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News
Joint Victory for Amara Nairn and Abbie Brown at Thainstone’s Young Farmers Overwintering Competition
Posted: March 28, 2026
The 34th annual Young Farmers Overwintering Competition hosted by Aberdeen & Northern Marts in conjunction with the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs (SAYFC) took place at Thainstone Centre, Inverurie on Saturday the 28th of March 2026.
Kindly sponsored by Miller Plant Ltd, the event delivered an impressive showcase of livestock, drawing a busy ringside of buyers from across the country.
This year’s Calladrum Cup was awarded to joint winners Amara Nairn of Clashnoir Farm, Ballindalloch, Auchnarrow and to Abbie Brown of Auchmaliddie Mains, Maud. The best overwintered animal is won by collecting points for highest feeder margin, highest average daily liveweight gain, best presented and paraded animal and best quality animal.
The show was ably judged by Jimmy Fawcett, Kitson Butchers, 25 South Side, Hutton Rudby, Yarm, with 44 Young Farmers, including 10 novice exhibitors from across the North East of Scotland participating in the event.
The overall best quality animal award was presented to Sara Cheyne, of Banchor View, Glen Road, Newtonmore, for her 545kg champion Limousin cross heifer which went on to sell for £5,500 to the judge.
The reserve champion heifer was awarded to a Limousin cross, scaling 553kg from Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple also selling for £5,500 to Blair Duffton, 2 Bogie Street, Huntly.
The champion bullock title was awarded to Finn Christie for his 612kg Limousin cross, which went on to sell for £3,000 to Blair Duffton.
The reserve champion bullock was awarded to a British Blue cross from Amara Nairn, Clashnoir Farm, Ballindalloch, Auchnarrow, which went on to sell for £2,450 to J & J Watt, Stoneyhill, Keithhall, Inverurie.
The overall home bred champion was awarded to Melissa Buchan, Clinterty, New Aberdour, Fraserburgh for Chappell Roan, a 432kg British Blue cross heifer, which went on to achieve the second top price of £6,000 selling to L Armstrong, Burndale Cottage, Greens Road, Clydesdale East.
Finlay Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond, Huntly was awarded the best presented and paraded animal at this year’s event for his Limousin cross heifer.
At the sale, Abbie Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains, Maud achieved the top price of £7,000 with her 470kg Limousin cross heifer, selling to Mark Robertson, Fodderletter Farms, Tomintoul.
A 2nd prize Limousin cross heifer from Sara Cheyne sold for £4,500 to G Bell, Haas-side, Haas Grove, Loanings, Lockerbie.
Two animals cashed out at £3,400, firstly by Jenna Ross, Wardhead, Strichen for a 722kg unhaltered British Blue cross heifer, selling to D Whyte, Hindstones, New Aberdour, Fraserburgh. Secondly, by a 1st prize Limousin cross heifer, scaling 482kg from Thomas Hall, 6 Bruce Brae, Longside, Peterhead selling to C Sinclair, Brewthin, Cullerlie, Skene.
A 1st prize Limousin cross heifer from Kate Mitchell, Ploverwards, Keith went onto sell for £3,100 to G M Barclay & Son, Tullo of Garvock, Laurencekirk. Also achieving £3,100 was a British Blue heifer from Jenna Ross which sold to Messrs Macarthur, Mid Fleenas, Nairn.
The sale saw 41 heifers sell to a top of £14.89 per kg and averaged £5.86 ppkg (+£0.67 on the year) and £2,893.17 per head, with 19 bullocks selling to a top of £5.84 per kg and averaged £4.80 ppkg (-£0.07 on the year) and £2,393.16 per head. An overall sale average of £5.52 ppkg (+£0.44 on the year) and £2,734.83 per head was achieved.
Scott Chapman, Auctioneer at Aberdeen & Northern Marts said, “It was a fantastic day for exhibitors from start to finish, with trade buoyant throughout.
The overwintering competition continues to provide a great platform for young farmers to take part in buying and selling through the live auction ring and we are grateful to sponsor Miller Plant for their continued support.”
