A young Charolais cow from the Milne family has landed the coveted inter-breed beef Champion of the Decade, selected by overall judge, Kay Adam.

Elgin Catherine, from Morayshire breeders, Roy and Kirsty Milne and sons Matthew, James and Sam, from Kennieshillock, Llanbryde, collected her second Highland Show supreme beef title after winning the same prestigious accolade in 2013.

"The Charolais is an outstanding animal as she just oozes style, with all the correct traits and is my choice of Champion of the Decade," said Kay, a Royal Highland Agriculture Society director and chief steward of all cattle lines and Young Farmers.

"She is an easy winner, being full of breed character with a lovely presence, combined with great size and overall stature, whilst also managing to remain a sweet looking female that fills her frame well."

Elgin Catherine is sadly no longer with us, having passed away earlier in the year as a 12-year-old. However, the Gower Versace daughter, which was bred from Elgin Unity – a cow that has bred sons to 9000gns – really left her mark behind her, with several of her heifer calves retained for breeding, while another sold at Stirling for 4000gns.

Backed by show-winning genetics, Catherine is also a paternal half sister to the 2011 champion winner at Ingliston, Inverlochy Cathy. She first made her presence felt at the Royal Highland Show in 2009 when she won the junior female title before returning four years later to win not only the breed title but also the supreme beef honours with her February-born heifer calf, Elgin Iona.

Retiring in style after her 2013 victory, Catherine was one of 50 pedigree Charolais in the family's Elgin herd, which runs alongside a smaller flock of Bluefaced Leicester sheep on this beef and arable unit.

Judge Kay Adam, at home helps run pedigree Charolais, red and black Limousins, pedigree Aberdeen-Angus and commercial cattle, alongside several pedigree and commercial sheep enterprises, alongside her husband, Bob and sons, Andrew and James, from Newhouse of Glamis, Glamis, Forfar, was most complementary of all the animals forward for the Champion of the Decade.

She added that the Hereford and Highland champion winners – Normanton 1 Laertes, a bull from Leicestershire breeders, Tim and William Livesey and HM The Queen's stock bull, Ruaridh 1 of Ubhaidh, respectively – would have followed close behind her choice of supreme in the short leet.

Kay also pointed out that the cancellation of this year's Royal Highland Show has been a huge disappointment for everyone and particularly for the directors.

"The Highland Show has become such a big part of our lives when we sit on so many committee meetings which although are still going on by Zoom, are not the same. The cancellation of the show has been a massive disappointment for all exhibitors and spectators when they couldn't catch up with people face to face," said Kay.