Blingery farm breeder breaks record at Oban cattle sale
The breed record for a Highland female was broken at the spring cattle sale in Oban with Kirsty Dhubh 3rd of Blingery farm near Wick.
The female show champion went on to sell for 35,000gns, which was 15,000gns above the previous female best. She was shown by Morven Coghill who runs Blingery farm on behalf of Peter Haig-Thomas.
Morven said: “I knew this heifer was exceptional but never expected to reach the dizzy heights of breaking a record, I’m just so unspeakably proud and will be for a very long time.”
At Blingery she runs a fold of pedigree Highland cattle and a flock of North Country Cheviot sheep.
Agricultural consultant Karin McGivern said: “Established in 2016, Morven takes great care in breeding her stock for various traits including temperament, breed character and most importantly confirmation.”
Morven runs a fold of 40 breeding females and followers which now comprises mostly of homebred stock. Blingery purchased the top-priced bull at the Oban spring sale last year with Glen of Applecross who cost 12,000gns.
Karin continued: “Kirsty Dhubh the 3rd of Blingery is the first home-bred heifer that Morven has shown and sold at Oban, and is a great example of the quality of the stock that the Blingery fold has to offer.
“Blingery is perfectly suited to the Highland cattle fold. And having more than 500 acres to utilise there is enough land for the sheep too.”
The land at Blingery is managed for biodiversity in an environmentally friendly manner. There are ponds and woodland present upon the land and a diverse range of flora and fauna.
“Morven is very careful to manage both the holding and the livestock with minimal inputs. You could say her management style is the epitome of extensive farming,” added Karin.
Morven’s family has many award-winning achievements, with her father being the late well-known Alex Coghill of Ousdale and her sister Tina of Inkstack flock.