Bi-Weekly Update: 17th January 2020
And here it is the first Bi-Weekly update of 2020! Welcome to the new decade! We hope you all had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We are all back at our desks and ready for the new year ahead, lots has been happening over the last two weeks with February Bull Sales just around the corner, the Review is on its way to you all very soon and we are all busy preparing for the year ahead. Have a look below at all the latest news from in and around the Society over the last 14 days!
News Roundup
2019 was a great year for the UK & Ireland Angus breed and we are pleased to announce that Tofts Polly Perkins L777 has just been crowned ‘Miss Angus’ European Champion for 2019! The international ‘Miss Angus’ Competition is now in its 9th year, with the finals and awards held at Farmfair in Alberta in Autumn, 2020. Polly Perkins owners & breeders ‘Melview Farming & Playfair Farms’ have won a trip to attend the award ceremony.
Polly Perkins has had a great 2019 winning:
• Female Champion at the National Show
• Female & Breed Champion at Moreton-in-the-Marsh Show
• Reserve Female Champion at Royal Norfolk Show
Polly Perkins is back in calf to have her 8th calf before her 9th Birthday in spring 2020.
The Connaught/Leinster Aberdeen-Angus Club is holding its annual dinner dance on Saturday, January 18th at the Athlone Springs Hotel, Athlone, Co. Westmeath. In addition to the social aspects of the evening, presentations will also be made to the winners of both the club’s summer calf competitions and the national Aberdeen-Angus calf show on the night. Please book your tickets as soon as possible and for more information, please contact Niall on 083 8959478 or Sean on 086 8346050.
The Borders Aberdeen-Angus Club will be having a Borders Bull Walk this weekend on Sunday 19th January 2020. They will be visiting Eastfield, Gordon, Rulesmains, Borewell and Stouphill. For any more information please contact – Dallas Allen – 07738220558 or Natalie Cormack [email protected]
https://www.aberdeen-angus.co.uk/news-and-features/the-borders-club-bull-walk-2020/
With Stirling February Bull Sales just around the corner here is the full programme of events:
Reminder that our AGM is on Sunday 2nd February @ 03:45pm at United Auctions.
The Society’s Drinks Reception and Prize Giving will again take place at Stirling Agricultural Centre on Sunday 2nd February from 6.00-7.30pm.
Tickets are strictly limited and due to the success of last year’s event it is advisable to book your tickets as soon as possible.
Tickets are priced at £10 and are now available by emailing [email protected] or by phone on 01738 448347
2019 has ended in smashing style for our member Geordie Soutar with recognition for his and the family’s effort’s in keeping and maintaining a global genetic pool of Native Angus Cattle for which he has been awarded an MBE in the Queens new year’s honours list. Forfar Farmer Geordie is well known throughout the Aberdeen Angus breeders has been awarded this honour for his role in ensuring that the Native Angus cattle were never lost to the world. The breeds history draws international visitors to the county of Angus and many, many visitors are entertained by the Soutar Family, Geordie Soutar MBE can take pride in the fact that through his devotion to Native Angus cattle he has justly and deservedly received recognition for his cause.
To read the full story please click here
The North East of Scotland are holding their annual Club Dinner and Trophy Presentation on Saturday 8th February at Morris’ Hotel, Oldmeldrum, AB51 0DS. They will take the opportunity to present trophies from the Black Beauty Bonanza alongside the summer show herd trophies.
Tickets are priced at £29 per person for a three course meal which will be followed by their guest speaker for the evening Gavin Tait MRCVS, AB Europe. Gavin is a well-known IVF and Cattle Veterinary Surgeon.
7pm for 7.30pm start.
Places can be booked by contacting club secretary, Claire Johnstone by Saturday 1st Feb at the latest.
Claire –07766409316 [email protected]
The 102nd edition of the Aberdeen-Angus Review will be dropping through member letterboxes NEXT WEEK! It’s packed with interesting and valuable content, helping you get the most from your Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society membership.
