The madness is on its way for another year! The internet will soon be littered with videos of shoppers from around the country (the world even) queuing overnight and frantically rushing to find the best deals. It can only mean one thing… BLACK FRIDAY is coming! Check out our own Merchandise page as we bring you our very own Black Friday deals.

On a more sensible note, with this week marking the changing of the seasons (and with just 7 weeks to Christmas), we should start looking forward and preparing for what is meant to be a very cold winter.

Looking back at the last couple of weeks however, we have been very busy here at the Society. Below is what has been going on over the past 14 days.

101^st Aberdeen-Angus Review: Advertising Deadline Extension

The deadline for booking adverts for the Aberdeen-Angus 101^st edition of the review has been further extended to Friday 30^th of November!

By popular demand we are extending the deadline for members to book their adverts, in order to let as many members as possible be included. The deadline date is in line with the artwork deadline, so make sure to get your bookings and advert artwork in by the end of the month.

Please submit your advert booking forms to Michael at Denvir Marketing as soon as possible. He can be contacted via email at michael.chan@denvirmarketing.com or by phoning 01786 448160. A link to the booking form can be shown below. For those of you who have submitted your booking forms, please make sure to have your artwork sent in by the 30^th of November – many thanks to all in advance.

http://aberdeen-angus.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/attachments/January-2019-Aberdeen-Angus-Review-advertising-booking-form.pdf

News Roundup

The inaugural Aberdeen-Angus Female Show at Skipton was a huge success for the breed with a top price of 3,400gns and a clearance rate of 95%. It was Rawburn Kinannie M580 bred by John Elliot which topped the proceedings at Skipton, rounding off what was a great event in the area!

It was also a very successful day for Matthew & Rita Goulding, Kilmore, Ballyduff, Tralee, Co. Kerry at the Irish Aberdeen-Angus Autumn Premier Sale in Carrick-On-Shannon, with their offering of three heifers selling to an average of €4970; topping the entire sale and sweeping the board in the pre-sale show, clinching both championship rosettes.

We also attended the 2018 Agri Expo at Borderway Mart in Carlisle which saw the overall championship go to Messrs Graham and Carruthers Elspeth, and we brought you some live updates from the 2018 Stars of the Future Calf Show.

Away from the show ring, this week also saw the second part of the Future Leaders course take place in Garstang, Lancashire, and we look forward to bringing you the latest updates from the event soon.

To keep up with all other news from the Society, including great insight into the trainers from the YDP workshop as well as all the latest updates from shows, sales and other events, just head over to the appropriate sections on our website:

News and features: http://aberdeen-angus.co.uk/news/

Show and Sales news: http://aberdeen-angus.co.uk/news/show-and-sales/

News and notices from the CEO

• Seems like an age since the Borderway Mart Agri Expo where we held our Winternational Calf Show; a great success and a tremendous event in the beef industry calendar. Results have all been posted but it was interesting to note that the judging was keenly observed throughout the process with a great interest in the Aberdeen-Angus breed. Thanks as always to a few people for making it all happen; John Elliot Jnr for Judging, Ian Logan and John for a superb job stewarding, Mary Hamnett for her never-ending support, enthusiasm and the finishing touches to the stand. Thanks too to Amy Johnston and Caroline Ford from the office for their administrative duties with rosettes and cups, and with setting up the stand. And let us not forget the dulcet tones of James Playfair Hannay and the very generous support of AK Stoddart for their sponsorship.
• We saw a really good event in our first Female Sale, at Skipton, in conjunction with CCM Auctions. A good interesting set of buyers of whom I caught up with a few; some new to the breed and some not so new! Many thanks to the breeders who supported the sale, and also to the purchasers old and new who took away some really well-bred stock, cementing the event into the Society calendar for next year.
• Stars of the future at Stirling was another event during this last fortnight where the multibreed calf show takes its place in the major event category. Central Scotland is a super location with good connections from all directions that led to good numbers in all classes for Aberdeen-Angus. We were please to welcome a visitor from Texas, Scott Scherer of Cypress Creek Angus, and he was warmly welcomed by the breeders present. Ably Judged by Bert Taylor and with three rings going, a good shop window for all the beef breeds and a spectacle for the attending visitors. Great job done by the organisers, in particular Adrian Ivory, who will be stepping down as Chairman this year after 10 years! Well done for getting this to the point where it is today Adrian.
• I joined Gemma Wark on the speaker’s platform at the Central Scotland Aberdeen-Angus Club. Gemma walked us through her last year travelling and seeing the extensive world of Aberdeen-Angus in other countries; a great experience and one well worth sharing. After some technical hitches COE took the stage and gave a presentation on some of the plans for the year ahead which was followed by a question and answer session. Many thanks to The Club for their kind invitation, the hospitality on the night, and the warmth of the welcome from the members.
• I travelled down to Garstang for the last day of the Future Leaders initiative, being run this year as a new addition to the YDP, where I met with some really bright stars of the future. The feedback was very positive in terms of the course outcome with a unanimous verdict that the course had delivered its aim, which was a good outcome. We followed up the course with a sit down and discussed all things YDP with Committee Chair and Gayle Bersey ahead of Committee meetings and council in early December.
• There is lots going on with The Review preparation, with many articles already submitted covering a multitude of different aspects of all things Aberdeen-Angus. This should be dropping onto your mat at the latest in the 2^nd week of January. Time is getting short but If you have any suppliers who you feel may be interested in advertising in the review put them in contact with Michael at Denvir Marketing and he will be happy to oblige!
• Wednesday saw the first part of the Premier Meat Exhibition with the live judging of the animals taking place at Caledonian Mart Stirling. Aberdeen-Angus classes have been really well supported in this competition and the carcass judging takes place at Scotbeef, Bridge of Allan, on Saturday 17^th November. You can see the live results here and we look forward to bringing you the carcass results in the next report.

