Meet The Judges

Craig Robertson, a seasoned farmer and respected judge, will be bringing his expertise to the Baby Beef and Young Handlers classes at Agri Expo 2024. Craig hails from Newton of Logierait Farm in Perthshire, where he, alongside his family, has been dedicated to farming for over a century. 

At Newton of Logierait Farm, Craig manages a herd of approximately 150 cows, consisting of Limousin and British Blue crosses. His primary focus is on breeding top-tier show cattle and high-quality butchers' calves. The calves are sold between 8 and 12 months old, with most being auctioned at Borderway Mart in Carlisle, while select show cattle are sold at Thainstones. 

In addition to his cattle enterprise, Craig farms in the region of 80 acres of barley, for feed and straw for the farm. He also manages a flock of about 690 ewes. Farming is truly a family affair at Newton, with Craig working closely with his father, his aunt, his wife Eilidh, and their two young sons, Jack and Andrew. Both boys, aged 7 and 5, are already following in their father's footsteps, participating in sheep showing classes. 

Craig has an extensive background in judging, having previously judged Baby Beef at Beef Expo and at various summer shows across Scotland. His experience and keen eye for detail make him an invaluable asset to any judging panel. 

Craig expressed his excitement about judging at Agri Expo, stating, "I am delighted to be asked to judge at Agri Expo. It is one of the main autumn shows and certainly the one which people aim to win." Having attended Agri Expo as a visitor, Craig is well-acquainted with the event and the high standards it upholds. 

In judging the Baby Beef class, Craig will be looking for “I will be looking for a show beast that has style and presence, combined with good legs, good top, and square plates " He anticipates seeing some of the finest cattle from across the UK, given Agri Expo's central location and reputation for attracting top-quality entries. 

Craig is also passionate about supporting the next generation of farmers. "It is great to see the next generation coming on, and the quality they bring is very important. Encouraging them and keeping them in the industry is crucial. I know from recent shows I have attended the huge amount of time, effort, and commitment these young people put into showing stock. It is a joy to see them." 

Brian Davies is a noted breeder, renowned for his work with sheep, mules, and particularly Bluefaced Leicesters.

Brian has dedicated his career to breeding pedigree sheep, focusing primarily on Bluefaced Leicesters and Dutch Spotted sheep, along with Welsh Mules. His journey into breeding began in the early 1980s, during which he ran an operation that produced around 250 mules and Bluefaced Leicesters annually.

Since 1990, Brian has been a regular presence in Cumbria and Carlisle, where he sold his first sheep. His stock, including Dutch Spotted and Bluefaced Leicesters, has consistently excelled, with his mules achieving top prices at notable sales in Builth Wells and Welshpool.

Brian's judging experience is extensive, having judged sheep across Wales, at the prestigious Great Yorkshire Show and Balmoral Show. As Brian puts it, "A mule is a mule and a good sheep is a good sheep!”

On being asked to judge at Agri Expo Brian says, “It is an honour to help out and judge. I have heard all about Agri Expo, but now looking forward to finally attending."

At Agri Expo Brian will be looking for exceptional size, shape, and the distinctive colour markings that define top-quality mules, “I’ll be looking for size, shape, and of course colour comes into it, always breed for colour markings and a good edge.

“I am looking forward to what I know will be a tremendous line up of stock.”

Steven Wilson, an experienced livestock professional and butcher, is set to judge the commercial sheep classes at Borderway Agri Expo 2024.

Born on a family farm in Aspatria, Steven has dedicated his life to working with livestock. He and his family today manage a smallholding near Wigton, where they have been breeding pedigree Limousin cattle under the "Impulsive" prefix for the past decade, and manage summer grass lets. Although Steven no longer keeps sheep, he previously raised Dutch Texels.

When in his twenties, Steven established Steven Wilson Butchers, and now has two shops, one in Corby Hill and another in Brampton. Alongside his wife Gina and their children—Danielle, Natasha, and Scott—Steven runs the business with a focus on quality and local sourcing. His philosophy is to buy sheep wholesale from local suppliers whenever possible, ensuring that his customers receive high-quality, locally-sourced meat.

He knows that local sourcing not only supports the community but also meets the high standards his customers have come to expect, “my customers know, if they come into my butchers, they are going to get quality first and foremost, if they buy a lamb chop, they know that they are getting meat on the bone, that is what I look for when buying.”

Steven is no stranger to livestock judging, having judged at events like the Wigton Show and the Cockermouth Christmas shows, however Borderway Agri Expo represents a step up in terms scale and size of show.

Steven expressed both surprise and pleasure at being selected and plans to focus on selecting robust lambs that exhibit both weight and length. “I will be looking for a good strong lamb, with a bit of weight and length. There will be a good line up of sheep without a doubt, and I will of course be looking for outstanding matching pairs.”

William Smith  from County Meath in Ireland is a full-time farmer, he runs his 200-acre farm, primarily composed of pasture. The farm, known for its exceptional pedigree Limousin cattle under the Millbrook prefix, is home to 65 sucklers, 40 pedigree Limousins, and some sheep.

William is no stranger to Borderway Mart, having been a regular attendee at the Limousin

shows and sales held there, and having officiated at the Limousin sales in 2007 held at

Borderway, with 340 bulls catalogued and judged that day.

Millbrook cattle of note include Millbrook Ginger Spice, a three-time champion at Balmoral

Show and three-time interbreed champion. She was also the mother of Will Lodge Posh

Spice who set a world record sale price at Borderway in 2021.

In addition to his pedigree Limousins, William’s farm also features Limousin cross sucklers,

utilising Charolais and Belgium Blue genetics.

William’s judging credentials are extensive. He has judged at the French National Limousin

Show, the Royal Welsh Limousin Show, and various interbreed and commercial competitions

across Ireland, as well as the interbreeds at Balmoral.

Expressing his honour at being chosen to judge at Agri Expo 2024, William says, “I am very

humbled to be asked to judge at Agri Expo. It is a huge honour and I look forward to the

challenge. I have been to Agri Expo on numerous occasions, and the quality of the stock is

second to none in the British Isles. When judging I will be looking for cattle that are not only well

 finished, but also exhibit the style, character, and lines that make an exceptional show beast.”