The Review will also be available on-line shortly.
FOR NON-MEMBERS: Should you wish a hard copy posted out please send in a cheque for £7.50 to cover postage + packing costs. Mark “REVIEW” as a reference on the back of the cheque and don’t forget to include your postal address.
Reminder for all members that we have a stock for sale section and stock wanted on our website. If you would like something to be posted on this page, please get in touch with the Society office directly via [email protected] Please note that for bulls advertised for sale, a minimum price of £2,000 applies in line with Official Society sales requirements. We only publish adverts for pedigree Aberdeen-Angus stock.
To keep up with all other news from the Society as well as all the latest updates from shows, sales and other events, just head over to the appropriate sections on our website.
Latest News & Features
Shows & Sales News
News and Notices from the CEO
• Have spoken with quite a few members since the return after the Christmas and new year break but take this opportunity to wish you all a happy and prosperous 2020
• We saw 2019 out and had our Christmas lunch as the office closed and had a great couple of hours reflecting over the year. “Secret Santa” was a huge success!!
• Came back after the new year to find Willie McLaren, Bob Anderson and Eddie Gillanders hot off the 2020 starting blocks and working away at the Chronicle of the breed
• The HR Committee too had a meeting at Pedigree House straight after the new year just to tie off some loose ends from last year’s staff review
• The build up to the Feb Bull sales has been all part of the return to work, great jobs by all the girls playing their part in getting all aspects organised.
• Look forward to seeing you all there where I will be celebrating my second year in position as CEO of the UK and Ireland arm of the best breed and brand in the World!
• Rounded off the Review after the last final bits and pieces came together it’s a huge task and thanks to the team at Denvir and especially Natalie Cormack and Eddie Gillanders for their help this year.
• I have received a hundred phone calls in the last two weeks asking where the review is! Owing to deadlines not being met by advertisers it has been delayed in going to print until after Christmas break which was the 7th Jan.
• Next year we will be starting earlier with the preparation so that it is completed and with the printers at the beginning of December so any results or advertisers that don’t meet the deadlines will miss out and also and of December show results will go in the following year.
• Been sorting out the Paper Advertising for the next year have cut back on size to develop further the Social Media Channel exposure experiment which trialled well last year.
• Encouraging to see some enquiries again from overseas for Heifers with a good early start to 2020 hoping this may gather some pace as it has been quiet in the second half of 2019. We have a new part to the web site next to stock for sale – Stock Wanted
• Meetings this week at Saughton House to have a final push on the breeding programme with some further adjustment’s after a very detailed review by Scottish Government
• It has generally for me been some catching up with many small issues and bits and pieces cropping up over the festive period to close off along with planning into the new year.
• This week sees a trip to Orkney for me and the President where we will address the Orkney Agricultural Society and let them know where we are at with the Breed and The Brand
• Many thanks in advance to Colin and Pam Davidson for their kind and generous hospitality and for taking me around the island to make the most of the time there.
• Meeting with Denvir next week to “wash up” after the review and map out our strategies for the forth coming year from a marketing perspective.
• Finalisation of preparation for the AGM and bid farewell to council members leaving office and welcome the new ones to council
• Strategic Meetings arranged for the following week which will take me out of the office but always available on mobile
• Then into the Bull sales, arrival of stock from 5.00pm on Friday with and action-packed agenda all through the weekend until Monday afternoon when we can reflect on the trade.
• It’s a funny thing the Bi Weekly update it shows me on reviewing the two weeks, and how I spend my time, and what is of note and merit to let you all know about it as it takes us forward, but unfortunately so much of my time is spent sorting out matters that do not bring any benefit to the Society, its members or its stakeholders.
