Obituaries 88 Young Breeder Spotlight

YOUNG BREEDER SPOTLIGHT – LEWIS RALSTON - by Siân Sharp

Despite winning numerous young handler contests, including the 2022 Royal Highland Show Overall Young Handler title, Lewis Ralston remains grounded in the words of Jimmy Laing, “never get too excited when you win, because next time you’re out, you could be last!”.

What’s your background?

I'm fifteen years old and have an older brother, Greg, who is nineteen years old. My mum, Fiona works locally as a legal secretary and my dad Neil, has been farm manager here at Edgerston Home Farm since 2008.

Farm Facts

• 600 acres • Mixed livestock and arable • 100 Salers • 11 Highland Cattle • 400 Breeding ewes Edgerston Home Farm is located just seven miles outside of Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders spread across six hundred acres of mixed livestock and arable. The farm runs one hundred Salers breeding stock as well as eleven Highland cattle and four hundred breeding ewes consisting of Texel cross and Suffolk cross ewes. My hobbies include playing rugby for Jedburgh Grammar Campus and for Jedforest U16’s and I am a member of the Salers Cattle Society of the UK and the British Charolais Cattle Society.

Why Salers?

When dad started working here at Edgerston they had no cattle, only sheep. In 2014 it was decided to get cows and after looking at several breeds and looking at Roy and Adam Crockett’s Salers and seeing and hearing about their ease of calving and maternal traits, it was decided that Salers suited the system we wanted at Edgerston. In 2017 mum and dad bought Greg and I, a bulling heifer each, which was bought from Roy and Adam Crockett which started Jedforest Salers. Today the Jedforest herd still runs two breeding cows, Jedforest Nightshade and Seamore Nicole Kidman. Salers are known for their ease of calving and maternal traits and seeing them calve so easily at Edgerston there is no other breed that would calve with such ease which means Salers really do suit any sire.

What are your thoughts on myostatin?

People buy Salers for their ease of calving and being milky mothers therefore bringing myostatin into the breed defeats the purpose of Salers but if the Society want to get rid of myostatin they need to stop cattle with myostatin getting shown with cattle without it.

What do you look for in your ideal animal?

The ideal Salers should have a big, long, wide frame, be good on its legs, good over the plates, good head, big ears and be good at walking.

What qualities do you like in other breeds of cattle or sheep?

I like Charolais cattle because they are big strong cows with a big carcass as well as shape and style. Texel sheep are one of my favourites because of the big traditional head and a big strong meaty body.

What is the best Salers that you have seen and why?

Bacardi Jessie Jay has to be the best Salers I have seen with a square back end, good big head and ears on big strong legs with exceptional length, she really ticks all the boxes!

Who has had the most influence on you and why?

The people with most influence on me would be my dad at home making sure I’m kept interested in agriculture and especially livestock but when it comes to showing it would have to be Roy Crockett because for many years and after many lectures, he’s taught me what to do and what not to do in the show ring.

What stock man or woman do you admire most and why?

Roy Crockett because anytime I’m in the show ring and he isn’t, he will always be there at the side and nine out of ten times, he gives me useful tips and tricks. To see what Roy started with to where him and Adam are now, is inspirational.

What is the best advice you have received?

The best advice I have received would be from Jimmy Laing who said, “never get too excited when you win, because next time you’re out, you could be last!”.

What advice would you give to other young people who were considering breeding Salers?

GO FOR IT! Salers are easy kept with a quiet temper and maternal traits and really suit any system.

What is your favourite farming event of the year and why?

The Great Yorkshire Show because it’s a very good show with a great atmosphere and all the people and security are very friendly and the facilities for people showing are great and always kept clean.

What is your greatest success with Salers?

Winning the young handlers at the 2022 Royal Highland Show with my own heifer, Jedforest Roxy and also bringing out Kaimburn Precious for Edgerston Trading when she was breed champion at the Highland Show.

What would you like to do next?

I would love to be breed champion with one of my own animals at the Royal Highland Show or Great Yorkshire Show. Greg was champion at the Great Yorkshire Show with his heifer, Jedforest Nightshade in 2019, so I would love to be champion as well.

What are your personal aims and ambitions?

When I leave school, I would like to work somewhere with pedigree cattle and sheep so that I can keep showing.

What are your thoughts about the Salers Cattle Society?

The Society is lucky to have such an enthusiastic and fun secretary who will take the Society forward.

Is there anything you would like the Salers Society to do in the future?

I hope they set-up a youth development programme.

Finally in one sentence how would you sum up Salers?

The ultimate all round breed that suits both pedigree and commercial farmers.