Over-wintering competition goes ahead despite coronavirus adversity

Yesterday saw the Orkney Young Farmers annual over-wintering competition go ahead at Orkney Auction Mart – albeit under the strict measures currently in place at the mart. In line with the current guidance from the government, the competition – which would normally be a well-attended affair – was held behind closed doors, with not a spectator in sight.

This morning also sees a special sale go ahead at the mart – the first proper Monday sale to be held there for weeks, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The overwintering competition sees young farmers buy an animal in the back-end of the year before, normally some time between August and October. They then see who can win the favour of the judge and who can have their animal put on the most weight in the time they have it.

This year the competition was judged by Shapinsay’s Stuart Leslie, who chose a March 2018-born Limousin cross heifer shown by St Ola’s Inga Kemp as his overall champion. The heifer was bred by G. & S. Sinclair, Beboran, Harray.
Connor Spence, from Hayon, Birsay, had the second best beast – a Limousin cross heifer, born in November 2017, and bred by J. & J. Smith, Upper Cornquoy, Holm.

Meanwhile, the prize for the highest average weight gain again went to an animal overwintered by George Low, of Craighaven, Toab. This year his November 2018-born Charolias cross steer achieved an average weight gain of 1.61kg per day. The steer was bred by P. & M. Miller, Haquoy, Shapinsay.

The most weight gain seen in a heifer was set by a February 2019-born Charolais cross over-wintered by Robbie Stevenson of Backakelday Farm, Holm. The heifer, bought from Balfour Estates, Ness Farm, Shapinsay, gained an average of 1.22kg per day.

Prizes were also given for the best home-bred animal. The champion there was an animal shown by Connor Spence – this time a British Blue cross steer born in November 2018.

The reserve spot went to a January 2019 Limousin cross steer shown by Keith Isbister, from Old Hall, Stromness.
As with previous years, the competition’s main sponsor was Serco NorthLink Ferries.

For full sales figures from Monday’s special sale, which included the over-wintered animals, see this week’s edition of our newspaper, available on Thursday.