It was the chance for dairy breeds to shine at the Royal Highland Show, and winning the interbreed championship for the first time after many years of trying were Brian and Brian Weatherup, Parkend, Crossgates, Fife.
Their top show cow was home-bred Parkend Sanchez Tamara by Gen-Mark Stmatic Sanchez, which was Holstein champion and reserve interbeed last year. She was also All Britain Junior Cow last year and All Britain Junior Heifer the year before.
In her second lactation she gave over 15,000 litres, and at less than six weeks calved, she was yielding 63 litres per day.
She is one of 160 Holsteins milked by the family at Parkend.
Reserve interbreed was the Jersey, Wellhouse Festival Spry by Wellhouse Festival from Hew Howie and Wilma Benson, who milk 40 Jerseys and 170 Holsteins at Kirkcolm, Stranraer. They were thrilled with their first win at the Highland with this previously unshown cow.
Repeating their success of two years ago by taking the British Red and White championship were Arthur and Susan Lawrie, Cuthill Towers, Milnathort, with home-bred second calver Cuthill Towers Classic Ella by Poos Stadel Classic.
Along with sons James and David they milk 230 cows, one-third of which are Red and White and two-thirds Ayrshire. There was also a special presentation in the ring to David Lawrie, who won the Hugh Stevenson Memorial Trophy for Young Breeder of the Year.
David said he won the award in the spring at an event in Devon when he was judged on showmanship, cattle dressing, stock judging and sire selection, but it was re-presented yesterday by the Stevenson family who were at the show.
The beef pairs interbreed was moved from Sunday to Thursday this year and a packed ringside saw the Aberdeen-Angus pair taking the championship.
The pair consisted of Alastair and Graeme Fraser’s previous day’s champion bull Shadwell Black Broughton from Idvies at Forfar and Whittaker & Co Farms’ first prize four-year-old cow, Haughton Justine Erica from Cornhillon-Tweed.
This pair were also part of the reserve champion native team along with William McLaren and HW Angus’ reserve champion heifer Netherton Evita.
It was the impressive team of Highlanders which took the native interbreed award with Alan Prentice’s champion bull, Banrigh 3rd of Hyndford from Lanarkshire, The Queen’s heifer Connachat 90th of Balmoral, and Michael Poland’s Eoin Mhor 11th of Mottistone from his fold at Southampton.
The Marks & Spencer Beef Breeder award takes into account EBVs as well as appearance, and the winner of the Continental section was Major Walter’s bull, Balthayock Imp which was supreme Charolais champion the previous day.
Well above the breed average for growth and terminal index this bull will be kept as a stock bull for the Perth-based herd.
The native was won by Neil and Graeme Massie’s Aberdeen-Angus junior male champion from their herd at Tarland. Blelack Everest is in the top 10% of the breed for figures.
RESULTS
BRITISH RED AND WHITE Arthur and Susan Lawrie, Cuthill Towers, Milnathort, with a second calver, Cuthill Towers Classic Ellie, home-bred by Poos Stadel Classic. She calved in November and is projected to 9,000 litres. She was third at Carlisle in the spring. Reserve: Jim, Gilmour and Kevin Lawrie, Brieryside, Monkton, with a third calver, Brieryside Razzle Sea Baby, home-bred by Willsbro Red Razzle. She calved in October and is projected to 10,000 litres. She was second at Agriscot as a heifer.
AYRSHIRE Jim, Gilmour and Kevin Lawrie, with a fourth calver, Brieryside Executive Sparky, home-bred by Waxham Executive. She calved six weeks ago and is giving 48 litres per day and was being shown for the first time this year. Reserve: Keith Davidson, Halmyre, Castle Douglas, with a second calver, Halmyre Urr Louise, home-bred by Palmyra Tri-star Reality. She calved in December and is yielding 40 litres per day. She was third as a heifer and her dam was champion in 2008.
HOLSTEIN Brian Weatherup & Partners, Parkend, Crossgates, with a third calver, Parkend Sanchez Tamara, home-bred by Gen-Mark Stmatic Sanchez. She calved less than six weeks ago and is giving 63 litres per day. She gave more than 15,000 litres last year and was also champion at the Highland last year and All Britain Junior Cow. Reserve: Blythbridge Holsteins, West Linton, with second calver Illens Atwood Australia by an unknown sire. She calved in October and yielded 11,500 litres last year. She was imported from Switzerland two months ago.
JERSEY Wellhouse Jerseys, Stranraer, with a fourth calver, Wellhouse Festival Spry, home-bred by Wellhouse Festival. She calved in February and is giving 26 litres and was being shown for the first time. Reserve: Steven and Claire Bland, Abbott Lodge, Penrith, with a heifer in-milk, Clifton Tequilla Bracken by Tequilla. She was reserve champion at Dairy Expo and won the prize for the best udder.
DAIRY SHORTHORN James Robinson, Strickley, Kendal, with a second calver, Strickley Barrington Dot home-bred by Llandovery Jinny’s Empire. She calved eight weeks ago and is yielding 45 litres and was out for the first time this year. Reserve: Stephen Girvan, Templepatrick, Co Antrim, with a third calver, Bishopbrae Royal Kathleen, home-bred by Kirkbryde Royal Event. She was second here last year but her dam was champion three years in a row.
BEEF BREEDER Native: Neil and Graeme Massie, Blelack, Tarland, with a 14-month-old Aberdeen-Angus bull, Blelack Everest by Blelack Equity and home-bred out of Blelack Evora. He was junior champion on Thursday. Continental: Major David Walter, Balthayock, Perth, with a two-year-old Charolais bull, Balthayock Imp by Blelack Forrester and home-bred out of Balthayock Christine. He was supreme Charolais champion on Thursday.
BEEF PAIRS Champion: Aberdeen-Angus Whittaker & Co Farms, Cornhillon-Tweed, with a four-year-old cow, Haughton Justine Erica by Chapelton Eventer and out of Rosemount Justine Erica. She was first in her class on Thursday. Alastair and Graeme Fraser, Idvies, Forfar, with a five-year-old bull, Shadwell Black Broughton by Muirhall Total Deal and out of Shadwell Blackbird. Reserve: Charolais Peter and Alan Drysdale, Middle Drimmie, Blairgowrie, with a three-year-old cow, Glenericht Hester, by Moyness Saltire and out of Balmullo Tina. She was female and reserve supreme champion on Thursday. Major David Walter with Balthayock Imp.
NATIVE INTERBREED TEAMS Champion: Highland Alan Prentice, Hyndford, Ravenstruther, with a three-year-old bull, Banrigh 3rd of Hyndford, by Jacobite of Benmore and out of Banrigh 2nd of An Sidhean. He was supreme champion on Thursday. HM The Queen, Balmoral, with a two-year-old heifer, Connachat 90th of Balmoral by Cliadhamh Mor of Balmoral and out of Connachat 73rd of Balmoral. She was first in her class on Thursday. Michael Poland, Mottistone, Southampton, with a five-year-old bull, Eoin Mhor 11th of Mottistone by Eoin Mhor of Miungairigh and out of Sidonia 3rd of Kindrochaid. He was second in his class on Thursday. Reserve: Aberdeen-Angus Whittaker & Co Farms with Haughton Justine Erica. Alasdair and Graeme Fraser with Shadwell Black Broughton. William McLaren and HW Angus, Netherton, Blackford, with a two-year-old heifer, Netherton Evita by Netherton Big Edition and out of Dunira Eudora. She was female and reserve supreme champion on Thursday.