PRIZE LIST
Class 1 – Unhaltered Bullock
1st – Lot 4 Sara Cheyne, Banchor View, Glen Road, Newtonmore
2nd – Lot 6 Scott Muir, Honeyneuk Farm, Maud
3rd – Lot 5 Graeme Rhind, Newton of Struthers, Kinloss
4th – Lot 1 Euan Rae, Annieswells, Maud
Class 2 – Unhaltered Heifer
1st – Lot 8 Jenna Ross, Wardhead, Strichen
2nd – Lot 12 Lucy Gordon, Lost Farm, Strathdon
3rd – Lot 7 Jenna Ross, Wardhead, Strichen
4th – Lot 9 Jenna Ross, Wardhead, Strichen
Class 3 – Unhaltered Bullock
1st – Lot 46 Adam Mackillop, Home Farm, Aberlour
2nd – Lot 16 Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple
3rd – Lot 13 Amara Nairn, Clashnoir Farm, Ballindalloch, Auchnarrow
4th – Lot 15 Craig Reid, 5 Blair Cottages, Altyre, Forres
Class 4 – Unhaltered Heifer
1st – Lot 21 Jennifer Hall, 6 Bruce Brae, Longside
2nd – Lot 17 Alanah Gordon, Lost Farm, Strathdon
3rd – Lot 19 Lucy Gordon, Lost Farm, Strathdon
4th – Lot 22 Jasmin Strachan, Backhill of Camaloun, Auchterless
Class 5 – Unhaltered Heifer
1st – Lot 28 Jennifer Hall, 6 Bruce Brae, Longside
2nd – Lot 27 Kiera Smith, Netherton, Whitehouse, Alford
3rd – Lot 29 Maria Rhind, Newton of Struthers, Kinloss
4th – Lot 25 Craig Reid, 5 Blair Cottages, Altyre, Forres
Class 6 – Haltered Heifer
1st – Lot 34 Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple
2nd – Lot 32 Sara Cheyne, Banchor View, Glen Road, Newtonmore
3rd – Lot 33 Harry Smith, Nethermill Farm, Cruden Bay
4th – Lot 31 Amara Nairn, Clashnoir Farm, Ballindalloch, Auchnarrow
Class 7 – Haltered Bullock
1st – Lot 35 Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple
2nd – Lot 39 Amara Nairn, Clashnoir Farm, Ballindalloch, Auchnarrow
3rd – Lot 36 Keely Mitchell, Carron Mains, Aberlour
4th – Lot 37 Kiera Smith, Netherton, Whitehouse, Alford
Class 8 – Haltered Heifer
1st – Lot 40 Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple
2nd – Lot 41 Amara Nairn, Clashnoir Farm, Ballindalloch, Auchnarrow
3rd – Lot 44 Molly Stuart, Lettoch Farm, Braes of Glenlivet
4th – Lot 42 Jasmin Strachan, Backhill of Camaloun, Auchterless
Class 9 – Haltered Bullock
1st – Lot 47 Keely Mitchell, Carron Mains, Aberlour
2nd – Lot 48 Harvey Stuart, Lettoch Farm, Braes of Glenlivet
3rd – Lot 45 Natalie Milne, Meikle Rowater, Cornhill
Class 10 – Haltered Heifer
1st – Lot 52 Sara Cheyne, Banchor View, Glen Road, Newtonmore
2nd – Lot 50 Jennifer Hall, 6 Bruce Brae, Longside
3rd – Lot 49 Finlay Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond, Huntly
4th – Lot 53 Andrew Reid, Knockdhu, Hill of Logie, Ellon
Class 11 – Haltered Heifer
1st – Lot 56 Kate Mitchell, Ploverwards, Keith
2nd – Lot 58 Abbie Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains, Maud
3rd – Lot 57 Kate Mitchell, Ploverwards, Keith
4th – Lot 55 Molly Poyser, Cummerton, New Pitsligo
Class 12 – Haltered Heifer
1st – Lot 62 Thomas Hall, 6 Bruce Brae, Longside
2nd – Lot 59 Abbie Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains, Maud
3rd – Lot 61 Keely Mitchell, Carron Mains, Aberlour
4th – Lot 60 Keely Mitchell, Carron Mains, Aberlour
Class 13 – Home Bred Bullock
1st – Lot 65 Ellie Milne, Meikle Rowater, Cornhill
2nd – Lot 67 Archie Milne, Kennieshillock Farm, Lhanbryde
3rd – Lot 66 Molly Poyser, Cummerton, New Pitsligo
Class 14 – Home Bred Heifer
1st – Lot 69 Mel Buchan, Clinterty, New Aberdour
2nd – Lot 70 Kyle Cruikshank, Clury Farm, Dulnain Bridge
3rd – Lot 68 Aiden Ogg, Deskry Farm, Strathdon
4th – Lot 71 Mel Buchan, Clinterty, New Aberdour
