Farms' Ballindalloch Furlough X633, by Varis Punch; 3, AM Shepherd's Orbliston Jury Eric X245, by Schivas Methlick Boy. Baby – 1 and reserve bull calf, JR Galloway's Cardona Jeweliot Eric E309, by Stouphill Mr Peroni; 2, C and E McCombie's Auchincrieve Essex X774, by Blelack Prince Cooper; 3, Miss PM Hepburn's Burnside Black Magic X982, by Burnside Equaliser.

Yearling bulls – 1, and yearling bull champion, R and C Rettie's Retties Lord Edwin W150, by Duncanziemere Edwin; 2 and reserve yearling bull, Ballindalloch Home Farms' Ballindalloch Gaffer W600, by Ballindalloch Earl; 3, FJ Fraser and Son's Idvies Master Boy W950, by Thrunton Panther.

Pair of calves – Champion – C and E McCombie's heifer, Auchincrieve Lady Image X675, by Blelack Prince Cooper, and bull, Auchincrieve Juggernaut Eric X711, by Rodmead Primero. Reserve – Ballindalloch Home Farms' heifer, Ballindalloch Pam X619, by Ballindalloch Earl and bull, Ballindalloch Furlough X633, by Varis Punch V133.

Pair of yearlings – Champion – AJR Farms' heifers, AJR Farms' Logie Elegant W023 and Logie Euxene W028, both by Blelack Prince Cornelius. Reserve – Mr and Mrs H Thgomson's heifers, Tynet Bolero W065, by Rawburn Jumbo Eric and Tynet Dreamcatcher W069, by Gretnahouse Blacklight

Young handlers (Judge: J Borland). Junior – 1, Beth Lorimer; 2, Jack Stuart; 3, Willow Henderson; 4, Brodie Henderson.

Intermediates – 1, Jasmin Strachan; 2, Grant Rhind; 3, Harvey Stuart; 4, Emma Stronach; 5, Aimee Stronach; 6, Rachel Forbes .

Senior stockmanship – 1, Graeme Rhind; 2, James MacIver; 3, Ashleigh Stewart; 4, Nicola Howie.

Chairman's Endeavour Award – James MacIver.