Caithness farmer to judge cattle at royal show
A member of a well-respected Caithness farming family is to judge pedigree bulls and females at a royal occasion.
Stephen Sutherland, who farms at Sibmister as part of the family Sibmister and Stainland farms enterprise, is to take up the role at the annual Royal Northern Spring Show held in conjunction with Aberdeen and Northern Marts.
The group has announced the judges and confirmed entries for the upcoming show and sale of Pedigree Bulls and Females, and the Show and Sale of Exhibition Cattle.
This year the event will take place on Wednesday, February 26, at Thainstone Centre, Inverurie, with exhibitors and spectators expected to flock to the first major event in the agricultural calendar.
The Pedigree Bulls and Females section, sponsored by Northlink Ferries and judged by Stephen Sutherland, has attracted a strong entry of 69 bulls and four females. Entries include 22 Charolais bulls, 21 Limousin bulls, 16 Simmental bulls, five Aberdeen-Angus bulls, three Shorthorn bulls, one Saler bull and four Limousin females.
The judging will start at 8am in the Exchange Hall with the sale to commence from noon in Ring 2. In 2024, a top price of 11,500gns was achieved for a Charolais bull from R&N Barclay, Harestone, South Road, Insch.
In the Exhibition Cattle section, supported by sponsor JDW Agri, Dermot Small, of County Down, Northern Ireland, is set to judge an increased entry of 50 Exhibition Cattle, including, 12 bullocks and 38 heifers.
The judging of the Exhibition Cattle will kick off at 11.30am, then following the show, the sale will take place from 2.30pm in Ring 2. Last year, the overall champion was a Limousin Cross Bullock from William Robertson & Sons, Fodderletter Farms, Tomintoul, with the top price of £4000 paid for the reserve champion heifer, from D Work & Son, Mains of Dumbreck, Udny, Ellon.
John Angus, head of livestock at ANM, said: “We are once again looking forward to the annual RNAS Spring Show and are pleased to see a good entry forward for the Pedigree Bulls and Exhibition Cattle sections. This highly anticipated event provides an excellent opportunity for buyers to source top quality stock from renowned breeders across Scotland.”
Online bidding will be available at both sales.