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Aberdeen & Northern Marts - August 2006
| 30th August 2006 - Anniversary event
to include launch of North consultation |
| 30th
August 2006 - Anniversary event to include launch of North consultation The show and sale is being sponsored by Harbro Ltd and a variety of prizes will be on offer, including the Perpetual Cup and £100 for the overall champion, £50 for the reserve champion and an assortment of class prizes. "An excellent selection of forward store cattle, many suitable for the Christmas market, will be on offer at the anniversary show and sale and we are hopeful of a good turnout of buyers," said Caithness Livestock Centre manager John Bremner. The show will commence at 8am and the sale will take place from 9am. Shortly before the presentation of prizes at midday, ANM Group Ltd chief executive Brian Pack will give a brief introduction to Aberdeen & Northern Marts' draft plan of sales in Caithness for 2007, underlining the Group's commitment to the area. North farmers are being invited to give their comments on the document and Mr Pack and Aberdeen & Northern Marts' general manager John Gregor will be on hand to listen to comments and answer questions. There will also be the opportunity to post comments about the plans on the Group website at www.goanm.co.uk/anmarts/caithness Commenting on the consultation document, Brian Pack said: "The
anniversary show and sale is an important fixture on our calendar
of events and is the ideal time to present farmers in the north
with our plans for next year. It is very important that our customers
are given the chance to ask questions and comment on the document
- in person, on the 'phone or on our website." 30th
August 2006 - Popular biannual event set to draw the crowds The popular biannual event at Thainstone Centre, Inverurie will include sales of rare and minority breeds of cattle, pigs, goats and sheep, including shows and sales of Jacob and Ryeland sheep to be judged by Barbara Webster from Newburgh in Fife from 9.30am, starting with the Jacob entries. In addition will be a sale of 500 cages of poultry, hatching eggs and poultry equipment, a sale of horses, ponies, harness and tack, and a sale of items from a bygone era. "Our sales of rare and minority breeds continue to be very popular among vendors, buyers and the many people who come along to look at the great variety of animals and birds," said Aberdeen & Northern Marts' general manager John Gregor. "There are so many aspects to the day that it really does offer something for everyone." The poultry sale begins at 10am, horses, ponies, cattle, sheep and goats will be sold from 10.30am, sales of hatching eggs and harness and tack both begin at 11am, and the items from a bygone era will go under the hammer from 11.30am. Catalogues for the sale are available to view and download at
www.goanm.co.uk Alternatively, contact Aberdeen & Northern Marts
on (01467) 623700. 28th August 2006 - New sponsorship deal and new president for 2006 Classic Plans for the 2006 Aberdeen Christmas Classic have been given a major boost by the announcement of a new, two-year sponsorship deal from Bank of Scotland Corporate. The main sponsor of Scotland's premier two-day winter farming event has committed to the two-year deal, underlining its commitment to the popular annual fixture on the agricultural show calendar. The Aberdeen Christmas Classic is organised by Aberdeen & Northern Marts in conjunction with the Aberdeen Fatstock Association and the 2006 event will take place at Thainstone Centre, Inverurie on Monday, December 4th and Tuesday, December 5th. Among the line-up of events during two busy days are shows and sales of prime cattle and sheep, a show and sale of pedigree dairy cattle and a multi-breed show of pedigree beef bulls and females. Commenting on Bank of Scotland Corporate's ongoing support for the event, Director of Agriculture (Scotland) John Taylor said: "We are delighted to continue our involvement with this event which is one of the key dates on the agricultural calendar for the north of Scotland. This is an area renowned for the quality of its livestock and, with an ongoing national emphasis on high standards, the Aberdeen Christmas Classic is an opportunity for local farmers to showcase their produce to the industry." Aberdeen & Northern Marts' general manager John Gregor added: "The Aberdeen Christmas Classic regularly attracts the very best livestock from all over Scotland and offers an exciting and important platform for the industry. We are delighted that Bank of Scotland has continued its support of the Aberdeen Christmas Classic in 2006 and 2007." In addition, a new president of Aberdeen Christmas Classic co-organisers, the Aberdeen Fatstock Association was appointed recently. John Troup of Southbank, Skene succeeds John Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond and will retain the post of president for the next two years. The new vice-president of the Association is Andrew Anderson, Smallburn Farms, Rothes. "I am delighted to take up the role of president of the Aberdeen Fatstock Association at an exciting time for the industry brought about by the new export opportunities," said John Troup. "I hope that the event will continue to go from strength to strength,
and I am greatly encouraged by the increasing number of young people
who are exhibiting at the Aberdeen Christmas Classic. These are
undoubtedly positive signs for the future of the event and the future
of the industry as a whole." 23rd