News & Notices from the Office Manager Laura Stewart
• The past two weeks have been extremely busy with the preparation of the UK annual report, IAAA annual report and UK voting paper, along with the mailing of these document to our membership. You should have received some or all of these documents by post (depending on where you are located). As a reminder, please return the voting paper for the election of members to Council in the constituency of England & Wales South direct to our auditors Campbell Dallas (the details of which can be found on the voting paper) by Thursday 30th January. The results of the voting for this area will be announced at the AGM on 2nd February.
• Organisation of the Drinks Reception and Prize Giving continues and some tickets are still available but are sure to sell out fast due to the success of the event last year.
• With the December committees and Council meeting and the February Council meeting timed within virtually 8 weeks of each other, this has been a hectic time with the preparation of minutes and action lists. The Council meeting papers have been prepared and will be sent to Council members shortly. Council meets on Sunday 2nd February and any member wishing to raise any points with Council should do so through their local Council representative in advance of the meeting.
News & Notices from Angela Cumming in Accounts
• A kindly reminder that membership for 2020 is due to be paid, if not already done so. You can pay by either cheque, internet banking or credit card. Please don’t forget to quote your membership number when making payments.
News & Notices from the Registrations Department
• The team in Registrations would like to welcome you to the new decade with an early warning that late fees are now charged automatically on all registrations submitted to us out with the normal timeframes. Calves should be intimated to us by 27 days of birth and then female calves should be registered within two months of birth. To avoid double handling, it makes sense to register the female calves at time of intimation. Male calves can be intimated and then upgraded to registration at 6 months. It is important that you remember to go back and upgrade them – after 6 months the fee goes up. Get your registrations in to us as soon as you can and avoid being caught out!!
• If you are sending bulls to the Official Society Sale at Newark on 21st March, please let us know ASAP so that we can arrange the DNA testing. We need plenty time to get the DNA / MYOSTATIN tests sorted out so advance notice of any plans for selling at Official Sales is very helpful.
News & Notices from the Pedigree Cattle Services Department
• Before we know it, it will be calving time again! Here’s a short video on understanding birth weight EBV’S, in this video it shows all the important aspects on birth weight EBV’S and how birth weights should be correctly recorded – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWax8gVFzcU
• If anyone wants to start on the performance recording please contact Barbara, Helena or Amy in the Breedplan office. This makes data available that you can use to develop your enterprise and breeding programme. It helps monitor your herd and individual animals’ performance and benchmarks against breed average, which is a very worthwhile thing to be part of.
News & Notices from YDP
• Senior Conference: Friday 21st Feb – Sun 23rd Feb 2020
The weekend details are a visit to the Dunbia Processing Plant, Farm visits to Melview and Glympton, numerous workshops and presentations, all details of which can be found on our YDP Facebook Event page. Open to anyone aged 18-26 yrs. Cost is £80 towards costs. Speak to your Regional Co-ordinator for more details or download https://www.aberdeen-angus.co.uk/news-and-features/ydp-senior-conference-friday-21st-sunday-23rd-february-2020/
• UK Teams for World Forum Youth Competition 2021
If you would like to take part in this opportunity start putting together your CV and covering letter explaining why you would wish to be selected. Date of event is 18th April-29th April 2021. You need to be 18-25 years of age as at Monday 19th April 2021. More details will be found on our Facebook page and website.
• Workshop dates and venues:
Look out for the full list of dates and venues for 2020 in the new Review, if you wish to attend complete a registration form (found on the society website) and return to [email protected] or to your Regional Co-ordinator. https://www.aberdeen-angus.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/YDP-Workshop-Dates-for-2020-NEW-1.pdf
• New Email addresses:
Your Regional Co-ordinators now have new email addresses for 2020, please make a note of them:
Scotland – [email protected]
Ireland – [email protected]
North England – [email protected]
South England – [email protected]
Merchandise
We still have limited stock available from our great range of merchandise which can be viewed on our website at: https://www.aberdeen-angus.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/attachments/Merchandise-poster-2018-web.pdf
Put in your order for any accessories via [email protected]
From all at the Society we hope you have a great weekend!
