Prize winners as Caithness Young Farmers take stock at Quoybrae
Caithness Young Farmers took centre stage on Monday when Aberdeen and Northern Marts hosted their overwintering competition at the Caithness Livestock Centre, Quoybrae.
The annual competition, sponsored by A H Mackay, West Greenland took place alongside the show and sale of store cattle, sponsored by North of Scotland Newspapers, publisher of the John O'Groat Journal.
The overwintering competition encourages young farmers to take part in the buying and selling of cattle through the live auction system and, in particular, to practice the art of stockmanship in the tasks of selection, feeding, presenting and parading animals for show and sale.
Champion in the North of Scotland Newspapers sponsored show and sale was a 685kg Charolais Bullock from D A Budge, Brae Edge and achieved £2140 to the judge W & J Cameron, Burnside of Edingight, Grange. Reserve was a 517kg Limousin cross Heifer from J & R Allan, Gillock Mains, Gillock and sold for £1760 to the judge.
The show and sale of store cattle including Aberdeen Angus and native breeds, sponsored by North of Scotland Newspapers, sold 920 store cattle.

Bullocks (471) averaged 309p and sold to 353.3p per kg for a pen of six 351kg Limousin Cross’s from 2 Forss, Thurso and £2140 gross for a Charolais Cross from Brae Edge, Castletown.
Aberdeen-Angus Bullocks (93) averaged 301.7p and sold to 325.1p per kg for a pen of five 446kg from 5 Lochend, Castletown and £1580 gross for a 520kg from Hillhead, Lybster and for a 506kg from Inkstack.
Heifers (301) averaged 289p and sold to 340.4p per kg for a 517kg Limousin Cross from Gillock Mains, Gillock and £1840 gross for a 671kg Charolais Cross from Aimster, Thurso.
Aberdeen-Angus Heifers (55) averaged 263.9p and sold to 335.5p per kg for a pen of four 377kg from Bardnaclavan Farm and £1680 gross for a pen of two 630kg from 5 Upper Dounreay, Thurso.
In the Young Farmers Show and Sale of Overwintered Cattle sponsored by A H Mackay, West Greenland, the overall champion was a 506kg Limousin Bullock from Lyndsey Dunnet, Linkmoor, Warse and realised £1800 to W & J Cameron, Burnside of Edingight. The reserve champion was a 488kg Limousin Bullock from Abbie Dunnet, Linkmoor which sold to £1780 to James Gunn, Whitefield, Reiss. Both bullocks were bred by G W Begg, Vauldale.
The winner of the W & A Geddes Perpetual Trophy for the best daily live weight gain of 1.118kg per day was for a 488kg Limousin Bullock from Abbie Dunnet. The highest gross margin bullock was awarded to Lyndsey Dunnet for a 506kg Limousin Cross Bullock.
The best daily liveweight gain and the best gross margin heifer section went to Sophie Tucker, 21 Smith Terrace, Wick for a 442kg Charolais Heifer bred by I D Stewart, Reisgill, Lybster which did 1.063kg per day.
Best paraded and presented animal as well as the special prize for highest placed Charolais Cross sired by a registered Charolais bull presented by the Scottish and Northern Charolais Club went to Sophie Tucker.
“A fantastic show of cattle were sold through Caithness Livestock Centre today with a buzzing ringside of buyers present for all classes.”
Young Farmers Prize List
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Haltered Bullock: 1 Lyndsey Dunnet – Lot 32, 2 Abbie Dunnet – Lot 31, 3 Murray Mackenzie – Lot 33, 4 Isla Mackay – Lot 30.
Haltered Heifer: 1 Sophie Tucker – Lot 28, 2 William Campbell – Lot 29, 3 William Campbell – Lot 26, 4 William Campbell – Lot 27.
Unhaltered Bullock: 1 Calvin Forbes – Lot 25.
Unhaltered Heifer: 1 Erin Mackenzie – Lot 24, 2 Sophie Tucker – Lot 23.
Daily Liveweight Gain Bullock: 1 Abbie Dunnet – 1.118, 2 Lynsey Dunnet – 1.006, 3d Murray Mackenzie – 0.902.
