Exciting news, Bonnycroft McMoos little 4month old heifer, Skye has won the Supreme Champion Lifestyle award at the Levin Show 22 January.
We went up to the show to help Laura and Graham out with the 3 animals they were showing. As we hadn't been to the Levin show before we thought it would be nice to see where it was and who attended etc and catch up with everyone we hadn't seen for awhile. The show was running a separate Dexter Show, a Purebred Beef Show and also the Lifestyle Show. It was run differently to other shows we had been to, as the 3 shows were intermingled. This did work out well as it meant that if you had animals in different age groups, then you weren't running into the ring, doing your thing, then running out and tying that animal up, grabbing the next and running back out with that one. You had a gap in between to give yourself time to readjust yourself and your next animal.
The judge for the day was Marty Crayfer. Although I hadn't come across him before, he has high regard in the judging and beef world plus travels the world judging Beef animals. He was great as he explained why he put animals where and gave advise. He also seemed to judge the whole picture, as in their horns, behaviour, on top of muscle, balance, walk, feet etc and has a very good understanding on Highlands and what their characteristics should be. This is what we often struggle with in the competitions, as a big majority of the judges, judge our highlands on what a general beef breed should be. Where a lot of characteristics are the same, some are not, plus you do have the extra details such as hair and horns and the Highlands of course being a smaller breed.
Now back to the show: there were some amazing animals in the ring, (including a recent Meat & Wool cup winner), beautiful Mums with calf at foot, lovely yearling girls .. so we were blown away, when Marty announced young Skye as the Supreme Champion. It takes a very confident judge to give such a young animal the Supreme prize. So congratulations Skye, and the Bonnycroft McMoos team, exciting stuff. The other young boy, MacDougal McMoo also took the judges eye. He thought he was a beautiful young boy, and explained to the crowd that he had lovely muscle structure and balance and looked to have a really neat character. Both Skye and MacDougal are the first off spring that Bonnycroft have had with their stud bull Fergus McMoo, so they should be very proud of their achievements this far.
Well thats me today, better go sort dinner. Until next time, enjoy and have fun...
Lesley
