WATCH: Aberdeen Angus heifer gets the nod at Grantown Show

It was a special Grantown Show win for Aberdeen Angus heifer Newton-Struthers Espresso on debut on a balmy day in the ring.

The home-bred 15-month-old Aberdeen Angus cow belonging to A & K Rhind & Son, of Newton of Struthers, Kinloss, took the top award.

The show's guest of honour, Highland councillor Glynis Sinclair, Provost of Inverness, picked out the champion of champions with some advice from livestock veteran judge Harold Murray, from Turriff.

It has been a highly successful show season for Newton-Struthers Espresso who has won no fewer that three supreme titles and seven breed championships this summer.

Owner Graeme Rhind told the Strathy: "Today is the icing on the cake for her first summer show season."

Bred out of Newton-Struthers Emma and sired by Idvies Ed, she was inter-breed champion at Nairn, Keith and Echt. It was a first Grantown champion title for Mr Rhind who is a regular exhibitor at the Grantown Show and has claimed the Aberdeen Angus title on several occasions.

But he was delighted to go two steps further yesterday.

Mr Rhind said: "She has had a great season. It is the one you always want to win but it is hard when you come up against the best sheep and the best horse.

"To get it, I'm absolutely delighted."

Quizzed on what had tipped the judging in his heifer's favour, he said: "Luck has got a lot to do with it to be fair but the judges liked her presence and she has got a lovely head and look about her."

He added: "She'll go home and go out into the field for a while to cool off and stretch but we might take her out to some winter shows. She'll be in calf at the beginning of next year and we'll take it from there."

The overall reserve champion was pedigree blue heifer Solway View Rainbow who will turn two years old in September and belongs to Craig and Jack Hendry, of Heads of Auchinderran, Keith.

She was on her sixth outing on the show circuit, winning inter-breed champion at New Deer, and breed champion at Echt, Nairn and Keith.

Jack Hendry said: "She is very flashy for a British blue – she's a modern type British blue. She is great on the move and holds her head up really cocky and all round she is a good animal.

"I am very pleased with the result.

"We came over with two cattle and champions with them both so it has been a good day all-round."

Show cattle convener Gordon McConachie, of Cromdale, said: "It was a very good show of cattle once again this year. One of two of the farmers were missing because of the good weather – they were taking advantage to get some hay and silage done and we can not blame them for that after the recent weather.

"The classes were very strong and the parade was one of the best you'll see in the north and north-east."

As for the winner, Mr McConachie said: "She was a worthy winner and the judges did a good job."

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