Extreme floods and multiple landslides in Argyllshire failed to stop Highland Cattle breeders putting on a pure quality autumn show and sale in Oban.
Spectators and breeders from all over the UK travelled to the annual event and although some had to turn back on their tracks and watch from home, the majority managed to reach the market, reports Anne-Marie Carruthers who is Breed Secretary for The Highland Cattle Society.
Although the Society’s AGM was cancelled on the Saturday evening, the show on the Sunday, judged by Stephen Hunter of the Hunters fold from Shotts in Lanarkshire, was rescheduled to later in the day.
Mr Hunter, who runs the well-known fold with his wife Rosemary and daughter Laura, was most impressed with his final line-up of cattle which were forward for the championship.
Of the 82 cattle forward for sale, 72 were sold to new homes, with buyers present from
Germany, France and Ireland.
Mr Hunter said: ‘I would like to thank the HCS for asking me to judge the 2023
October Show and Sale it was a great honour and privilege. It was good to see a good number of stock there, considering the weather and most classes were strongly contested.
“The overall quality of the stock was impressive which made my job harder and this was in all ages.
“Congratulations to all the breeders for presenting and showing their cattle to a very high standard.
“My final line-up was one of the best I have seen at Oban, and I had no hesitation in tapping out my champion, a very stylish two-year-old heifer who made her presence felt all throughout the day.
“While waiting on my reserve two-year-old coming out, I was standing back looking at my three-year-old and the yearling, and the more I looked at the yearling she was ticking my reserve box. A heifer not unlike my champ, with style and presence, and I’m sure we will see this heifer in the future. I think it was a very positive sale with most stock finding new homes and hopefully will see some in the show scene.
Mr Hunter said the Young Handlers was also “a very hot contested competition”, adding: “I would have loved to give them all firsts and it gives me positivity for the future.”
Jon and Queenie Strickland, together with stockman Stuart Campbell set a new breed record of 11,000gns for a heifer calf. The January-born calf named Capleadh Ruadh of Cladich, by Angus 2 of Sorne, is bred out of Capleadh Buidhe Beg 4 of Cladich.
Standing best heifer calf in the show, she was bought by Angus MacGillivray, Old Post Office House, Dalmally.
The second top price of 9,200gns went to Duncan Buchanan from Benderloch, Oban.
This was first prize winner Bhoidheach Beag 21 of Shenavallie, a three-year-old heifer by Neil Ruadh of Shenavallie, out of Bhoidheach Beag 19 of Shenavallie.
Jim and Catherine McKechnie from France Farm, Gartocharn, also had a show and sale to remember, selling their reserve champion for 6,500gns to Milly Bradley, Thelbridge Hall, Devon.
Their star of the event was Kirsty 8 of Gartocharn, an April 2022-born daughter of Brodie of Culfoich, out of Kirsty Morag of Ubhaidh.
The Leys Castle Farm team of Hugh Saggers and Dale Scott, from Inverness, lifted the overall female champion award with two-year-old heifer Marsili 29 of Leys, which stood first at several summer shows this year and last.
This was the Leys fold’s first overall win since 1988, this time with a daughter of their home-bred bull Dougald 2 of Leys, and the first of his offspring to be offered for sale.
Bred out of Marsili 16 of Leys, this heifer also stood reserve female champion at Stars of the Future in 2022. Marsili sold to Germany with Falko Steinberg, who regularly makes the trip to Oban for the two sales each year.
Two sold at 5,000gns, including Oighrig Og of Glengoyne, from Ewan Mackay’s fold from Balfron Station, Glasgow, to Norman McBurney, Ballymena, Northern Ireland.
This three-year-old heifer is by Ceannard of Eilean Mor and is in-calf to Fear-Bata of Achnagoul. The same buyer bought another three-year-old in-calf heifer at 5,000gns, this time Kathleen 14 of Earn, from Heather Corrigall, Nigg, Easter Ross. By Magnus of Earn, she comes from a long line of Highland Show champions on both sides and was champion herself at the Yorkshire Show this year.
