Well-known commercial cattleman Balfour Baillie from Sebay View, Tankerness, Orkney, dominated the show and sale of calves at the Thainstone Spectacular on Friday, when his champion sold for the top price of £5000. 

The event, sponsored by Blackadders, saw heifers average 486.9p per kg or £2206.67 and bullocks level at 370.9p per kg or £1611. 

In total, the 31 calves forward sold to average £1968.40.  

Securing the overall honours when tapped out by judge Paul Tippets, Lodge Hill Farm, Shropshire, was a home-bred, March-born Limousin cross heifer scaling 246kg, which stood cross cattle champion at the Orkney Country Show.

Sired by Redriver Powerful and out of a British Blue cross dam, she sold south to Stirling with Stewart and Lynsey Bett, Newmill Farmhouse, Fallin.

John MacGregor, Allanfauld, Kilsyth, purchased Balfour’s next top priced animal at £2100. This was a home-bred, 16-month-old Limousin cross bullock, which took third place in his class. He scaled 545kg and is sired by Gunnersfleet Noble.

Just behind at £2000 for Balfour, when sold to Harry Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains, Maud, was a home-bred, 16-month-old British Blue cross heifer weighing 484kg. She is by Auchenlay Nimbus and stood second in her class.

The second top price of the day came at £3200 for the champion 2021-born animal from the Munro family, Invercharron, Ardgay.  

This was a home-bred, 10-month-old Limousin cross heifer scaling 460kg which sold to David Blair, Littleinch Farm, Balmerino, Newport-on-Tay.

The Munro family also sold calves for £3000, £2100 and £2000.

Dearest at £3000 was a home-bred, September, 2021-born British Blue cross heifer weighing 446kg. Standing first in her class, she sold to K Casey, Orquil, St Ola, Orkney. 

Next at £2100 was Teenage Tantrum, a March, 2021-born Limousin cross heifer weighing 536kg. She sold to Phil Naylor, Derbyshire.

Selling for £2100 to David Kennedy, Tresdale, Canisbay, Wick, was a third prize British Blue cross heifer scaling 598kg. 

Blair Duffton from Huntly, received £2250 for a 16-month-old British Blue cross heifer weighing 599kg. She sold to Julian Duffton, Mains of Drumdollo, Drumblade, Huntly.

The reserve haltered champion, a seven-month-old Limousin cross bullock weighing 306kg from Ian Grant, Seaview Cottage, 50 Lonemore, Gairloch, sold for £1750 to David Blair, Littleinch.  

John and Craig Robertson’s annual consignment topped at £1800 twice for Limousin cross heifers, with the first sold to Jack Stuart, Belnoe, Glenlivet, and the other to Gordon Begg, Vauldale, Caithness.

The Robertson’s haltered champion, a 12-month-old Limousin cross bullock, sold for £1620 to Scott Watson, Forfar.

Spectacular Friday 19th August 2022 Sponsored by Blackadders
Judge – Paul Tippetts, Lodge Hill Farm, Shropshire  

Class 1 – Unhaltered Heifer – born 2021
1st – O Young Nether Drumallochie No 51 – £1350  

Class 2 – Unhaltered Bullock – born 2021
1st – J Robertson & Co Newton Logierait No 52 – £1620
2nd – Sheep Park Farms Bridge of Marnoch No 53 – £1820  

Class 3 – Haltered Heifers – born 2021
1st – B Baillie Sebay View Tankerness No 54 – £1950
2nd – J Munro & Son Invercharron Ardgay No 56 
3rd – J Munro & Son Invercharron Ardgay No 57 – £2000
4th – B Duffton 2 Bogie Street Huntly No 55 – £2250  

Class 4 – Haltered Bullocks – born 2021
1st – J Munro & Son Invercharron Ardgay No 58 – £1720
2nd – J Robertson & Co Newton of Logierait No 60 – £1550
3rd – B Baillie Sebay View Tankerness No 59 – £2100  

Class 5 – Haltered Heifers – born 2021
1st – J Munro & Son Invercharron Ardgay No 64 – £3200
2nd – B Baillie Sebay View Tankerness No 63 – £2000
3rd – B Baillie Sebay View Tankerness No 62 – £1900
4th – J Roberson & Co Newton of Logierait No 65   

Class 6 – Haltered Bullocks – born 2021
1st – B Baillie Sebay View Tankerness No 68 – £1400
2nd – K Grant 2 Lochend Barrock No 67 
3rd – B Ballie Seabay View Tankerness No 66 – £1450  

Class 7 – Haltered Heifers – born 2021
1st – J Munro & Son Invercharron Ardgay No 69 – £3000
2nd – Owen Young Nether Drumallochie No 73 – £1650
3rd – J Robertson & Co Newton of Logierait No 72 – £1800
4th – W Stephen & Co Meikle Geddes 70 – £1600  

Class 8 – Haltered Heifers – born 2022
1st and Overall Champion – B Baillie Sebay View Tankerness No 76 – £5000
2nd – B Paterson Cairndaie Croft Sauchen No 74 
3rd – W J & M Hunter West Cairnhill Culsalmond No 77   

Class 9 – Haltered Bullocks – born 2022
1st – I Grant Seaview Cottage 50 Lonemore No 78 – 1750
2nd – J S Baillie & Co Sebay Tankerness No 79 – £1350
3rd – W J & M Hunter West Cairnhill Culsalmond No 80 – £1350
4th – B Paterson Cairndaie Croft Sauchen No 81  

Overall Champion
(Clydesdale Bank Perpetual Trophy)
(Sir C M Barclay Harvey Perpetual Cup)
(John French Perpetual Trophy)
(Perpetual Plate – Limousin Society)

B Baillie Sebay View Tankerness – No 76  

Reserve Haltered Champion
Ian Grant Seaview Cottage Gairloch – No 78  

Haltered Champion born 2022
Balfour Baillie Sebay View Tankerness – No 76 

Reserve Haltered Champion born 2022
Ian Grant Seaview Cottage Gairloch – No 78  

Haltered Champion born 2021
J Munro & Son Invercharron Ardgay – No 64 

Reserve Haltered Champion born 2021
J Munro & Son Invercharron Ardgay – 69  

Unhaltered Champion
(Dr Cooper Perpetual Rose Bowl)
 J Robertson & Co Newton of Logierait No 52  

Champion – born 2022
B Baillie Sebay View Tankerness – No 76