The Belted Galloway Cattle Society

Online access to the Society's data

In a new development for the New Year the Society is pleased to announce that members will shortly be able to access data for both animals and breeders via this website. Letters should be arriving in early January which will provide members with their membership number and an individual access code. Click the Grassroots link near the right of the top bar and you will be prompted to enter your membership number and access code. You will then be able to search for animals on the database and look at their pedigree and any progeny. You will also be able to search for members, although due to Data Protection rules some of this information may be withheld.

In addition to reasearching animal data you will be able to perform the many actions online, including birth notifications, registrations and transfers. You will also be able to update your own membership details as you wish. This will improve the efficiency of the service to members and greatly reduce paperwork. Council has also decided that where birth notifications are submitted online, and no birth certificate is requested, the usual charge of £5.00 plus V.A.T. will be waived.

Where online pedigree registrations are concerned it will still be necessary to submit a likeness of the calf so that its markings can be checked. The Grassroots software does not provide for this, however, Council has agreed that breeders can either submit digital photographs of the animal (one of each side) or a scanned sketch. Either of these can be submitted by email to reduce paperwork.

We hope you enjoy making use of the system and there's little doubt that the opportunity to reduce form-filling will be most welcome. Any comments or suggestions on the operation of the system should be sent to the Secretary.

Castle Douglas sale a great success

The Society's prestigious annual show and sale of Belted Galloways and White Galloways was held on Friday 21st October at Wallets Marts in Castle Douglas. An increased entry of 99 registered Belted and White Galloways was forward, together with 76 appendix and commercial cattle.

At the pre-sale show judge Helen Hamilton of the famous Lullenden herd picked for her champion Carolyn Fletcher's in calf heifer Barwise Crystal Moon. This Barwise Jupiter daughter out of Park Crissy sold for 2,300 guineas to the Castlemartin Estate in Ireland. Reserve champion was Jane Smith's bull Whitepool McCoy, a Whitepool Rainbow Radar son out of Barclosh Dora which was sold for 3,800 guineas, also to the Castlemartin Estate.

White Galloway champion was Judith Cowie's bull Copelaw Niall, a Barlaes Fastrack son out of Woodhead Alice. The top price in the White Galloway section went to Caroline McMillan's heifer Alexandra of Lessnessock, which made 1,250 guineas. This was closely followed by Messrs. Gilligan's heifer High Creoch Margaret 4th, which was reserve champion in the pre-sale show and went for 1,100 guineas.

The sale saw a brisk trade from a large gathering of buyers for a very good selection of cattle. Interest in the breed remains high, particularly in Ireland, where a substantial number of purchases are headed. As well as scooping the show champion Carolyn Fletcher sold the highest price female in the sale with her in calf heifer Barwise Miss Marple, which went for 3,600 guineas.

Top price in the sale, however, went to Jane Smith for her junior bull Whitepool Northern Light. A son of the renowned Southfield Double O Seven out of Whitepool Moon Dancer, Northern Light was knocked down to the Howe Mill Estate for 5,800 guineas. In a very good sale for the Whitepool herd Jane also achieved the second highest price of 5,000 guineas paid for by Robert Ross and Ian marshall for another Double O Seven son, Whitepool Neptune.

The Society is grateful to the team at Wallets Marts for their hard work and support in staging this successful event.

World Galloway Conference 2012

This bi-annual event is set to take place amid some wonderful scenery in Ontario from 3rd to 7th September 2012. Our Canadian colleagues have lined up some interesting farm visits to Beltie herds and to Galloway farms, and, if the last conference in Denmark is anything to go by, there will be some excellent hospitality, fascinating sights and the opportunity to make new friends and contacts among our fellow enthusiasts from all parts of the world. The conference is available for all to attend - please see the World Galloway Conference page for more information.

Advertising

As visitors to the site will have noticed our 'market place' has been a great success. We are constantly receiving adverts for cattle 'for sale and wanted' so please do look regularly at what's on offer since it changes all the time.