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Directorsʼ spotlight Alistair Gibson A former keeper on a grouse beat, Alistair Gibson says, despite his foray into the sporting sector, he always knew he’d end up back in livestock farming. Perhaps it was the desire to always have homebred beef available in his fridge or simply his passion for stockmanship, with limited reliance on technology, but whatever the driver for his involvement in livestock, a clear focus on commercial production is behind his choice of Shorthorns. Alistair says his aim with Shorthorns is to add value to commercial suckler production and says if he could go back to his 25th birthday he’d tell himself that it is easy to make a good job out of something you enjoy. In a similar vein, he suggests if he could turn back time he’d get involved in pedigree breeding earlier in his farming career. For the Cutthorn herd which Alistair founded in 2008, he says given the chance of using a historic bull again he’d take a blast from the more recent past in the shape of Dakota of Upsall. And while his livestock form the backbone of his enterprise, the farm is also home to a glamping enterprise, generating some welcome extra funds.
Fraser Hugill While the Hugill family’s Ballard herd may not have had the most conventional of foundations, Fraser is without doubt now firmly committed to Beef Shorthorns. Starting a herd because the breed looked good value with a view to crossing them with Continental sires to breed replacement heifers, the breed soon showed its true colours and the family were hooked. With a side business as an environmental consultant and a background in conservation management for the North York Moors National Park, Fraser comes at farming with the aim of managing the land to achieve multiple outcomes. As a result, some 40% of the farm is in Countryside Stewardship options, with the cattle a key component in helping enhance the farmed environment. And, while stating he never looks back, only forwards, Fraser does believe there are two bulls from previous times he’d happily have in the herd again now. The first is Glenisla Okotoks, while the second is Chapelton Lilywhite, with both offering different attributes. If pressed for one piece of advice for his 25 year-old self he simply states that the family should have bought the farm they did 13 years sooner, admitting that such wisdom is likely to be as useful as picking the lottery numbers after the event!
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B eef Shorthorn C attl e S oc i ety J o ur n al 2 0 2 3
