Glenbuchat Heritage

140 Alexander Ogg Baltimore

Alexander Ogg of Baltimore

Above photos show:

1. Charles Ogg of Baltimore Farm
Click for more details

2. Alexander Ogg and is son Charles

3. Alexander Ogg at the Perth Show

Alex by Jim Bruce
The Leopard Magazine 1976

The step from a small upland farm in Glenbuchat on Donside to advising a millionaire rancher with thousands of cattle in far-off Argentina is a gigantic one. But this is the step 73-year-old Alex. Ogg, Deskrie, Strathdon, has taken in a lifetime dedicated to his beloved Aberdeen-Angus cattle.

Alex. Ogg has indeed come a long way since that day in 1907 when he persuaded his father to buy an Aberdeen-Angus cow and calf at a neighbour’s sale. Today, with championships from all the leading shows of the cattle world under his belt, including the Perth bull sales, the Scottish National and Royal Smithfield fatstock shows, the Palermo Show in Argentina and the International Livestock Exposition in Chicago, USA, he has become a legend in his own lifetime.

However, despite his great success Alex. still seems like an ordinary Aberdeenshire farmer. Not for him the material trappings and leisure activities of success. A visit to Deskrie will invariably find him clad in familiar dungarees and ‘Wellies’, busily engaged in the tasks of the farm. Although reputedly retired, those who know Alex. would never expect to find him with his feet up at the fireside. In fact, he still works something like a 15–16-hour day.

The story which has made Alex. Ogg a household name in the international cattle-breeding world starts at that neighbour's sale in 1991; He continually pestered his father who farmed Baltimore, to buy Aberdeen- Angus cattle and his father eventually relented by purchasing the cow and calf. Young Alex. was just big enough to look through the rails of the auction ring. His age—five years!

The herd grew to 15 cows and in the next 20 years made quite a name for itself at the local Strathdon show with five championships between 1920 and 1927.

Then misfortune overtook the family. An elder brother was killed in an accident with a horse and this cast a shadow over the farm. It was the time of the depression and Alex’s father was finding it hard to eek out a living for himself and his two remaining sons on such a small farm. He decided to retire and Alex. now 26, and his younger brother Gavin, decided to bid Strathdon adieu and seek their fame and fortune elsewhere.

Three generations of the Ogg family have farmed Baltimore and, on Sunday before the two brothers left, the local minister referred to their departure in these prophetic words: ‘Both Alex. and Gavin have found posts in the Aberdeen-Angus world which will open up avenues of great advancement for them.’ These words ring on Alex's ears to this day. How true they subsequently proved!

During the next 30 years, Alex. was the guiding hand in the formation and development of four of the leading herd in Scotland-Derculich (Strathtay); Newhouse (G|amis); Stype (Glenalmond) and Castle Menzies (Aberfeldy)—and he brought another old established herd—Spittal (Biggar))— right to the top.

Gavin, now retired to Kirriemuir, was equally saucerful as herdsman to master breeder, J. Ernest Kerr of Harviestoun (Dollar) and later as a farmer and breeder on his own account at Carroch, Kirriemuir.

Alex. worked hard but his efforts were amply rewarded by the successes achieved. Three supreme championships were won at Perth—for Derculich, Stype and Spittal—and countless other awards.

The peak of his career was probably three momentous years in charge of the Stype herd owned by motor magnate, the late Lord (then Sir William) Rootes. The herd provided the champion group of three bulls at Perth each Year and so on the last occasion the individual supreme and reserve award winners as well.

The year 1955 marked the end of an era for Mr. Ogg. The Spittal herd had to be dispersed following the death of the owner and this record-breaking event is still a landmark in the breed’s history. One cow realised 5,400 gns. and two calves each made 5,100 gns.

The next move was to have been the foundation of yet another herd for financier Mr. (now Sir) Harold Samuel (of ever-right watch fame) at Wych Cross in Surrey.

But the urge for a place of his own became too strong. He had 30 years’ experience top-class herds behind him. He knew exactly where he wanted to go and how he was going to get there. And he had his son, Charles, shortly to leave school, and willing and anxious to help him in his task.

A small place at Biggar was acquired but, when further land failed to materialise, Alex. decided in 1958 to return to his native Strathdon to take over the tenancy of the I60-acre farm of Buchaam, on the Candacraig Estate.

Around this time, Mr. Ogg had his first success in his own right when he won the championship at Scotland’s premier fatstock show-the Scottish National then held at Waverley Market, Edinburgh.

The winning animal was Reunion, aptly named, having been purchased in partnership with an old school friend, Fred MacGregor, then mine host of the Colquhonnie Hotel, at a reunion celebrated at the hotel the previous year.

The following year a similar success was achieved for another breeder, with a heifer which went on to win the championship at the Royal Smithfield show in London as well. I

t was in 1957—when he was at Biggar-that Alex. Ogg made a trip abroad which was to have important repercussions. He took charge of a shipment to Argentina—a country he had always wanted to see. Such was the impression he made that local breeders paid his expenses to stay on for an extra two months to give his views on the cattle at the Palermo Show.

