Scotland’s National Meat Exhibition is traditionally run in two phases, with live judging at Caledonian Marts in Stirling followed three days later by carcase judging of the same animals at Scotbeef, Bridge of Allan.
Winning either phase is an honour, but to win both with the same animal is rare indeed. Until this year the double had only been achieved twice: in 2007 by Jim Kennedy, Maybole; and previously by David Cooper, Govals, Forfar.
There is now a third name to add to the list, with a Limousin cross heifer from G McGregor & Sons, Binn, Glenfarg, selected for the red, white and blue ticket first by live judge George McFadzean, Woodhead of Mailer, Perth, and then by carcase judge Allan Healy of butchers Aubrey Allen, Coventry.
The double victory brings with it an extra £1,000 in prize money.
A delighted Chris Higgins, cattle manager at Binn for the McGregors, said: “This means the world to me. This is only our second year here as exhibitors, and to achieve the double win is really fantastic.”
The winning heifer was out of a Limousin cross cow, one of the 180 cows in the Binn herd and by the Stirling-purchased Limousin sire Clydeside Foxy.
Weighing 670kg live, the heifer produced a carcase of 418kg, killing out at 62.4% and grading U+4L.
The reserve beef carcase was from a Limousin steer exhibited by Fred Murray, East Horton, Wooler. This one weighed 595kg live, 366kg deadweight and graded U+4L.
For the second year running the Premio Speciale Italiano came from the Young Livestock Producers class, with Calum Simpson, Mains of Leslie, Insch, taking the honours with a Limousin cross heifer weighing 665 kg live, 401kg deadweight and grading -U4L.
At the end of his judging stint in the Scotbeef chill rooms Mr Healy said: “This has been an excellent show of really good finished cattle.
“If I had any criticism it would be that the Continental breed influence makes some of the carcases too plain,” Mr Healy added.
“We are retail and catering butchers supplying Michelin-star restaurants across the country, and to make sure we have the right quality I look for an even finish and a fine fat cover in the rib cage. If that is there then there is a good chance that the meat will be well marbled right through.”
The lamb carcases were judged by Andrew Aitkinson of Harrogate, and he found both his champion and reserve in Beltex-sired lambs.
His champion, from father and son Jim and Wallace Kennedy of Lyonpark, Maybole, was by Whitehills Too Hot to Handle, a tup shared with Andrew Morton, Lochend Denny and sire of Mr Morton’s champion lambs at Agri Expo at Carlisle.
The Kennedys’ champion on Saturday was a pure Beltex weighing 34kg live and 21.3kg dead, killing out at 62.6%. The carcase graded as an E2.
The reserve lamb was from Mr Morton, but this time by a home-bred Beltex tup. In a heavier class than the champion, it weighed 40kg live and 21.5kg dead, killing out at 53.8%.
Like the champion it graded at E2.
The champion export lamb, judged by Fabrice Ramadier, buyer for French retailer Auchen, came from HM Sutherland, Drummuie, Golspie, Sutherland.
Weighing less than the champions at 19.5kg deadweight, M Ramadier said this was an ideal weight for the French market because it would produce smaller cuts for retail packs.
* The National Meat Exhibition which culminated in a carcase show, prize-giving and lunch at Scotbeef, Bridge of Allan on Saturday is without doubt an outstanding showcase for the best of Scottish produce, writes Ewan Pate.
Hosted and organised jointly by Scotbeef, Marks & Spencer and
the Scottish National Fatstock Club, it marks the start of the Christmas season for the meat industry.
Robbie Galloway, the managing director of family-owned Scotbeef, said the company would be flat-out in coming weeks with an expected £2m worth of product to be supplied to Marks & Spencer for its party food lines as well as around 35,000 individual meat orders for the super-market’s customers.
At the prize-giving Mr Galloway said: “The last 18 months have been very difficult for everyone, and I would like to thank our producers for working hard to produce the right specification of carcase for our different markets.
“I am really delighted to see the Young Livestock Producers classes today have attracted 35 entries in both the beef and lamb classes in only the second year of the competition.
“The future lies with them,” he added.
Results were as follow.
Beef carcases
Judge: Allan Healy, Aubrey Allen Ltd, Coventry.
Steer by an Aberdeen-Angus bull (light): 1 CR Graham & Sons, Carruthers, Waterbeck; 2 I & E Glendinning, Newfield, Ruthwell; 3 J Thomson, Smallburn, Morpeth.
Steer by an Aberdeen-Angus bull (heavy): 1 M & HD Currie, Skewbridge, Dumfries; 2 Hugh Gordon, Clochnahill, Stonehaven; 3 CR Graham & Son.
Heifer by an Aberdeen-Angus bull: 1 WA Fettes, Braes of Enzie, Buckie; 2 Emslie Partners, Little Barras, Laurencekirk; 3 A, J & D Young, Girvan Mains, Girvan.
Steer by any other native bull: 1 Emslie Partners; 2 JH & NT Turnbull, Meadowend, Clackmannan; 3 Emslie Partners.
Heifer by any other native bull: 1 JH & NT Turnbull; 2 Messrs WA Fettes.