August 2006 - Top show animals prepare for Spectacular The annual show and sale of weaned calves and store cattle suitable for further exhibition will this year adopt a new one-day format which will see the show take place from 3pm and the sale commence at 7pm. The presentation of trophies and the sale of champions, reserve champions and breed society winners will take place at 7.30pm. Thanks to generous sponsorship from Clydesdale Bank, a prize-fund exceeding £3,300 will be up for grabs and the judges for this year's event are James Forsyth, Mid Bishopton, Whithorn, Newton Stewart (heifers) and Wilson Peters, Cuilt Farmhouse, Monzie, Crieff (steers). After a hectic and successful summer, J. & J. Wilson of Wester Cairnglass, Gollanfield, Inverness will bring two steers and a heifer to the Spectacular. "Rhianna" is a Limousin cross heifer by Middledale Toronto and her summer track record has seen her lift championships at Turriff, Black Isle and Grantown and a reserve championship at Nairn. Also by the same sire are "Jock the Cock" - who was named champion and champion of champions at Nairn Show and reserve champion at Grantown and Sutherland - and "Black Jack" who has earned the Wilsons young farmers' championships at Turriff, Black Isle and Grantown as well as an overall reserve championship at Black Isle and reserve male at Grantown. "Mr Brightside" from Barry Paterson, Cairndaie Croft, Sauchen will also be making the trip to the Spectacular after picking up a clutch of accolades on the summer circuit. The Limousin cross bullock by Shatton Pedro and out of the former Banchory champion of champions Xsara is a full brother of the 2003 Spectacular reserve champion "Elvis" and "Mr Brightside" has this year been champion at Banchory Fettercairn, New Deer and Tarland, reserve inter-breed champion at Tarland and reserve male at Turriff, Keith and the Black Isle. Echt reserve champion "Figo" - a Limousin cross by Bailea Oberon - is one of a group of animals being exhibited at the Spectacular by Andrew Anderson of Smallburn Farms, Rothes alongside a selection of animals that are new to the show arena and which are already showing potential for this year's Christmas shows. Orkney's Laga Farms Ltd will also be present at the Spectacular, exhibiting the 2006 Dounby Show cross-bred coloured champion "Lagas Goldfinger," a January 2006-born Limousin cross by New Start Unlimited. "The exceptional quality of the cattle which are attracted to the Spectacular demonstrates the depth of production potential which continues to exist throughout the north of Scotland," said Iain Clark of sponsors, Clydesdale Bank. "Such quality is based on the combined application of genetics,
nutrition and health to livestock breeding, all brought to commercial
fruition by top class stockmen. The end result is a display of cattle
which fully justify a real market premium, helping to improve on-farm
returns in the process." 22nd
August 2006 - Dairy cattle sell to £1400 at Thainstone The top price was paid by Ordens Farm, Banff for a fresh calved heifer from Fairburn, Longmanhill which also achieved £1,250 and £1,200 (twice) for heifers in milk. Meanwhile, other leading prices included £1,150 and £1,000 for heifers in milk from Mayne, Elgin, and £1,020 and £1,000 from Darrahill, Udny. Heifers in calf from Backhill of Seggat, Auchterless sold for £1,080 and £1,000. The sale saw 12 heifers in milk average £1,068 and 11 heifers in calf average £815. Commenting on the sale, Aberdeen & Northern Marts' dairy auctioneer Colin Slessor said: "Quality heifers met a keen demand with a total clearance being achieved at competitive prices." 16th August 2006 - North farmers to be consulted on 2007 plans A show and sale to mark the 14th anniversary of the
opening of Caithness Livestock Centre will provide the platform
for the launch of a consultation document next month. Some of the country's top show cattle will be heading for Thainstone Centre, Inverurie next month as Aberdeen & Northern Marts host the popular annual Spectacular on Wednesday, September 6th. The event for weaned calves and store cattle will this year adopt a new, one-day format which will see the show commence at 4pm and the sale at 7pm. With a prize-fund totalling more than £3,300 and generous sponsorship from Clydesdale Bank, judges for the 2006 event will be James Forsyth, Mid Bishopton, Whithorn, Newton Stewart (heifers) and Wilson Peters, Cuilt Farmhouse, Monzie, Crieff (steers). Iain Clark of sponsors, Clydesdale Bank, believes The Spectacular has become a significant 'statement event' for Scotland's quality beef sector. He's also upbeat about the pre-show state of the local industry. "It's encouraging to arrive at a new Spectacular with the suckler cow foundation of our industry in such good shape, especially after a hectic year of change," he said. "The initial impact of OTM cattle returning to the food chain, the reopening of export markets to Scotch beef and the introduction of the Single Farm Payment (SFP) have all been negotiated by producers without a major shift away from suckler beef production. "Although we're still in the relatively early days of adjustment to these three developments, of course, the maintenance of suckler cow numbers at current levels is surely good for the industry. "The stock on display at The Spectacular each year never fails to make a significant quality statement on behalf of Scotch beef, under-lining our industry's production potential. Hopefully, the future economics of beef production, based on traditional suckler systems, will continue to allow that quality statement to be made at Thainstone for many years to come." Aberdeen & Northern Marts' general manager John Gregor added: "The Spectacular has become renowned for attracting some of the country's top animals which are suitable for further showing, and this year is set to be no exception." In 2005, the Spectacular overall champion was "Happy Hips" - a
home-bred October 2004-born Charolais cross heifer from D. &
R. Durno & Sons, Auchorachan, Glenlivet. She tipped the scales
at 442kg and sold for the second highest price of the sale at £1,800 |