CATTLE champions at Scotland's new winter dairy event later this year
will be decided under an entirely new style of judging -- and, for the
first time, a special class is being introduced which will be judged by
spectators.
The joint organisers -- the business services division of the Scottish
National Farmers' Union and the Scottish Dairy Cattle Association --
hope the innovations will add interest and offer something new for both
livestock exhibitors and spectators.
In the final line-up for the first DairyScot overall championship
title there is to be an inter-breed heifer champion, inter-breed junior
cow champion, and inter-breed senior cow champion. These will emerge
from the nine age group classes.
The #10,000 Bank of Scotland sponsorship is expected to attract top
breeders from all over the United Kingdom to the exhibition centre at
Ingliston, near Edinburgh, on Wednesday, November 30. Each class will be
offering a top prize of #200, down to #20 for twelfth place.
A special class for 10,000kg cows will also carry the same prizemoney
-- but, uniquely, it is to be judged by spectators. As the DairyScot
chairman Alex Brown explained yesterday: ''There's a judge in all of
us.''
He claimed that the SDCA, aware of the interest in the industry, and
everyone's wish to have their opinion appreciated, were coming up with
something ''really innovative'' for DairyScot.
''We are confident that this judging programme will attract the
interest of spectators, and we look forward to meeting dairymen from all
over the country at the first DairyScot on November 30, when the entire
show will be under cover at the Royal Highland Exhibition Hall.''
* A RECORD trading profit after interest of #782,551 for the year
ended January 31, 1994 -- representing a turnaround of #1.7m in just two
years -- has been reported by the Perth-based mart group, United
Auctions (Scotland) Ltd. That compares with losses of #358,932 and
#974,130 respectively in the previous two years.
Total group profits for the year, after crediting gains over book
value for property sold, amounted to #1,257,206 after tax. Directors are
recommending a dividend of 15p a share amounting to #89,014 which, with
preference dividends totalling #4582, leaves #1,163,610 to be
transferred to reserves.
United Auctions chief executive Alan McGregor states: ''The livestock
auctioneering business, the main arm of the group's activities, achieved
an increase in turnover of 6.3% and an increase in pre-tax profits of
63% compared to the previous year.
''Significantly, while reducing costs and operating with less staff,
our market share was increased. All our subsidiaries traded
profitably.''
In his chairman's report, John Izat says credit for the results must
go to the executive team for its re-organisation, both of management and
financial controls, and to all the staff for their hard work.
''It is unlikely, however, that the combination of favourable factors
from which we benefited in 1993-94 will continue in the current year,
and it is only right for me to express some caution in the short term.
For the medium term, the board remain confident that shareholders will
receive an improving return on their assets.''
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