Steer, any other breed (light): 1 Fred Murray, East Horton, Wooler; 2 and 3 A & J Paul, Ballingall Mill, Leslie.
Steer, any other breed (intermediate): 1 Thomas Paul & Sons, Newbigging, Carnock; 2 A Wilson, Chartershall, Stirling; 3 Fraser Ewart, Easter Dounie, Blairgowrie.
Steer, any other breed (heavy): 1 Fraser Ewart; 2 James Hunter, Luckenburn, Slamannan; 3 Fraser Ewart.
Heifer, any other breed (light): 1 Fred Murray; 2 A & C Watson, Glasslaw, Stonehaven; 3 K Forsyth, Oswie, Whithorn.
Heifer, any other breed (heavy): 1 G McGregor & Sons, Binn Farm, Glenfarg; John Spence & Son, Roberthill, Lockerbie; 3 P Alexander, Mains of Mause, Blairgowrie.
Prime cow:1 K Forsyth; 2 D & E Begg, Mains of Cowie, Stonehaven; 3 A, J & D Young.
Premio Speciale Italiano: Calum Simpson, Mains of Leslie, Insch.
Exhibitor with most points: A & J Paul; reserve Fred Murray.
Stockperson gaining most points: Alex Paul, Ballingall Mill, Leslie.
Young Livestock Producers (YLP) steer (16-18 years): 1 Reece Simmers, Backmuir, Keith; 2 Jack Barron, Nether Aden, Mintlaw; 3 Chantelle Braes, Burnshot, Blackness.
YLP heifer, (16-18 years): 1 Calum Simpson, Mains of Leslie, Insch; 2 Garry Mathers, Tormiston, Stromness; 3 William Harvey, Quoydandy, Orkney.
YLP steer (19-26 years): 1 Isla King, Crossrigg, Hutton; 2 Lewis Emslie, Grains of Fetteresso, Stonehaven; 3 Ross King, Crossrigg, Hutton.
YLP heifer (19-26 years): 1 Wallace Kennedy, Lyonpark, Maybole; 2 Matthew Steel, Craignathro, Forfar; 3 Layton Paul, Newbigging, Carnock.
Champion YLP (16-18): Reece Simmers; reserve Calum Simpson.
Champion YLP (19-26): Wallace Kennedy, Lyonpark, Maybole; reserve Isla King.
Scotbeef Aberdeen-Angus best herd competition (judge Harvey Marshall): 1 A & A Foubister, Orkney; 2 Raymond Flaws, Orkney; 3 James Frame, Birks, Carluke.
Lamb carcases
Judge: Andrew Aitkinson, Crofthouse Farm, Harrogate.
Blackface (34kg to 37kg): 1 JJ Frame & Co, High Dyke, Strathaven; 2 Mrs CM Reid, Boreland, Peebles; 3 HF Hamilton, Glenmanna, Thornhill.
Blackface (37.1kg to 44kg): 1 and 2 B & J Menzies, Baledmund, Ballinluig. 3 Mrs CM Reid.
Cheviot (34kg to 39kg): 1R & J Andrew, Rowanston, Maybole; 2 A & J Paul, Ballingall Mill Farm, Leslie; 3 Bridgewater & Wood, Potholm, Langholm.
Cheviot (39.1kg to 44kg): 1 A & J Paul, Ballingall Mill, Leslie; 2 GF Irving & Co, Whitchesters, Hawick; 3 Bridgewater & Wood.
Suffolk sired (34kg to 39kg): 1D & J Thomson, Pitnacree, Pitlochry; 2 and 3 A & J Paul.
Suffolk sired (39.1kg to 44kg): 1 Malcolm M Stewart, Brotherstone, Melrose; 2D & J Thomson; 3 Malcolm M Stewart.
Any other breed (34kg to 38kg): 1 Jim & Wallace Kennedy, Lyonpark, Maybole; 2 D & J Thomson; 3 R Hall & Son, Inglewood Edge, Carlisle.
Any other breed (38.1kg to 40kg): 1 Andrew Morton, Lochend, Denny; 2 Hugh Gordon, Clochnahill, Stonehaven; 3 Andrew Morton.
Any other breed (40.1kg to 42kg): 1 Jim and Wallace Kennedy; 2 DB Angus, Barrogue Mains, Thurso; 3 Andrew Morton.
Any other breed (42.1kg to 44kg): 1 JL McMillan, Carse of Clary, Newton Stewart; 2 D Maitland Gardner, Culdees, Muthill; 3 Mrs Mary Dunlop, Corstane, Broughton.
Jean-Marie Macquet Trophy for carcase most suitable for the French market: HM Sutherland, Drummuie, Golspie.
Young Livestock Producers (YLP) (16-18 years): 1 Andrew Morton, Lochend, Denny; 2 Alanna Leslie, Hannatoft, Shapinsay;
3 James Hamilton, High Crewburn, Strathaven.
YLP (19-26 years): 1 Kenneth O’Connor, Carstairs Mains, Lanark; 2 Robert Rennie, Sydenham Farm, Ednam; 3 Wallace Kennedy, Lyonpark, Maybole.