A YOUNG producer showed the older generation up when 11-year-old Seth Miller, who was competing at the Christmas Classic for the first time, on Tuesday, landed the supreme championship in the prime lamb section. 

It was a good year for the sheep entry as averages improved on the year by more than £8 per head, with many pairs, even those outwith the champions list, breaking the £100 per head barrier.

Picked out by judge, Sam Carlisle, Seth’s winning entry was a pair of pure Beltex ewe lambs which were bought privately from, but not bred by, Stuart Wood, Woolhillock. Young Seth has already proven himself as a bit of a sheep showman as from his eight Beltex ewes run alongside his dad, Alan’s 100-ewe flock at The Lurg, Midmar, he produced the champion on the hook and on the hoof at Echt Show earlier this year. He was perhaps disappointed this stylish pair couldn’t go home and join his breeding flock, but they did go on to sell for the top price of £300 per head to Mr Carlisle, of Border Meats, Lockerbie, having crossed the weighbridge at 42.5kg to realise £7.09 per kg. 

Claiming the reserve open title was a pair of Suffolk-sired lambs from George Stuart, Milltown of Birness, who was helped on the day by Orkney lad, Tommy Linklater. Marking a welcome return to the Classic, having not shown for 20-plus years, was their pair of ewe lambs by the 10,000gns Redbrae Rambo that also sired the top priced in-lamb Suffolk gimmer at the pedigree sale the evening before. This duo, weighing 56.5kg and out of pure Texel ewes, also sold to Border Meats, this time for £180 per head, or £3.19 per kg. 

Among the butchers’ lambs, last year’s leaders were back to the fore when Helen Smith and son, Steven, were awarded the championship. Landing a third butchers’ title over the years, this year’s winning duo, both wedders, were by a bought-in Beltex sire and out of Beltex cross ewes from the 230-strong flock at Scobshaugh, Cortachy. They went on to realise £250 per head or £5.05 per kg at a weight of 49.5kg when snapped up by Jamie Scott, of John Scott Meat, Paisley. 

Brothers William and David Moir were in the tickets when a pair of Blue Texel cross lambs weighing 41.5kg went on to stand reserve butchers’ pair before selling to WG Troup, Shaggart, for £220 or £5.30 per kg. They are by a home-bred ram which has bred a few local champions for the brothers from Home Farm Cairness, while the mothers are three-quarter Beltex ewes. 

The celebrations started early for the Moirs when they secured the Young Farmers’ championship the previous evening with a pair of pure Beltex. 
At a weight of 45.5kg, they went on to sell for the second highest lamb price of £270, or £5.93 per kg, to the Simmers team at Backmuir Livestock, Keith. 

Taking the reserve YF title was a pair of Beltex lambs weighing 44.5kg from Gary Morrison, Bush, which were knocked down to John Scott Meats for £190, or £4.27 per kg.

See the December 2 issue of The Scottish Farmer for all the leading awards and photos of the other champions, as well as all the news from the Christmas Classic.