A BIG crowd watched a top-class line-up of commercial and butchers' cattle in the main ring at Live Scot, at Lanark Agricultural Centre, last weekend, where Black Bandit ruled supreme for first-time winners at the event.

Judge, Dougie McBeath, Lower Greenyards, Bannockburn, gave the winning tap to a 13-month-old steer from Paul and Christine Tippetts, Wilodge, Lodge Hill, Shifnal, Shropshire. They run just 30 British Blue and Limousin cross cows to produce top end commercial cattle, as well as running a well-known pedigree Limousin herd.

“He is a very classy bullock, being well fleshed showing great style and character. My champion was handled and turned out to perfection,” said, Mr McBeath.

Black Bandit is a home-bred British Blue cross Limousin steer, sired by the British Blue embryo, Dragon Blue Factor and out of a home-bred Limousin cross heifer. He previously took the male championship at the English Winter Fair. He hit the scales at 542kg and went on to sell for the top price of the day of £3000, to B and T Kitson, North Yorkshire.

The owner of the overall champion for the last three years, Wilson Peters, Cuilt Farmhouse, Monzie, Crieff, had to settle for reserve overall this year. His best one this year out of his batch of 12 entries, was Mr Boombastic, which was champion in the heavyweights.

The home-bred, March, 2018-born Limousin cross steer has won many local summer shows and is a son of Anside Hawkeye and out of a Limousin cross dam. Mr Boombastic later realised £2500, weighing in at 686kg and sold to Hugh Black Butchers, Lanark.

Queen Bee did it again for Stewart and Lynsey Bett, Newmills, Fallin, Stirling, when she was tapped out as champion heifer and reserve heavyweight champion. She has taken many tri-colour tickets at summer shows, with her best being the Scottish championship at Keith Show as well as taking first at Agri-Expo just a few weeks ago. Her last venture was to this week's Welsh Winter Fair.

She'll be heading back to home territory with that trip, as this 18-month-old Limousin cross heifer being bred by Llyr Huges, Fferam Gyd, Llanbabo. Hitting the scales at 668kg,she is a daughter of the Limousin bull, Muirhouse Lagonda and out of the British Blue cow, Moorsley Harmony.

Tapped out as reserve heifer was Havana, from Anthony Renton and his mother, Sandra Redden, Stuartslaw, Duns. This two-year-old was bred by the Telfers from Newton High House, Stocksfield, and weighed in at 734kg. Havana is sired by the Limousin bull, Mereside Godolphin and out of a British Blue dam.

Just behind the supreme champion in the lightweight section was the best from Donald McPherson and Jock Currie, Castlehill, Berwick-on-Tweed, with their heifer, Rock The Boat. This December, 2018-born heifer is sired by the Charolais bull, Doon Ultimate and was bred by Declan MacKenna, Fogart Road, Co Tyrone, out of a Limousin cross dam. She hit the scales at 548kg.

After a few years with no Highlanders, they came back with a bang when a dressed out and de-horned steer took home the native and best pure-bred titles. Clipped and trimmed to show off a 'real quality carcase, with weight and power' – according to Mr McBeath – was Black Puddin' from Stephen and Rosemary Hunter, Barnhill, Allanton, Shotts, Lanarkshire.

This 652kg steer had been dressed by Alan Jackson over several weeks and was on his first outing. Bred by Dougie and Sheila Fountain, Broomrigg, Lochmaben, this 14-month-old is by Fergus Ruadh 5 of Knockendon and out of Beau Dubh 11 of Eachaig. Black Puddin' went home to the Premier Meat Exhibition live judge, Aileen Inghram, to East Comalegy, for £1564.80.

Wilson Peters also bagged the 'Housewives' Choice' title with Black Velvet, which was originally bred by the Carswells, at Crosshouse, Ayrshire, but Mr Peters purchased it from Shona Laird, Carbello, Cumnock. The 20-month-old heifer is by the Aberdeen-Angus sire, Oakchurch Duster and out of an Aberdeen-Angus cross.

That heifer was in the money as she sold for £2900 to Murray Lauchlan, the section judge, from butchers David Comrie and Son, Comrie, when weighing in at 642kg.

The butcher’s champion, also judged in the pens by Murray Lauchlan, came from first time exhibitors, Robert Aitken and daughter, Avril, Methven, Perth. The 18-month-old Limousin steer is sired by Claragh Gustav and weighed in at 658kg. He later went under the hammer for £1684.48 selling to WR Lawson, Midseat.

Another Limousin steer took the reserve spot this time for Shona Laird, Carbello. This home-bred 15-month-old is sired by Lodge Hamlet and weighs 598kg, and went on to sell for £1495 to Kitson Butchers.

Among the commercial calf classes, it was a home-bred Limousin cross heifer from Neil Slack, Plum Tree House, Newby, Penrith, Cumbria, that was crowned the supreme champion by judge, Craig Robertson, Newton of Logierait, Pitlochry.

