Calypso reigns supreme at LiveScot

Disruptive weather conditions as a result of storm Bert, delayed the arrival of some spectators to the Scottish National Fatstock Club's LiveScot event at Lanark market, but there was still a big crowd to watch the judging. Lynsey Clark reports

clock • 7 min read
Calypso
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Calypso

Judging the prime cattle was Chris Pennie, of the Sarkley Limousin herd, Powys, who selected the heifer champion as best overall. This was Calypso, an 18-month-old British Blue cross, from Lanarkshire's Taylor Holloway, who works as a stockman for Allan and Susan Campbell, Galston. By Springfield Mason, out of a Limousin cross, which was one of just three cows owned by Mr Holloway which he sold to help fund a house purchase for himself and fiancé Jennifer Tennant. Weighing in at 704kg, Calypso went onto sell for £6,200, to Yorkshire butchers B. and T. Kitson.

Describing the heifer as having a perfect combination of ‘conformation and character', Mr Pennie said: "I look for something with a bit of class and showiness, and this heifer is long and clean but also carries herself well. The top end of the cattle were outstanding today, especially my champion and reserve animals."

Reserve overall was the steer champion, Baby Rambo, a 660kg 13-month-old Limousin cross from the Wilodge team of Christine Williams and Paul Tippets, Shifnal, which had been champion at AgriExpo where Mr Holloway's Calypso had finished reserve. This home-bred steer by Graiggoch Rambo, out of a British Blue cross dam sold for £4,200 at the sale to Bowland Foods, Preston.

Baby Rambo

Another Limousin cross finished reserve steer champion – Pal, a  700kg 20-month-old home-bred steer by Maraiscote Rocky out of a British Blue cross dam from Wilson Peters, Crieff.   It sold for £2,730 also to Bowland Foods.

Reserve overall heifer was Black Velvet, an 18-month-old 720kg Limousin cross heifer by Huntershall Odyssey, from Beth Wilkinson and Gareth Small, Leyburn, which had been reserve heifer at AgriExpo and overall champion at North East Live.

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Best in the commercial calves was Maneater, a six-month-old Limousin cross heifer from James Nisbet, Sorn. Bought from Alan Shennan, this Calogale Skye daughter, weighing 350kg, is intended for James' daughter Sienna, to show at the Ayrshire YF Rally next spring.

Maneater

Reserve in the calves was Robert Hamilton, Chapelton, with Tyson, a home-bred British Blue cross steer, by the same bull as the champion, Springfield Mason. Out of a pure Limousin dam, this March-born calf, weighing 416kg, was first at AgriExpo and junior male champion at Stars of the Future.

The Housewife's Choice championship was another from Wilson Peters -Farrah Moan, a 568kg Limousin cross heifer which had been bought at the September Spectacular show and sale at Thainstone, from the Robertsons of Logierait. By Sarkley Roscoe, it went onto make £3,400 to J. and H. Cairns Butchers, Carluke.

Farrah Moan

 Prime sheep

For the second year in a row, the prime sheep section was led by father and daughter, John and Kirsty Guthrie, Muthill, with their winners this year being a pair of untrimmed Beltex cross wether lambs, weighing a combined 94kg. By a home-bred ram, they are out of three-quarter Beltex ewes, from the family's 280-ewe flock. This is the third overall win at the event for the Guthries, who also secured the reserve overall title, with a pair of trimmed Beltex cross lambs, by the same sire which weighed in at a combined 92kg.

The champion duo went onto sell for £360 per head to the judge, Willie Shearer, Strathaven, who said: "They stood out in a really good show of stock, with meat from end to end." The reserve pair made £280 each.

Champion and reserve prime lambs

Hill champions were the Blackface pair from Angus Kennedy and family, Mitchellhill. These home-bred wether lambs, by a £2,800 Wester Crosswoodhill sire, weighed a total of 97kg and sold for £215/head, again to the judge.

Native sheep champions

Reserve overall in the hill section were the Cheviots, wether lambs weighing 95kg, from the firm of Shawhead, Douglas. By a son of a £3,000 Crossdykes and out of home-bred ewes, they made £172 each.

 Dairy

The dairy show was judged by David Wright, Berryholme, Kendal, whose choice of champion was the winner of the junior cow class, Boclair Lambda Joan 6, a second calver from Ian Smith and Sons, Greentowers, Lanark. A daughter of Farnear Delta Lambda, this one was bought as a maiden heifer and stood reserve at Lesmahagow and Carnwath shows this summer, as well as being champion heifer at the Lanarkshire herds competition and is giving 54kg, having calved three weeks ago.

Boclair Lambda Joan 6

Finishing reserve was Overside Hartley Dellia, the winner of the senior cow class from Hugh and Andrew Neilson, Strathaven. This home-bred De Su Hartley-sired cow is out of Overside Truth Dellia.

