Turriff farmers win RNAS carcase competition

- Published: 05 March, 2008

Turriff farmers Simon and Christina Roebuck have won the Royal Northern Spring Show carcase cattle championship for the second year running.

The couple won the championship last year, on their first attempt, with an entry from their 70-cow suckler herd at Lendrum, Turriff, and repeated the feat at the judging of the carcase cattle "on the hook" at Scotch Premier Meat's Inverurie plant.

"We moved only last year from selling store cattle to finishing and didn't expect to win the championship last year, far less two years running," said a delighted Simon Roebuck.

"However, we are thinking about going back to selling in the store market this spring, in view of the high prices currently being paid for stores."

The couple,like many other beef farmers, have also slightly cut back on their cow numbers and are ploughing up more grass for cereal growing, given the strong market for grain.

Their winning carcase was from a home-bred Limousin x Charolais/Belgian Blue steer by the same sire as last year's winner, Baillie Outlaw.

The champion was bought by the judge, retired Torphins butcher George Sinclair, on behalf of Sussex butcher Robert Rawlings.

"The champion was an outstanding carcase and topped a very good show of quality carcases," said Sinclair.

Champion in the sheep carcase section, judged at Mathers (Inverurie), was Shona Milne, Parkdargue, Forgue, Huntly, with Beltex crosses.