Eight-month-old Tokyo has been a champion at local summer shows, and was third at the recent Agri-Expo. She is sired by Lodge Hamlet an out of a British Blue cross dam.

Nisbets One And Only took the blue and white sash home for James Nisbet, Sorn Mains, Mauchline. His home-bred, eight-month-old heifer had previously taken a first prize at both Agri-Expo and Stars of the Future, recently. The embryo calf is sired by Boothlow Dynamo and out of Netherdale Edge.

LEADING awards:

Cattle classes

Steer sired by an Aberdeen-Angus – 1, H Dunlop’s Big-Mac; 2, G and A McFadzean’s Big Malky. Steer sired by a Galloway – 1, J Paterson’s Hughie G; 2, G and S Harvey’s Harveys Cheeky Vimto; 3, P Hunter Blair’s Jack Daniels. Steer sired by a Highland – 1, S and R Hunter’s Black Puddin; 2, Blairlogan Highlanders’ Chunky Monkey; 3, S and R Hunter’s Ginger Tam. Steer sired by any other native sire – 1, JR and B Wilson’s Fluffy Moo (Hfd X); 2, J Wood’s Wallace (BS).

Steer sired by a Continental – 1, Wilodge’s Black Bandit (BB X); 2, H Dunlop’s Bobbi Brown (Lim X); 3, A Ewing’s Capaldi (Lim X). Steer sired by a Charolais – 1, W Peters’ King Kilo; 2, Renton and Redden’s Gentleman Jack; 3, H Dunlop’s Jo Malone. Steer sired by a Limousin – 1, A and E Vance’s Keltic Storm; 2, D and P Blair’s Wonky; 3, B Duffton and R Stuart’s Dirty Dancer. Steer sired by a Limousin – 656 upwards – 1, W Peters’ Mr Boombastic; 2, A and E Vance’s Doodlebug; 3, L and A Allan’s Game Changer. Steer sired by any other Continental breed – 1, L and A Allan’s De Ja Vu (BB X).

Heifer sired by any native sire – 1, W Peters’ Black Velvet (A-A X); 2, Wilodge’s Rupaul (A-A X); 3, J and S Ross’ Beauty 39 of Romsbeoch (Gall).

Continental heifer 450kg to 510kg – 1, A Ewing’s Ginger Spice (Lim X); 2, A McIntosh and R Wallace’s Crunchie (Lim X); 3, D and P Blair’s Panda (Lim X). Continental heifer 511kg to 560kg – 1, E MacPherson and J Currie’s Rock The Boat (Char X); 2, Wilodge’s Speechless (Lim X); 3, B Duffton and R Stuart’s Dancing Queen (Lim X). Heifer by a Charolais 561kg and up – 1, W Peters’ Islay Malt; 2, J and J Scott’s Cabello; 3, W Peters’ Peachy. Heifer by a Limousin 561kg to 600kg – 1, A and E Vance’s The Governess; 2, W Peters’ The Wee Housewife; 3, W Peters’ Wotcha Ma Booty. Heifer by a Limousin 601kg to 645kg – 1, A McGregor’ Scappa Flo; 2, B Duffton and R Stuart’s Cinamon; 3, W Peters’ Monzie Mikimoto. Heifers by a Limousin 646kg and up – 1, S and L Bett’s Queen Bee; 2, Renton and Redden’s Havana; 3, C and K Malone’s She’s A Belter. Heifer by a British Blue 561kg and up – 1, B Duffton and R Stuart’s Blackberry; 2, W Peters’ She Za Diamond; 3, Little and Donaldson’s Baba. Heifer by any other continental breed 561kg and up – 1, G Scott’s Clootie Miss Tootie’s (Lim X).

Commercial calf classes

Heifer born on or after Jan 1 up to 350kg – 1, J Mckay Parker’s Sweet Pea (BB X); 2, A Jackson and H Sloan’s She Is A Belter (Lim X); 3, A Morton’s Sigala (BB X). Heifer born after Jan 1 351kg to 430kg – 1, N Slack’s Tokyo (Lim X); 2, J Nisbet’s One and Only (BB); 3, J McKay Parker’s Peony (Lim X).

Steer born after Jan 1 up to 430kg – 1, A Weir’s Kintyre King (BB X); 2, N Slack’s Firmino (Lim X); 3, S Hunter and S Dick’s Loveable Rogue (Lim X).

YF heifer calf – 1, L Milne’s The Peaky Blinder (Lim X); 2, A Weir’s Dunasherry Dime (Lim X). YF steer calf – 1, S Dick’s Rumour Has It (BB X); 2, A Morton’s Kygo (Lim X).

Cattle young handers – age 10-14 years old – 1, Amy Vance; 2, Logan Ross; 3, Amy Scott. Young stocksperson – 1, Sophie Harvey; 2, Logan Ross;3, Taylor Charleton.

Butchers classes – Steer – 1, R Aitken; 2, T Laird and Son; 3, J Wight. Heifer – W Peters.