Daily Liveweight Gain Heifer: 1 Sophie Tucker – 1.063, 2 William Campbell – 1.023, 3 William Campbell – 0.891.
Gross Margin Bullock: 1 Lyndsay Dunnet, 2 Abbie Dunnet, 3 Murray Mackenzie.
Gross Margin Heifer: 1 Sophie Tucker, 2 William Campbell, 3 William Campbell.
Special prize for the highest placed Charolais Cross Calf sired by a Registered Charolais Bull presented by the Scottish & Northern Charolais Club – Sophie Tucker.
Best Paraded & Presented Animal – Sophie Tucker.
Junior First Time Exhibitor – Lyndsey Dunnet.
Senior First Time Exhibitor – Murray Mackenzie and Erin Mackenzie.
Club Award – Bower.
Open Prize List
Single Bullock: 1 & Overall Champion – D A Budge, Brae Edge, Castletown; 2 J A Chalmers Glenburnie, Hill of Forss; 3 J & R Allan, Gillock Mains.
Single Heifer: 1 & Reserve Champion – J & R Allan, Gillock Mains.
Pair of Bullocks: 1 M Anderson, Catchery.
Leading prices per head and per kg
Bullocks up to 250kg – Rhemullen (LimX) £520, 265.3p; 251-300kg – Achunabust, Reay (Simx) £960, 324.3p; 301-350kg – Achalone, Halkirk (Chax) £1,150, Ackergill Mains (Chax) 339.4p; 351-400kg – Ivordene, Janetstown (Chax) £1350, 343.1p; 401-450kg – Forsie, Bridge of Westfield (Chax) £1500, Bardnaclavan, Bridge of Westfield (Chax) 353.2p; 451-500kg – Forsie (Chax) £1600, 333.3p; 501-550kg – Upper Latheron, Latheron (Chax) £1705, Aimster, Thurso (Chax) 326.8p; 551-600kg – Aimster, Thurso (Chax) £1740, 309.1p; 601-650kg – Aimster (Chax) £2005, 313.3p; 651-700kg – Aimster (Chax) £1970, Brae Edge 312.4p; 701-750kg – Brae Edge (Chax) £2120, 297.8p.
Aberdeen-Angus & Native Cattle Bullocks up to 350kg – Balmore (AAX) £1060, 305.5p; 351-400kg – Quoynee (BSHX) £1140, Latheron Mains (AAX) 301.9p; 401-450kg – 5 Lochend, Castletown (AAX) £1450, 324.3p; 451-500kg – 5 Lochend (AAX) £1535, 313.9p; 501-550kg – Inkstack (AAX) £1580, Inkstack 312.3p.
Heifers up to 250kg – Rhemullen £410, 244p; 251-300kg – Rhemullen (LimX) £780, 283p; 301-350kg – Ackergill Mains (ChaX) £995, 304.3p; 351-400kg – Forsie (ChaX) £1270, Bardnaclavan (ChaX) 335.5p; 401-450kg – Quoynee (ChaX) £1425, Forsie (ChaX) 326.4p; 451-500kg – Gerston (ChaX) £1530, 325.5p; 501-550kg – Gillock Mains (LimX), 31 Larel (LimX) £1760, 31 Larel (LimX) 323.5p; 551-600kg – Aimster (ChaX) £1690, 301.2p; 601-650kg – Aimster (ChaX) £1800, 292.2p; 651-700kg – Aimster (ChaX) £1830, 265.6p.
Aberdeen-Angus Heifers up to 300kg – Folly Farm £690, 230p; 301-350kg – Folly Farm £790, Westerloch Farm 251.6p; 351-400kg – Bardnaclavan Farm £1265, Hill of Forss 270.2p; 401-450kg – 5 Lochend £1170, Inkstack 261p; 451-500kg – 5 Lochend £1440, Inkstack 295.8p; 551-600kg – 5 Upper Dounreay £1500, 260.1p; 601-650kg – 5 Upper Dounreay £1680, 266.7p.