Charolais Congress to give Stirling £1m boost
Jun 22 2012 by Kaiya Marjoribanks, Stirling Observer Friday
STIRLING is expected to receive a £1 million boost to its economy by hosting the World Charolais Congress dinner.
The city is set to welcome around 300 Charolais beef breeders for the gala dinner tomorrow (Saturday) at Stirling Castle.
The congress is being held from June 19-27 to coincide with the British Charolais Cattle Society’s golden anniversary celebrations.
More than 200 delegates will attend from 12 major beef producing countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, USA and Zimbabwe.
They will join scores of British delegates to visit some of the country’s most prominent Charolais herds and points of interest, including the Royal Highland Show.
More than half of delegates' time will be spent in Scotland, including visits to eight herds.
Stirling farmer Andrew Hornall will host the group at Falleninch Farm tomorrow afternoon.
David Benson, chief executive of the British Charolais Cattle Society, said: “The gala dinner is the highlight of the World Charolais Congress and a major part of our golden anniversary celebrations.
“Charolais cattle were initially imported in the early 1960s to improve beef from the dairy sector before becoming an immediate success in the beef sector. Fifty years on Charolais remains the leading continental beef terminal sire.”
This is the first time in 15 years that the formal meeting of Charolais breeders has visited Scotland and the congress is being sponsored by livestock auctioneer UA, which runs Stirling Agricultural Centre.
The company’s joint MD Neil McLean said: “Hosting this event in Stirling is a real benefit to the city as it represents an injection of around £1million to the local economy and cements Stirling as the heart of Scottish agricultural excellence.”
The record price for a Charolais at UA’s bull sales is 70,000gns (£73,500) in October 2011.
The gala dinner will include entertainment from Gaelic choir Gleusda and the Stirling and District Schools' Pipe Band.
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