A 16-month-old Aberdeen-Angus heifer was sold privately for £15,000 just minutes before winning the yearling heifer championship at the Black Beauty Bonanza show of Aberdeen-Angus yearlings and calves at Thainstone Centre, Inverurie, on Saturday.
The heifer, exhibited by Forfar butcher, Tom Rennie, Mosston Muir, Guthrie, Forfar, was bought jointly by John Elliot, Roxburgh Mains, Kelso, and Jim Logan, Pirntaton, Galashiels, and will be used in their embryo programmes to establish a new breeding line in both herds. The price is believed to be the highest paid for an Aberdeen-Angus yearling heifer this year.
"I didn't want to sell but you can't turn down an offer like that," said Mr Rennie.
The show attracted a record entry of 120 head from 29 herds and drew warm praise from the judge, Doug Robertson, owner of the famous Coldstream herd in Alberta, Canada, who said the top cattle could compete with the best Aberdeen-Angus anywhere in the world.
Mr Rennie's heifer, Mosston Muir Eline H205, is a daughter of Rawburn Transformer and is in the top 1 per cent of the breed for both Terminal Index (35) and Self Replacing Index (52).
"Rarely do you see a heifer with such power and performance remaining as feminine and correct at this heifer," said Mr Robertson.
The heifer has been a consistent winner in the showring this year - standing reserve to her championship-winning dam, Mosston Muir Elsie D082, at several shows - and helping the Mosston Muir herd win the Aberdeen-Angus show herd of the ear trophy for 2009.
Joint buyer, John Elliot, Jun, said the heifer was the "complete package" combining looks and structural correctness with some of the most proven genetics in the world."
"We hope she will become the foundation female for a new line in both herds," he added.
Both the yearling bull classes were led by entries from the Blelack herd of N.F. Massie and Sons, Dinnet, Aboyne, with the championship going to the 19-month-old Blelack Lord Hildalgo H972, a powerful son from the first crop by Netherallan Peter Pershore E052. This is the second year running that the Blelack herd was won the yearling bull championship.
The long sea journey from the Shetland Isles proved worthwhile for new breeder, Jamie Leslie, Scholland, Virkie, Shetland, who won the heifer calf championship with the nine-month-old ET calf, Scholland Diana J406, by the Hoff Limited Edition SC594 son, Rawburn Echester D297, and out of Skaill Diana E355. Mr Leslie also won the award for the best small herd.
Enjoying a highly successful day were Hamish and Margaret Sclater whose Deveron herd at Denhead Farm, Dunlugas, Turriff, picked up three firsts, three seconds, two thirds, two fourths, two fifths and a sixth before lifting the championship in the 60-strong bull calf section.
Their winner was the April-born Deveron Jackson Eric J283, by Blackhaugh Easy Papa G733, a sire recently sold to the Blackthorn herd in Cheshire.
For the third year running, Mr and Mrs Sclater also won the trophy for the best pair of calves. Reserve was Mrs McCombie's son, Charles, of Auchincrieve, Rothiemay.
No fewer than 30 youngsters took part in the junior showmanship competition on Friday evening with the leading awards going to Hayley Massie (13 years and under), Gary Morrison (14 - 16 years) and Claire Johnstone (17 - 24 years).
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