French breeder Yann Guisnel, paid 4,500gns for three-year-old heifer Nadine Geal of Ceannacroic, from Dunlossit Farming, Islay, and 4,000gns for Bridget 3 of Brindle Point Croft from Eilidh Mackay, Torloisk Farm, Isle of Mull.
Kevin McGlynn was there to take these photographs for The Oban Times.
PRIZE LIST
Three-year-old heifer – 1, D Buchanan’s Bhoidheach Beag 21 of Shenavallie; 2, Miss E McKay’s Bridget 3 of Brindle Point Croft; 3, Mr E Mackay’s Oighrig of Glengoyne.
Three-year-old heifer – 1 and best three-year-old, Mrs H Corrigall’s Kathleen 14 of Earn; 2 and reserve three-year-old, Dunlossit Farming’s Nadine Geal of Ceannacroic.
Two-year-old heifer – 1 and best two-year-old, Leys Castle Farm’s Marsili 29 of Leys; 2, A and H
Kirkpatrick’s April Ruadh 7 of Glengarnock; 3, DR Dickson’s Iona 3 of Lyntoun.
Two-year-old heifer – 1 and reserve two-year-old, K and M Macgregor’s Ros-Geal of Eilean Mor; 2, Mr and Mrs G Easton’s Lilly of Ranch; 3, Mr & Mrs JS McKechnie’sEsmi 2 of Gartocharn.
Yearling heifer – 1 and reserve yearling, R and S Strachan’ss Frangag 34 of Cailaich; 2, K Howman’s Mairina Eve 3 of Borland; 3, The Burns family’s Eileen 2 of Tippetcraig.
Yearling heifer – 1 and best yearling, Mr and Mrs JS McKechnie’s Kirsty 8 of Gartocharn; 2, The Keys family’s Barravalla OG 2 of Ardentraive; 3, Mr and Mrs JS McKechnie’s Conni 2 of Gartocharn.
Yearling heifer – 1, Braesgill Ltd’s Suairceag Dubh 2 of Hope; 2, R and S Strachan’s Bana Prionnsa Dubh 5 of Cailaich; 3, The Keys family’s Bhanna Prionnsa 2 of Ardentraive.
Heifer calf – 1 and best heifer calf, Mrs JH Strickland’s Capleadh Ruadh of Cladich; 2 and reserve heifer calf, Mrs JH Strickland’s Lady Jane A-Rithis of Cladich; 3, The Burns family’s Julie 3 of Tippetcraig.
Heifer calf – 1, D and H Crane’s Penny 1 of Gray Brae; 2, D and H Crane’s Carol 5 of Gray Brae; 3, V and K Thomson’s Gill Ban Righ 2 of Clackriach.
Heifer calf – 1, Glengorm’s Clara Beg 3 of Glengorm; 2, R and S Strachan’s Frangag Dubh 35 of Cailaich; 3, R and S Strachan’s Bannoch Dubh 4 of Cailaich.
Heifer calf – 1, Glengorm’s Mairina Lal 23 of Glengorm; 2, The Culloden Fold’s Fionnghal 4 of Culloden; 3, R and S Strachan’s Robina 20 of Cailaich.
Cows and senior heifers – 1, Mr and Mrs S Haley’s Alice of Seam. Males – 1, Tordarroch Estate’s Argyle of Tordarroch.
Young handlers – Aged 14 and under – 1 and best young handler, Tara Adams; 2, Ruairidh Mackay; 3, Jamie Adams.
Aged 15 to 18 years – 1 and reserve young handler, Sophie Adams; 2, Rhianydd Davies; 3, Calum Mackay.
Pair of heifer calves – Cladich. Overall female – Marsili 29 of Leys. Reserve – Kirsty 8 of Gartocharn.