After a great 2017 which will be a year to remember for all within and around the Society, here is your first Friday update of 2018. We’d like to start by wishing all of our members and followers a very Happy New Year from the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society. We’re extremely thankful for all our members’ support and are looking forward to having an excellent 2018 on all levels.
Appointment of new Chief Executive
After much deliberation and consideration, we’re delighted to be in the position to be able to announce the appointment of our new Chief Executive Officer in Barrie Turner, who will take up the position in early February. We look forward to bringing you a more detailed piece with Barrie to fully introduce him to all members. In the mean time we’ve had the chance to speak to him to gain his initial response to being appointed as Chief Exec:
“Firstly, I would like to express my thanks to the Council for deeming my experience in both agriculture and business appropriate and suitable to take on the role of Chief Executive Officer of the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society.
“I feel deeply honoured and privileged to take this appointment and, along with Council and the team at Pedigree House, be able to make a difference and take the Society forward from where it is today.
“I anticipate that I will have the opportunity to meet many of you over the coming weeks, and it is important that when we do meet, everyone is as open and honest as possible to enable the views of the membership to be tabled and discussed. I look at this as an essential part of ensuring further progress with the breed and the Society.
“Please feel free to contact me at any time with your ideas and thoughts on where we can improve things, or concerns on anything that may hamper us from taking the Society forward.
“I very much look forward to getting involved with our members, our Youth Development Programme and stakeholders to take the breed forward together, exploring every opportunity that arises to make that happen.’’
The Review
As you will be aware, the development of the 100th edition of the Aberdeen-Angus Review has been ongoing over the last few months, and we’re delighted to now be in the final stages of organising for print and delivery to all members. This year’s version is packed full with beneficial technical content, interesting case studies and all the show and sale round-ups from 2017. We’re excited to have the Review with all members this month well in advance of the Stirling Bull Sales on February 5th.
Central club Q&A night
We informed you about how the Central Scotland Aberdeen-Angus Club will be hosting a Q&A night on Monday the 15th of January at 7.15pm with a great panel to answer all questions. For more information on the night and how you can confirm your attendance, visit: http://aberdeen-angus.co.uk/news/central-scotland-aberdeen-angus-club-q-and-a-night/
AHDB Beef & Lamb Progressive Herd award
We must again extend our congratulations to the Pottage herd owned by Richard & Penny Mortimore from West Sussex, as they were recently recognised by AHDB Beef & Lamb as the most progressive herd of Aberdeen-Angus cattle based on the herd’s genetic merit and improvement in 2017. Talking of winning the award, Richard said: “I was astonished to hear that I won an award for anything, let alone being recognised by AHDB Beef & Lamb as the most progressive herd of Aberdeen-Angus cattle. It is pleasing to know that the efforts and investments involved in the system is bringing real gain to our pedigree Aberdeen-Angus cows”. For the full piece and more commentary from Richard, visit: http://aberdeen-angus.co.uk/news/the-pottage-herd-wins-ahdb-beef-and-lamb-progressive-herd-award-for-the-aberdeen-angus-cattle-breed/
Regional Club events
If there are any events going on in the coming months within the regional clubs, from bull walks to Q&As or other events, please feel free to make the Society aware of these and we’d be more than happy to publicise them on the Society website and through the social media platforms.
World Angus Forum cookery competition
Hayley Bruce who was the winner of the World Angus Forum cookery competition is set to jet off to Australia to start her placement courtesy of renowned chef Tristin Farmer. We’d like to take the opportunity to wish Hayley all the best on her travels – we’re sure you’ll have a wonderful time and gain some invaluable experience for her current and future career. We look forward to speaking to Hayley to bring a follow up of her time overseas in the near future.
From all at the Society, have a wonderful weekend.