A celebration of the very best in British livestock, the 2025 Borderway Agri Expo will welcome a distinguished trio of judges from Scotland, Wales, and England to cast their expert eyes over the top-tier entries in the beef cattle, baby beef, and sheep classes. Gavin Scott of Linlithgow will judge the main beef cattle classes, Berwyn Hughes of Lampeter will assess the Baby Beef section, and Andrew Mutch of Malvern will judge the sheep entries.
Hosted and organised by Harrison & Hetherington , this year’s Borderway Agri Expo, will take place on Friday 31st October 2025 at Borderway Mart, Carlisle. As the UK’s foremost winter livestock fair, the event regularly attracts thousands of visitors and entries from across the country, with in the region of 900 head of livestock passing through the judging rings.
This year’s judges will be looking for standout stock with strong commercial attributes, capable of meeting the demands of the modern beef and lamb markets.
Judging the main beef cattle classes will be Gavin Scott, a well-respected figure in the UK livestock show circuit. Gavin farms 415 acres at Gateside Farm, West Lothian, with his wife Janet and daughters Lynsey and Gillian. The family runs over 80 cross-bred breeding cows, all bulled to pedigree Limousin bulls, alongside a small herd of pedigree British Blues.
With a wealth of judging experience at local and national levels, Gavin has been awarded numerous accolades including twice winning the Scottish Winter Fair, three times Reserve Supreme Champion at Smithfield in London, seven-time winner of the Butchers' Championship at the Scottish Winter Fair, and two-time Calf Champion with homebred stock. He has judged at many of the UK’s most prestigious events, including the Royal Welsh, the Great Yorkshire Show, the Royal Ulster Beef and Lamb Championships, and both the East of England and London Smithfield Shows.
A familiar face at Borderway Agri Expo, where he has previously exhibited both pedigree and commercial cattle, Gavin commented, “This is one of the major autumn shows of the year, a terrific showcase of cattle. I’m hugely honoured to be asked to judge. The standard is always exceptionally high, which makes it a real challenge. I’ll be looking for an animal that stands out as fit for the modern beef market, something with presence, correctness, and style. The first thing I notice is the head and legs, followed by shape, cover and how it handles.”
Judging the Baby Beef section is Berwyn Hughes from Cwmhendryd near Lampeter. Alongside his wife Elin and three sons, Berwyn farms 260 acres with a herd of 90 Limousin/British Blue cross suckler cows and a flock of pedigree Blue Texels and Poll Dorsets.
Berwyn has shown and judged extensively across the UK, including Balmoral Show, Anglesey Show, and the Welsh Winter Fair where he has achieved notable success himself with Champion Heifer and Steer titles, and in 2023, Champion Baby Beef Calf.
Speaking ahead of his first judging appearance at Agri Expo, he said, “It’s absolutely fantastic to be recognised and invited to judge at what is arguably the best winter show in the country. I’ll be looking for a smart, showy calf that is very correct, with great legs, natural top and width behind, the kind of animal that catches your eye and fits today's beef trade.”
Taking on the sheep classes will be well-known former butcher and sheep producer Andrew Mutch. After over 40 years running Mutch Meats in Witney, Oxfordshire including being the local butcher for Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm, Andrew has semi-retired and now farms near Malvern, where he keeps a pedigree flock of 50 Beltex ewes and followers under the “GUS” prefix.
The flock, established eight years ago, has developed a strong following, with recent successes including Reserve Champion at the Three Counties Show. Andrew has judged extensively at national and regional level, including the Royal Smithfield Show at Earls Court, the Welsh Winter Fair, and a wide range of local shows and livestock markets.
No stranger to Borderway, where he was a regular buyer in his butchery days, Andrew said, “It’s great to be invited and to dip my toes back into the industry from the judging ring. In judging the sheep, I’ll be looking for that butcher’s confirmation – something that shows real potential for the meat market.”
Laura Millar, Director of Harrison & Hetherington and Event Organiser added, “Every year, Borderway Agri Expo brings together the very best in British livestock. The calibre of entries, the crowds, and the commercial relevance of the show make it one of the most important fixtures in the agricultural calendar. We’re thrilled to welcome judges of such high reputation and expertise for 2025, and we look forward to another outstanding event.”
For all the latest updates, visit www.borderwayagriexpo.uk and follow Borderway Agri Expo on Facebook and Instagram.