Tesco/McIntosh Donald Best Scotch Steak competition

Mearns farmer, Alan Meston, and his wife, Lesley, enjoyed a pleasant surprise while on holiday in Italy during the Royal Highland Show when son, Stewart, ‘phoned to break the news that the family had won the Tesco/McIntosh Donald Best Scotch Steak competition.

“We were runners-up a few years ago and we’ve also had a third-prize ticket but this is the first time we’ve won the top award,” said 21 year old Stewart when presented with the McIntosh Rosebowl and cash prize of £1500 by QMS chairman, Jim McLaren, who was one of the judging panel.

“The quality of the steaks in the competition gets higher and higher every year and the winning steak demonstrated superb eating quality,” said Mr McLaren.

The winner, from the Meston’s 400 acres farm of Chapelton, Stonehaven, where they finish 3000 mostly Continental cross cattle a year, was a steak from a 378kg Aberdeen-Angus cross which classified R4L. It was bought at UA’s Stirling mart as a store animal from breeders, G and M Lammie, Low Drummond, Stranraer.

The winning steak was selected from an initial entry of 180 carcases, from which 12 sirloins were selected at the preliminary judging at McIntosh Donald’s Portlethen meat plant for grilling and tasting on the Tesco stand at the show.

Runner-up was a British Blue cross steer classifying -U4L from Tommy Taylor, Northolm Grange, Lanark, and third place went to Messrs George Orr, Kaemuir, Avonbridge, with a 341.3kg Aberdeen-Angus cross steer classifying R4L.

ASDA/ABP Scotland steak competition

Winners of the ASDA/ABP Scotland steak competition at the Royal Highland Show were AM Hamilton and Son, Milton of Ruthven, Meigle, Perthshire.

The winning steak came from a 25 month old Aberdeen-Angus heifer carcase weighing 334.4kg and classifying R+4.

This year’s competition was confined to Aberdeen-Angus to showcase ASDA’s premium Extra Special Range of certified Aberdeen-Angus.

The competition attracted 65 entries and the cattle were slaughtered and processed at ABP Scotland’s Perth plant.

Runner up was Tommy Taylor, Northolm of Grange, Lanark, with a steak from a 324.2kg carcase classifying R-4 and Gordon Millar, West Hillhead, Monikie, Dundee, took third place with a steak from a 372.2k carcase classifying R-3.