An opportunity to view one of Scotland’s most renowned Aberdeen-Angus herds will take place on Saturday, August 16, when the Wedderlie herd celebrates its centenary.

The open day will be hosted by the present owners of the herd, John and Marion Tilson, and their daughter, Wanda Hobbs, and is being supported by the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society.

EDF Energy Renewables, which is EDF Group’s UK renewables development company, will be mainline sponsor. “We wanted to mark the Centenary of the herd by doing something to promote the Aberdeen-Angus breed and we are grateful to EDF Energy Renewables and many other generous sponsors who are making this Open Day possible,” said Marion, whose family have farmed at Wedderlie since 1942.

“The Wedderlie Aberdeen-Angus herd has always been the backbone of our farming enterprise and we want to demonstrate how the Aberdeen-Angus breed, with its hardiness and excellent maternal attributes, coupled with the strong consumer demand and premium prices for the end product, is the ideal breed for an exposed hill farm such as Wedderlie.”

EDF Group is one of the largest energy companies in Europe and EDF Energy Renewables has recently developed a large scale wind farm in the Lammermuirs which is accessed via Wedderlie.

Nick Bradford, EDF Energy Renewables’ Head of Asset Management, said: “We take a long term approach regarding our developments and we see ourselves very much as part of the communities where our wind farms are located. We’re therefore very pleased to be involved in an event which celebrates an activity and a way of life which is so much a part of the local area. We hope that everyone who comes along enjoys the day and the opportunity to be a part of the centenary celebrations.”

Wedderlie is a typical Borders hill farm extending to 2500 acres and rising from 800ft to 1200ft. The open day will include a farm tour by tractor and trailer and activities around the extensive range of farm buildings will include practical demonstrations and competitions, including stockjudging.

Features will include a sheepdog handling demonstration and a parade by the Lauderdale Foxhounds. There will also be an opportunity to taste Wedderlie beef with a barbecue provided by Steve Mitchell of The Buffalo Farm in Fife.

The Open Day will start at 10.00am with the Official Opening at 11.00am. Tours around the farm will leave every half hour from 11.30am onwards.

The Wedderlie herd was founded by A W Baird in 1914 and was taken over by Mrs Tilson’s grandfather, Capt Thomas Elliot, when he acquired the farm in 1942. On his death in 1954, the farm and herd were bequeathed to his daughter, Mrs J R L Campbell, who with her husband, Jock, continued to run the herd very successfully for many years.