Champion Home Bred
Lot 69 Mel Buchan, Clinterty, New Aberdour
Champion Bullock
Lot 35 Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple
Reserve Champion Bullock
Lot 39 Amara Nairn, Clashnoir Farm, Ballindalloch, Auchnarrow
Champion Heifer
Lot 52 Sara Cheyne, Banchor View, Glen Road, Newtonmore
Reserve Champion Heifer
Lot 34 Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple
Overall Best Quality Animal
Lot 52 Sara Cheyne, Banchor View, Glen Road, Newtonmore
Calladrum Cup
1st – Lot 39 Amara Nairn, Clashnoir Farm, Ballindalloch
1st Equal – Lot 58 Abbie Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains, Maud
3rd – Lot 34 Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple
4th – Lot 47 Keely Mitchell, Carron Mains, Aberlour
Best Overwintered Steer
1st – Lot 39 Amara Nairn, Clashnoir Farm, Ballindalloch
1st – Lot 47 Keely Mitchell, Carron Mains, Aberlour
3rd – Lot 13 Amara Nairn, Clashnoir Farm, Ballindalloch
4th – Lot 37 Kiera Smith, Netherton, Whitehouse
5th – Lot 35 Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple
Best Overwintered Heifer
1st – Lot 58 Abbie Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains, Maud
2nd – Lot 34 Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple
3rd – Lot 31 Amara Nairn, Clashnoir Farm, Ballindalloch
4th – Lot 52 Sara Cheyne, Banchor View, Glen Road
5th – Lot 42 Jasmin Strachan, Backhill of Camaloun, Auchterless
Highest Average Daily Weight Gain, Steers
1st – Lot 13 Amara Nairn, Clashnoir Farm, Ballindalloch
2nd – Lot 47 Keely Mitchell, Carron Mains, Aberlour
3rd – Lot 46 Adam Mackillop, Home Farm, Aberlour
4th – Lot 39 Amara Nairn, Clashnoir Farm, Ballindalloch
5th – Lot 35 Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple
Highest Average Daily Weight Gain, Heifers
1st – Lot 31 Amara Nairn, Clashnoir Farm, Ballindalloch
2nd – Lot 17 Alanah Gordon, Lost Farm, Strathdon
3rd – Lot 42 Jasmin Strachan, Backhill of Camaloun, Auchterless
4th – Lot 9 Jenna Ross, Wardhead, Strichen
5th – Lot 22 Jasmin Strachan, Backhill of Camaloun, Auchterless
Highest Margin, Steers
1st – Lot 39 Amara Nairn, Clashnoir Farm, Ballindalloch
2nd – Lot 1 Euan Rae, Annieswells, Maud
3rd – Lot 37 Kiera Smith, Netherton, Whitehouse
4th – Lot 45 Natalie Milne, Meikle Rowater, Cornhill
5th – Lot 13 Amara Nairn, Clashnoir Farm, Ballindalloch
Highest Margin, Heifers
1st – Lot 58 Abbie Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains, Maud
2nd – Lot 34 Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple
3rd – Lot 52 Sara Cheyne, Banchor View, Glen Road
4th – Lot 9 Jenna Ross, Wardhead, Strichen
5th – Lot 56 Kate Mitchell, Ploverwards, Keith
Best Presented and Paraded
1st – Lot 49 Finlay Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond
2nd – Lot 58 Abbie Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains, Maud
3rd – Lot 38 Ellie Milne, Meikle Rowater, Cornhill
4th – Lot 42 Jasmin Strachan, Backhill of Camaloun, Auchterless
5th – Lot 32 Sara Cheyne, Banchor View, Glen Road
Novice Award
1st – Lot 52 Sara Cheyne, Banchor View, Glen Road
2nd – Lot 46 Adam Mackillop, Home Farm, Aberlour
3rd – Lot 32 Sara Cheyne, Banchor View, Glen Road
Junior Award
1st – Lot 39 Amara Nairn, Clashnoir Farm, Ballindalloch
1st Equal – Lot 58 Abbie Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains, Maud
3rd – Lot 31 Amara Nairn, Clashnoir Farm, Ballindalloch
Club Award
1st – Keith
2nd – Garioch
2nd Equal – New Deer
4th – Udny