Oban Autumn Sale 2023

Averages: 5x three-year-olds, £5,817; 12x two-year-olds, £2,590; 20x yearlings, £2,425.50; 28x heifer calves, £1,983.75, 6x un-haltered females, £1,680.

The extreme floods and multiple landslides in Argyllshire certainly didn't stop the country's Highland cattle breeders putting on a show of pure quality at the Autumn Show and Sale held in Oban. Spectators and breeders from all over the UK travelled to the annual event and, although some had to turn back on their tracks and watch from home, the majority managed to reach the market.

Clapleadh Ruadh of Cladich, 11,000gns

The society's AGM was cancelled on the Saturday evening, while the show on the Sunday, judged by Stephen Hunter of the Hunters fold from Shotts in Lanarkshire, was rescheduled to take place later in the day. Mr Hunter, who runs the well-known fold with his wife Rosemary and daughter Laura, admitted he was most impressed with his final line-up of cattle which were forward for the championship. Of the 82 cattle forward for sale, 72 sold to new homes, with buyers present from Germany, France and Ireland.

Jon and Queenie Strickland, together with stockman Stuart Campbell, who had an eventful trip to the market himself, set a new breed record of 11,000gns for a heifer calf. The January-born calf named Capleadh Ruadh of Cladich, by Angus 2nd of Sorne, is bred out of Capleadh Buidhe Beg 4th of Cladich. Standing best heifer calf in the show, she was bought by Angus MacGillivray, Old Post Office House, Dalmally.

Bhoidheach Beag 21st of Shenavallie, 9,200gns

The second top price of 9,200gns went to Duncan Buchanan from Benderloch, Oban. This was his first prize winner Bhoidheach Beag 21st of Shenavallie, a three-year-old heifer by Neil Ruadh of Shenavallie, out of Bhoidheach Beag 19th of Shenavallie. She is PD'd in-calf to Ross of Rhudle and was bought by Balrownie Farms, Brechin.

Kirsty 8th of Gartocharn, 6,500gns, champion yearling and reserve overall champion

Jim and Catherine McKechnie from France Farm, Gartocharn, had a show and sale to remember, selling their reserve champion for 6,500gns to Milly Bradley, Thelbridge Hall, Devon. Their star of the event was Kirsty 8th of Gartocharn, an April 2022-born daughter of Brodie of Culfoich, out of Kirsty Morag of Ubhaidh.

Marsili 29th of Leys, overall champion

The Leys Castle Farm team of Hugh Saggers and Dale Scott, from Inverness, lifted the overall female champion award with two-year-old heifer Marsili 29th of Leys, which stood first at several summer shows this year and last. This was the Leys fold's first overall win since 1988, this time with a daughter of their home-bred bull Dougald 2nd of Leys, and the first of his offspring to be offered for sale.

Bred out of Marsili 16th of Leys, this heifer also stood reserve female champion at ‘Stars of the Future’ in 2022. Marsili sold to Germany with Falko Steinberg, who regularly makes the trip to Oban for the two sales each year.

Kathleen 14th of Earn, 5,000gns

Two sold at 5,000gns, including Oighrig Og of Glengoyne, from Ewan Mackay's fold from Balfron Station, Glasgow, to Norman McBurney, Ballymena, Northern Ireland. This three-year-old heifer is by Ceannard of Eilean Mor and is in-calf to Fear-Bata of Achnagoul.

The same buyer bought another three-year-old in-calf heifer at 5,000gns, this time Kathleen 14th of Earn, from Heather Corrigall, Nigg, Easter Ross. By Magnus of Earn, she comes from a long line of Highland Show champions on both sides and was champion herself at the Yorkshire Show this year.

French breeder Yann Guisnel, paid 4,500gns for three-year-old heifer Nadine Geal of Ceannacroic, from Dunlossit Farming, Islay, and 4,000gns for Bridget 3rd of Brindle Point Croft from Eilidh Mackay, Torloisk Farm, Isle of Mull.

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Judge’s report

I would like to thank the Highland Cattle Society for asking me to judge the 2023 Autumn Show and Sale. It was a great honour and privilege - and was good to see so much stock there considering the weather. Most classes were strongly contested. The overall quality of the stock was impressive which made my job harder, and this was in all ages. Congratulations to all the breeders for presenting and showing their cattle to a very high standard.