  http://www.fatstockclub.co.uk/workspace/pdfs/live-cattle-results-2018.pdf

• I look forward to seeing many of you from the North East at Thainstone for the biggest calf show in the country with over 100 entries in the Black Beauty Bonanza!
• Also looking forward to going down to the South West Scotland Clubs AGM on the 24^th November. It’s my first opportunity to visit members in SW Scotland, although I have met some on the show circuit this summer and in particular at the Black Isle Show.

Notes and actions from Laura Stewart

• Council Nomination papers are out with you all, this is the opportunity to put forward a member or members that you feel would best represent you on Council. It is really important that we have everyone’s views represented so please give this matter some serious consideration. The closing date is Friday 23^rd November.
• The Irish Aberdeen-Angus Association Council Nomination paper for 2019 will be mailed out next week – so watch out for this is in the post. Please act quickly and return any nominations to us as soon as possible.
• Council meetings – 5^th & 6^th December – any member wishing to raise any matters for the attention of Council should do so through the Council member in their constituency (contact details on the website if you are unsure who you should contact).
• Walkers Show Herd of the Year Competition 2018 Results–
• Winner – Donald Rankin
• Second – Mosston Muir Farm Ltd
• Third (joint) – Shadwell Estate Company and Messrs R & C Rettie

We offer our congratulations to all of the above members in taking part and the effort that is involved in taking a place on the winner rostrum throughout the year has to be commended.

News and notices from Angela Cumming in the Finance Department

• Thank you to all of you for tidying up your accounts for the year end. The final accounts are being submitted to the auditors prior to council in December.
• We have tried to make it easier to settle outstanding accounts and the card payment system is working really well so while it’s in your mind just pick up the phone. Angela is always ready to take your payments (it makes her happy)!

News and Notices from the Registrations Department

• It has come to our attention that some veterinary groups, when they flush cows, are now not taking a hair sample for DNA testing.  This will be the responsibility of the member to ensure that all flushed cows have a Sire verified DNA result on file to allow registration of all progeny.

• Please enter your animals as soon as you can for the February Bull sales so that any DNA and Myostatin results required can be processed in good time. Don’t forget we lose a two-week window for this at Christmas.

News and Notices from the Pedigree Cattle Services Team

• If anyone wants to start on the performance recording please contact Barbara, Helena or Amy in the Breedplan office. This makes data available that you can use to develop your enterprise and breeding programme. It helps monitor your herd and individual animals’ performance and bench marks against breed average, which is a very worthwhile thing to be part of.
• Busy time ahead with the Bull Sales for breeds represented by Breedplan so please enter all animals as early as possible to help ensure the last-minute fire fight can be avoided.

Events

The main highlight in the events calendar in the coming weeks is the Black Beauty Bonanza which will take place at Thainstone Exchange in Inverurie, on Friday 23rd November. As one of the most anticipated calf shows on the calendar, with over 100 entered, make sure to be there to see some of the very best our great breed has to offer.

A full list of key upcoming events in the calendar is shown below:

Shows and Sales:

–23^rd of November: Black Beauty Bonanza

–30^th Nov – 1^st Dec: Winter Stock Festival

Merchandise

BLACK FRIDAY

We’re bringing you our very own Aberdeen-Angus Black Friday 2018 deals for one week only!

–Baseball hat and AA scarf together at £25.00 + a free lapel badge

–Tie of Choice, Cufflinks red or black, and a tie pin £15.00 + a free lapel badge

–Aberdeen Angus Teddy + I love angus T shirt £18.00 + a free lapel badge

You can purchase by phoning the office directly, speak to Yvonne who can deal with and dispatch your orders for all our merchandise. You can pay over the phone by card or simply add it to your next invoice. Full range of merchandise available to view online at: http://aberdeen-angus.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/attachments/Merchandise-poster-2018-web.pdf

From all at the Society, have a great weekend!