A sequel to this visit was a 10,000-mile round—trip to Buchaam made in 1961 by one of Argentina's leading breeders, Sefior Raul Firpo, to persuade Mr. Ogg to come out to Argentina to prepare the bulls from his La Danesa estancia for Palermo. At first Alex. refused and the Sefior went away saying he would be back. And back he came with a proposition Alex. could not refuse.

He was met at Buenos Aires airport by Sefior Firpo who flew him in his own private ‘plane to the estancia where he was an honoured guest for five months. The estancia was one of undreamed-of magnificence carry 15,000 head of cattle and 12 private aircraft for transport.

Alex’s job was to supervise the preparation of 1,000 young bulls and the result of his work was that La Danesa won the grand championship and all the special prizes at Palermo.

This outstanding success was noted by one of the leading breeders in the USA, who was present at Palermo, Mr. Lea Leachman of Ankony, who subsequently invited Mr. Ogg to undertake a similar job for him for the Chicago exposition. Alex. duly obliged by helping Ankony to lift the grand championship.

Mr. Ogg has returned to La Danesa for a few weeks before Palermo every year since and, in that time, the herd has won the grand championship on no fewer than six occasions.

But to return to development of Mr. Ogg's own herd. His first purchase—in 1956— was a heifer from his old employer, the late Mr. R. Wemyss Honeyman of Derculich. He well remembers the day he bought her. He had gone to Derculich in the hope of buying two older cows which might not be too expensive. The heifer, however, had always been his favourite and Mr. Honeyman had turned down a substantial four-figure offer only a few weeks earlier when Mr. Ogg had tried to buy her for Wych Cross.

That day he eyed the heifer wistfully. She had all the qualities for the herd he hoped to start. ‘There’s no use me looking at her,’ he said to Mr. Honeyman sadly. ‘I've already offered you big money for her and you turned it down.’

Mr. Honeyman was also looking thoughtful. Mr. Ogg had given him 13 years’ loyal senvice which had put his herd at the top. He wanted to help Alex. start his own herd. But he knew only the best would be good enough.

He turned to Alex, ‘I'm going to sell her to you,’ he said. The price was modest and it is a gesture for which Alex. still feels deeply grateful.

Mr. Ogg's judgement was, of course, absolutely correct. The heifer’s first calf sold for 3800 gns. and later calves made 6500 gns. and 6000 gns. Her breeding successes enabled him to invest and expand and today most of the cows in the Buchaam herd are descended from her.

The herd's progress since those early days has been steady and sure and today Buchaam is one of the top herds of Aberdeen-Angus in the world. Bulls have been sold for as much as 11,000 gns. and the ultimate honour was achieved in 1969 when Easel of Buchaam won the supreme championship at Perth and was sold for export to Brazil.

Although the herd is now run by Charles, Mr. Ogg is still the guiding influence. He is not content to sit back and rest on his laurels. Conscious of changing demands. he and Charles took the unprecedented step two years ago of importing a stock bull from Canada. The bull is of a different type to the traditional Buchaam cattle but the logic of their policy was proved at Perth last month when a son of the bull sold for 3000 gns. for export to South Africa.

Following the reduction sale last October, life is a little easier around Buchaam these days. Alex. says he has retired but Raul Firpo was at the Perth sale last month pleading with him to return to Argentina again this summer.

There are few master stockmen in the world, fewer master breeders. Few people indeed combine both gifts. Alex. Ogg is one.


Ogg Family Tree

Charles J P Ogg 1815–1882
Birth 14 September 1815 Glenbucket,
Death 25 December 1882 Kirkton Of Glenbuchat,
Parents
William Ogg 1785–1851
Mary Dingwall 1781–1848
Spouse
Ann Farquharson 1831–1918
Children
William Ogg 1838–1858
Charles Ogg 1856–1931
Ann Margaret Ogg 1860–1944
Jane Ogg 1863–
Isabella Ogg 1867–1948
Alexander Ogg 1870– Click for more details
Janet Ogg 1870–1878

Charles Ogg 1856–1931
Birth 11 Jul 1856 Baltimore, Glenbuchat,
Death 13 May 1931 Aberdeen
Parents
Charles Ogg 1815–1882
Ann Farquharson 1831–1918
Spouse
Elizabeth Forbes 1872–1945
Children
Charles James Ogg 1902–1926
Alexander John Ogg 1903–1977
Gavin William G. Ogg 1906–
Jane Margaret Elizabeth Ogg1913–2007

Alexander John Ogg 1903–1977
Birth 02 July 1903 Baltimore, Glenbuchat,
Death 1977 Aberdeen,
Parents
Charles Ogg 1856–1931
Elizabeth Forbes 1872–1945
Spouse
Elizabeth Campbell 1910–
Children
Private