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Pedigree

Taking the inter-breed win at the pedigree show, held on the Friday evening, was the Limousin, Grahams Upbeat, a yearling bull from Robert and Jean Graham's Stirling-based herd. By Ampertaine Elgin, it was part of the reserve inter-breed pair at Stars of the Future.

Reserve went to the Aberdeen-Angus champion, Foxhill Princess Caroline, from Mike and Melanie Alford, Devon. This 11-month-old Kilmaluag Eriskay daughter, was junior native champion at Stars of the Future, earlier in the month.

The MV sheep inter-breed was won by a Blue Texel ewe lamb from Gordon and David Gray, Selkirk, while the non-MV winner was a Bluefaced Leicester ram lamb from A. and A. Kirkpatrick, Sanquhar.

RESULTS

 Prime cattle

Overall supreme (Judge, C. Pennie, Powys) Supreme and heifer, T. Holloway, Calypso (British Blue cross); reserve and steer, Wilodge, Baby Rambo (Limousin cross); res. heifer, Small and Wilkinson, Black Velvet (Limousin cross); res. steer, W.A. Peters, Pal (Limousin cross).

Housewife's choice (J. Craig, Kirkcudbright) Sup., W.A. Peters, Farrah Moan (Limousin cross).

Butcher's champion (J. Craig) Sup., G. and A. McFadzean, (Aberdeen-Angus steer); res., C. Smith and Son (Limousin cross).

Commercial calf (C. Pennie) Sup., J. Nisbet, Maneater (Limousin cross); res., R. and J. Hamilton, Tyson (British Blue cross).

Best pure-bred (J.C. Pennie) native sup., B. Harper, Rookwith Gaia (Beef Shorthorn); continental sup., A. Ewing, Sassy (Limousin).

 Dairy

Judge, D. Wright, Kendal - Sup., I.A. Smith and Sons, Boclair Lambda Joan 6; res., H. and A. Neilson, Overside Hartley Dellia.

Sheep

Inter-breed (W. Shearer, Strathaven) Sup., J. Guthrie (Beltex cross); res., J. Guthrie (Beltex cross); hill sup., A.J. Kennedy and Son (Blackface); hill res., Firm of Shawhead (Cheviot).

Blackface (W. Shearer) Sup., A.J. Kennedy; res., J. and T. MacPherson.

North Country Cheviot (W. Shearer) Sup., M. Stewart; res., H. Cockburn and Partners.

South Country Cheviot (W. Shearer) Sup., Firm of Shawhead; res., TN Cavers, Sorbie.

Mules and crosses (W. Shearer) Sup., C and F Frame, Hawthornbank; res., H Cockburn and Partners, Kingside.

Butcher's champion (W. Shearer) Sup., J. Guthrie (Beltex cross); res., J. Guthrie (Beltex cross).

Young breeders' lambs (W. Shearer) Sup., A. Skelton; res., M., L. and R. Garth.

 Pedigree calves

Inter-breed (C. Pennie) Sup., R. and J. Graham, Grahams Upbeat (Limousin); res., M. and M. Alford, Foxhill Princess Caroline (Aberdeen-Angus); pairs, K. Watret, Solway View Unrivalled and A. and C.S. Comrie, Stonebyres Utah (British Blue); res. pairs, R. and J. Graham, Grahams Umandy and Grahams Upbeat (Limousin).

Galloway (S. Mitchell, Penrith) Sup., J. and S. Ross, Lady Diana 2773 of Romesbeoch; res., D. and C. Logan, Rogan Katie 3.

Aberdeen-Angus (J. Rea, Castle Douglas) Sup., M. and M. Alford, Foxhill Princess Caroline A265; res., M. and M. Alford, Foxhill Princess Carina Z178.

Beef Shorthorn (J. Rea) Sup., B.R. Wear, Redhill Taunton; res., J.W. Frame, Westbroad Victor.

Hereford (J. Rea) Sup., B.R. Wear, Hean 1 Eira 402; res., M. Galbraith, Craigdhu 1 Bracken.

Any other native (J. Rea) Sup., J. and S. Ross, Romesbeoch Honey (Belted Galloway); res., R. Forster, Elgany Rosehip (Belted Galloway).

Limousin (J. Hendry, Keith) Sup., R. and J. Graham, Grahams Upbeat; res., R. and J. Graham, Grahams Umandy.

British Blue (J. Hendry) Sup., K. Watret, Solway View Taffy; res., K. Watret, Solway View Unrivalled.

Charolais (S. Mitchell) Sup., M. and M. Alford, Foxhillfarm Victorious; res., K. Watret, Annanview Ugem.

Simmental (S. Mitchell) Sup., G. Brown, Springfield Prada; res., G. Brown, Springfield Pentagon.

 Pedigree sheep

Inter-breed (D. Fleming, Coulter) MV champion, G. Gray, (Blue Texel); res. MV, A. Clark, (Texel); non-MV sup., A. and A. Kirkpatrick, (Bluefaced Leicester); res. non-MV, J. Guild,  (Mule).

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