2024 Winter National at the Borderway Agri Expo in Carlisle on Friday 1^st November.

The Aberdeen-Angus Winter National was held on the 1^{st of} November at the internationally recognised Borderway Agri Expo in Carlise and is one of the largest autumn livestock events showcasing the best of the breed and is a celebration of the farmers, breeders and stockman as well as the breed itself.

Owen Tunney of Manor Farm, Cheshire, had a standout day at the Aberdeen-Angus Winter National, where he claimed the overall championship title, also securing the reserve in the interbreed pedigree calf section of The Agri Expo. His winning entry was the February 2022-born heifer Morpheus Rose Y105, presented alongside her March-born bull calf, Morpheus Riptide A163. Rose Y105, a daughter of Cheerbrook Profit acquired from the Cheerbrook dispersal, hails from the renowned Morpheus Rosebud S028, herself a former champion at this event. Her calf, Morpheus Riptide A163, is home-bred and sired by Morpheus Enzo.

In the male section, Judge Tom Beadle of the Noir herd awarded reserve honours to Kilmallie Kolisi A421, the male champion from Ewen M Campbell, Fort William. This impressive seven-month-old calf, sired by Morpheus Kodiak and out of the Canadian embryo Kilmallie Kristina R0222, is now set for Stars of the Future and the Black Beauty Bonanza.

Standing reserve female for Mike and Melanie Alford of Foxhill, Devon, was Gretnahouse Evas Honey Z499 who has also secured championships at the Highland Show, Great Yorkshire, and Royal Welsh, this April 2023-born heifer was acquired as a calf at herd dispersal for 8000gns. She is a Rodmead Primero daughter out of Gretnahouse Evas Honey U052.

Among the males, Hamish W Sclater of Denhead, Turriff, saw success with Deveron Elliott Z923, who took runner-up honors. This March 2023-born bull, sired by privately purchased Rawburn Braw Lad and bred from the reserve winning Deveron Estorella, was recently named male champion at Turriff and is destined for the Stirling Bull Sales in February.

The Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society would like to congratulate Richard Rettie, who was awarded the 2024 David Thomlinson Lifetime Achievement Award, for his dedication in preparing cattle for the UK’s most prestigious show rings.

Richard is the fourth recipient of this award, created by Harrison and Hetherington in 2021 to recognise a lifetime’s commitment and accomplishment within the livestock farming industry, following David Thomlinson’s untimely death in a tragic accident.

His nomination stated: “Richard is a master of his profession. He has earned the trust of the pedigree cattle industry throughout the UK and has a vast number of customers who rely on his ability to produce pedigree cattle to the animal’s full potential.

He is always the first to credit his wife, Carol, for making their success possible, and we all hope very much that they will continue to push the standards of showing even higher and with ever greater success.

They support the industry and the agricultural community, and they are a wonderful inspiration to the next generation of breeders and showers.”

Having establishing himself as a leading freelance stockman 27 years ago, Richard commented: “David Tomlinson was a mentor and an inspiration to me early in my career, and this is a very great honour to receive his award for doing something that I love. It makes me feel old, but I am absolutely over the moon to have received such a prestigious award.”

Agri Expo – Winter National Show – Results

CHAMPIONSHIPS

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