David Dick

With the recent death of David Dick, aged 85, the Limousin cattle world lost one of its stalwarts – a well-known and respected farmer who spent a working lifetime building and improving a successful enterprise at Mains of Throsk, Stirling.

David was born at the small tenanted farm of South Langdyke, near Airth, on April 25, 1936, and was the middle son of William and Annie Dick, with his elder brother being Billy and his younger brother, Leslie.

He attended school in Carronshore before going on to the High School of Stirling. However, it was said that school was not David’s immediate priority and he couldn’t wait to get back to the farm to get on with what would subsequently be his legacy.

The Dick family took over Mains of Throsk in 1949 – purchased for £5000 at that time – at which point they expanded a contracting business, which David’s father had established in 1925. The family business – William Dick and Sons – now totals some 2900 acres, comprising of approximately 15 different farms in the Stirling and Falkirk area.

The home farm is also one of the few in the district to still grow Scots Timothy seed, for which David was a keen advocate following his time as chairman of the Timothy Seed Growers Association, which he undertook for many years.

David always had a keen eye for stock and this led him to founding the Ronick pedigree Limousin herd in 1980, which has since claimed most of the top trophies in the beef cattle world. But his support for the breed started a few years earlier when he purchased his first bunch of Limousin cross suckled calves out of Lanark Mart.

The next step came when David attended a Limousin sale in Carlisle and came home with two pedigree females. Fast forward and nowadays, it would be difficult to find a herd which did not feature Ronick genetics, so it comes as no surprise that David had the ability to spot and acquire the best cattle in order to do this.

This gift led him to purchasing Broadmeadows Ainsi at Douglas Crichton’s dispersal sale, in 1988. Under David's ownership, Ainsi claimed the breed championship at the Royal Show, as well as becoming the first Limousin to win the prestigious supreme inter-breed individual championship.

But the success of the Ronick herd was not just down to one animal, as Ronick Danita rose to fame after securing the 1997 Royal Highland championship, with her daughter, Ronick Janita, taking reserve.

Given his vast experience and knowledge of the breed, David was called upon to judge at shows at home and worldwide, including the Royal Melbourne Show, in Australia. This was one of many judging stints that also took David to all corners of the British Isles, including the Royal Show in 1992 and the Highland Show four years later.

As a much-admired breeder and with a passion for all things Limousin, David was appointed as chairman of the British Limousin Breed Society, which he successfully undertook from 1988 to 1992.

Such was David’s enthusiasm for the Limousin breed that no fewer than three branches of the family tree now have their own pedigree Limousin herds – Carse, Lodge and Stephick – something that David was extremely proud of.

David met his wife, Alison, at a Young Farmers dance in the Golden Lion Hotel, in Stirling, and the pair married on June 14, 1960, by David’s namesake, the Rev David Dick. Throughout their married life, Alison was unfailing in supporting David in his work, as well as bringing up a family and contributing to the successful running of the business.

Before finding success with pedigree cattle, David was well-known for exceptional skill as a ploughman. He and his brother, Leslie, followed in his father's footsteps and indeed in the 1967 edition of the Farming News newspaper, it stated 'Farmers could hardly find more proficient ploughmen anywhere', as the Dick family were known internationally as keen participants in national ploughing matches.

He participated in his first ploughing match at the age of seven, where he competed at what would now be known as the British Ploughing Match, held at Dunmore Home Farm. With skill and determination at the fore, David was placed second overall with his Fordson tractor and Newlands plough.

However, it wasn't until a decade later on his return to the same competition – held at the same venue – that David won the match, this time with a Ford tractor and a three-furrow Ransomes plough.

In the years that followed, David won three Scottish championships and a British championship, which led him to represent Great Britain at the World Ploughing Championships, held in Denmark, in 1970.

David's skills were further recognised as he was asked to judge numerous matches over the years – both local and further afield. It was a passion that continued right up until the week before his passing, where David could only be found in his happiest place; sat in a tractor, ploughing a straight furrow.

He was a private man, with a strong work ethic and high principles. He always endeavoured to give of his best and was upright in his dealings with others.

David was a much loved and loving husband to Alison and a respected dad to Ronald, Christopher and Wendy. He was father-in-law to Cheryl, Wilma and Ian and was a proud grand-dad to Isobel, Ian, David, Stephanie and Christina, and a great grandfather to Sophea, Pippa and Harvey, and a dear brother of Leslie.