Bulls sold to a top of 20,000gn for Gretnahouse Pouncer at the British Charolais Cattle Society’s spring show and sale in Carlisle.
The pre-sale show, held at Harrison and Hetherington‘s Borderway Mart, was judged by Northampton breeder Alistair Smith and a clearance rate of 87.5% was achieved at the sale when 49 bulls sold to average £7,146.43.
The sale leader at 20,000gn was October 2019-born Gretnahouse Pouncer from Gretna Green breeder Alasdair Houston. By Westcarse Jimmy, and out of Gretnahouse Japan, he stood reserve supreme champion and sold to H & H Heron for their Loughriscouse herd at Newtownards, Co. Down, Northern Ireland.
Next best at 16,000gn was another Gretnahouse bull – 18-month-old Gretnahouse Pimp, also by Westcrase Jimmy, and out of Gretnahouse Jannabel. He sold jointly to Mr J Wardlaw and Son, Balerno, Midlothian, and David Dandie, Broxburn, West Lothian.
Other leading prices included 13,000gn for Balmyle President from Perthshire breeder Bill Bruce. An 18-month-old son of Balmyle Jasper, he sold to Armstrong Farming Ltd, Berwick Upon Tweed, Northumberland.
Also at 13,000gn, selling to Messrs Jarrold, Cosheston, Pembroke, was Mornity Rugby from Jack Nicoll Farms Ltd, c/o Todpark Farm, Alyth, Blairgowrie. Rugby is a 14-month-old son of the 14,000gn Westcarse Houdini.
Jack Nicoll Farms also made 10,000gn selling another Westcarse Houdini son – Mornity Romeo – to D J & M D Prosser & Jones, Brecon, Powys, Wales.
Meanwhile, Perthshire breeders Richard and Carol Rettie, who run the Retties herd at Craigend, Methven, sold to a top of 12,000gn with Retties Rogue. A 16-month-old son of Westcarse Houdini, he sold to Shennanton Livestock, Kirkcowan, Newton Stewart.
The Milnes, who run the Elgin herd at Kennieshillock, Lhanbryde, Elgin, sold to a top of 10,000gn for Elgin Pandy. By Carwood Lochness, he sold to Messrs Shand, Auchnagatt, Ellon.
They also made 8,000gn selling Elgin Prospect, by Caylers Noah, to MEssrs MacGregor, Ecclefechan, Lockerbie.
The supreme champion from the pre-sale show sold for 7,000gn to Messrs Kingaby, Fraserburgh. This was 18-month-old Formakin Prestige, by the French AI bull Jingle, from the McMurrich Partnership at Causewayhead, Stirling.
Meanwhile, females sold to a top of 6,000gn for an entry from the draft sale of heifers from Neil and Stuart Barclay’s Harestone herd, based near Insch.
Their sale topper was October 2019-born Harestone Pasadena, by the 46,000gn Balthayock Minstrel, and out of Harestone Lively. She sold, in-calf to Harestone Oscar, to Messrs Gregory, Truro, Cornwall.
The next best price in the Harestone sale was 5,800gn for October 2019-born Harestone Preya, which sold in-calf to Harestone Oscar, to Messrs Todhuter, Thornby, Wigton, Cumbria. She is an embryo transfer (ET) daughter of Major, out of French cow Merveille.
In total, the seven Harestone heifers sold averaged £4,890.