The Aberdeen-Angus pre-sale show at Stirling saw father and son Neil and Graham Massie, Blelack, Aboyne, collect their 11th bull sales overall championship.
Judge Bob Lane, of the Penguin herd in Shropshire, set a brisk pace all morning, placing 17 classes of bulls.
He was no less decisive picking his overall champion, describing the Massies’ Blelack Evangelist as having a “tremendous butt end with power and presence”.
It could also walk well as could his reserve, Netherton Kelso from the McLarens at Netherton, Blackford.
The Massies’ overall champion, 21-month-old Evangelist, is by Mac Elvis, imported from the US as an embryo and bought for use at Blelack at Stirling for 5,000gns.
Evangelist is out of Blelack Evora and earlier stood as intermediate champion.
Netherton Kelso, junior and reserve champion , was shown by Seonaid McLaren, 16, making it a real family affair. Her grandfather Willie was at the ringside marking his 78th consecutive Perth and now Stirling Bull Sales and her father William was also in action supervising the Netherton team.
Kelso is an ET son of the 2010 male champion at the Royal Highland, the 36,000gns The Moss Mr Eshton.
He is out of Netherton Karama, dam of the cow champion at the breed national show last year.
The McLarens have sold the adult portion of the Netherton herd to near neighbours Highland Wagyu and will calve only 20 heifers this year on their own behalf.
William is, however, to manage the Highland Wagyu Angus herd which is to be expanded to 500 head.
Senior champion Logie David The Bruce from Bill Bruce, Mains of Logie, Ellon, is a son of Glenbuchat Bruce, bred by David Sole and a 12,000gns senior champion at Stirling three years ago. A full brother of David The Bruce sold for 6,000gns at the October sale last year.
Reserve senior champion Idvies Fusilier from Alastair Fraser and son Graeme, Newton of Idvies, Forfar, is a son of their stock bull Shadwell Black Broughton.
This has been a successful sire so far, with one son sold for 6,500gns last October and the Frasers reporting five-figure sales to the Logie herd and more recently the Shadwell herd.
Fusilier is out of Idvies Flora.
Reserve intermediate champion was a Nightingale Proud Jake son from Alistair Clark’s Duncanziemere herd at Cumnock.
Duncanziemere Jake, got by AI, was a third-prize winner at last year’s Royal Highland.
The Massies were back in the limelight in the junior classes, taking the reserve championship with Blelack Dynamite, an embryo transfer son by Netherallan Peter Pershore and out of Ballyheather Dolly.
*Aberdeen-Angus champions:
Senior: M Bruce & Partners, Mains of Logie, Ellon, with Logie David the Bruce by Glenbuchat Bruce.
Senior reserve: FJ Fraser & Son, Newton of Idvies, Forfar, with Idvies Fusilier by Shadwell Black Broughton.
Intermediate and overall: NF Massie & Sons, Blelack, Aboyne, with Blelack Evangelist by Mac Elvis.
Intermediate reserve: Alistair Clark, Avisyard, Cumnock, with Duncanziemere Jake by Nightingale Proud Jake.
Junior and overall reserve: W & D McLaren, Netherton, Blackford, with Netherton Kelso by The Moss Mr Eshton.
Junior reserve: NF Massie & Sons with Blelack Dynamite by Netherallan Peter Pershore.
Female: Richard and Carol Rettie, 3 Aberdona Mains, Alloa, with Billinge Magic Jenya Eric by Netherallan Peter Pershore.
*Sale of AA females:
28 head sold to ave £2,840.
Chathill reduction: 55 head sold to ave £2,411.
AA females sold to 5,000gns twice at Stirling.
Reserve female champion Haughton Jace Erica from Whittaker & Co Farms, was the first to reach this price, selling to Messrs Douglas, of Weatheriggs.
This September 2013-born heifer is by Blelack Blackford and out of Flodden Jace Erica. She was sold in-calf to Rawburn Boss Hogg.
Second to reach 5,000gns was a cow-and-calf outfit from the Hillfoots herd of Jamie AM Rettie.
This April 2007-born cow Wall Tidy Bee G576, was sired by Blelack Jury Eric and out of Wall Tidy Bee. She was sold in-calf to Retties JFK, with her June-2014 born bull calf Hillfoots Tres Bien at foot. They sold to TA & P Johnson, Clarence House Farm, Yearsley, North Yorkshire.
The champion, Billinge Magic Jenya Erica, sold for 4,000gns to B & J Mackay, Skitten, Wick.
This cow, by Netherallan Peter Pershore and bred out of Mosston Muir Jennifer Erica, was another to be sold in calf to Retties JFK.
Also hitting 4,000gns was Belhaven Rossellini K221, from the Belhaven herd, of J Gilmour & Co.
This rising five-year-old cow by Harb Pendleton and out of Prairieland 8816 Rosebud, was sold alongside her July-born bull calf Belhaven Royal Marine and also heads south to Clarence House Farm with TA & P Johnson.