My final line-up is one of the best I have seen at Oban, and I had no hesitation in tapping out my champion, a very stylish 2-year-old heifer who made her presence felt all throughout the day. Whilst waiting on my reserve 2-year-old coming out, I was standing back looking at my 3-year-old and the yearling, and the more I looked at the yearling she was ticking my reserve box. A heifer not unlike my champion with style and presence - and I’m sure we will see this heifer in the future.

I think it was a very positive sale with most stock finding new homes and hopefully we will see some in the show scene.

The Young Handlers is also a very hot contested competition, and I would have loved to give them all firsts. It gives me positivity for the future. Once again thanks for asking me and it’s definitely been the highlight of my judging career.

Stephen Hunter

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Prize list

Class 1 - Three-year-old heifer

1, D Buchanan's Bhoidheach Beag 21st of Shenavallie; 2, Miss E McKay's Bridget 3rd of Brindle Point Croft; 3, Mr E Mackay's Oighrig of Glengoyne.

Class 2 - Three-year-old heifer

1 and best three-year-old, Mrs H Corrigall's Kathleen 14th of Earn; 2 and reserve three-year-old, Dunlossit Farming's Nadine Geal of Ceannacroic.

Class 3 - Two-year-old heifer

1 and best two-year-old, Leys Castle Farm's Marsili 29th of Leys; 2, A and H Kirkpatrick's April Ruadh 7th of Glengarnock; 3, DR Dickson's Iona 3rd of Lyntoun. 

Class 4 - Two-year-old heifer

1 and reserve two-year-old, K and M Macgregor's Ros-Geal of Eilean Mor; 2, Mr and Mrs G Easton's Lilly of Ranch; 3, Mr & Mrs JS McKechnie's Esmi 2nd of Gartocharn.

Class 5 - Yearling heifer

1 and reserve yearling, R and S Strachan's Frangag 34th of Cailaich; 2, K Howman's Mairina Eve 3rd of Borland; 3, The Burns family's Eileen 2nd of Tippetcraig.

Class 6 - Yearling heifer

1 and best yearling, Mr and Mrs JS McKechnie's Kirsty 8th of Gartocharn; 2, The Keys family's Barravalla OG 2nd of Ardentraive; 3, Mr and Mrs JS McKechnie's Conni 2nd of Gartocharn.

Class 7 - Yearling heifer

1, Braesgill Ltd's Suairceag Dubh 2nd of Hope; 2, R and S Strachan's Bana Prionnsa Dubh 5th of Cailaich; 3, The Keys family's Bhanna Prionnsa 2nd of Ardentraive.

Class 8 - Heifer calf

1 and best heifer calf, Mrs JH Strickland's Capleadh Ruadh of Cladich; 2 and reserve heifer calf, Mrs JH Strickland's Lady Jane A-Rithis of Cladich; 3, The Burns family's Julie 3rd of Tippetcraig.

Class 9 - Heifer calf

1, D and H Crane's Penny 1st of Gray Brae; 2, D and H Crane's Carol 5th of Gray Brae; 3, V and K Thomson's Gill Ban Righ 2nd of Clackriach.

Class 10 - Heifer calf

1, Glengorm's Clara Beg 3rd of Glengorm; 2, R and S Strachan's Frangag Dubh 35th of Cailaich; 3, R and S Strachan's Bannoch Dubh 4th of Cailaich.

Class 11 - Heifer calf

1, Glengorm's Mairina Lal 23rd of Glengorm; 2, The Culloden Fold's Fionnghal 4th of Culloden; 3, R and S Strachan's Robina 20th of Cailaich. 

Class 12 - Cows and senior heifers

1, Mr and Mrs S Haley's Alice of Seam.

Young handlers

14 years and under – 1 and best young handler, Tara Adams; 2, Ruairidh Mackay; 3, Jamie Adams.

15-18 years – 1 and reserve young handler, Sophie Adams; 2, Rhianydd Davies; 3, Calum Mackay.

Males

1, Tordarroch Estate's Argyle of Tordarroch.

Best pair of heifer calves

Cladich

Overall champion

Marsili 29th of Leys

Reserve

Kirsty 8th of Gartocharn