Charolais breeders sold to five-figure sums 10 times yesterday on the closing day of the Stirling Bull Sales.
A total of 84 bulls sold to an average of £6,654 – up £76 on the year – with 54 achieving 5,000gn or more. The breed society’s chief executive David Benson said trade had been pushed by commercial beef farmers.
The breed achieved the top price of the week when a third-prize winning senior bull from Welsh breeder and vet Esmor Evans, Monfa, Gwernaffield Road, Mold, went for 22,000gn. Sold in a three-way split, Maerdy Ignition is by Blelack Fabulous and out of Maerdy Bardy, which mothered the 45,000gn Maerdy Express. This one was bought by Archie MacGregor, Allanfauld Farm, Kilsyth; Hamish Goldie, South Bowerhouses, Ruthwell, Dumfries; and Wallace Brown, Caprickhill Farm, Kilmarnock.
Next best at 18,000gn was the reserve intermediate champion – Gretnahouse Indian – from Alasdair Houston, Gretna House, Gretna Green. This one, which is by Lochend Apache and out of Gretnahouse Baywatch, went to Peter Foulger, Flitchwood Farm, Billinghurst, West Sussex.
A first-prize winning bull from William Bruce’s Balmyle herd at Meigle, Perthshire, sold for 12,500gn to Welsh pedigree breeder Kevin Thomas, of Llechwedd, Newcastle Emlyn. Balmyle Impression is a Maerdy Egret son out of Balmyle Solitude. Egret is the same sire of Balmyle Headline which sold for the top price of 22,000gn at last year’s sale.
The intermediate champion – Elrick Iceman – from Mike Massie, Mains of Elrick, Auchnagatt, Ellon, achieved 12,000gn. The Massies, who also consigned the top-priced Limousin bull on Monday, sold this son of the 14,000gn Maerdy Dublin, out of Elrick Eden, to commercial producers J. and W. Kellas, Rawes Farm, Dufftown, Keith.
The next leading price of 10,500gn was paid for a second-prize winning bull from the Jeffreys at Kersknowe, Kelso. Kersknowe Iron, by Lagavaich Fernando and out of Kersknowe Fiona, heads to Ross Farms, Wester Middleton, Midlothian.
The hammer went down five times at 10,000gn for a selection of bulls including the overall and senior champion from young Cornwall breeders Robert Tremayne and Michelle Hanson, Higher Marne Farm, Gweek, Helston.
Described by judge Griff Morris, Mwche Farm, Carmarthen, as “everything you would look for in a champion in Stirling”, this one heads north to W. J. Fraser and Sons, Aucharrow, Glenlivet, Ballindalloch.
The top price in the females sale of 5,800gn went to the champion from Hamish Goldie, South Bowerhouses, Dumfries.
Next best at 4,600gn was an in-calf heifer from the Caithness herd of D. and M. Campbell, Cruachan, Lingland, Occumster, Lybster. Caithness Hannah, by Harviestoun Casino and out of Caithness Clover, was snapped up by G. Russell, Lesliepark, Denny.
CHAMPIONS
Overall and senior champion – Robert Tremayne and Michelle Hanson, Higher Marne Farm, Gweek, Helston, with Marne Impeccable, by Rumsden Fawkes.
Reserve overall and junior champion – Esmor Evans, Monfa, Gwernaffield Road, Mold, Wales, with Maerdy Innes, by Maerdy Dynamite.
Reserve senior champion – Peter and Linda Whittaker, Stickle Heaton Farm, Cornhill On Tweed, Northumberland, with Bonnybrae Invincibull, by Blelack Digger.
Reserve junior champion – Peter Vasey, Holme House, Wetheral, Carlisle, with Edenhurst Imperator, by Sportsman Columbo.
Intermediate champion – Mike Massie, Mains of Elrick, Auchnagatt, Ellon, with Elrick Iceman, by Maerdy Dublin.
Reserve intermediate champion – Alasdair Houston, Gretna House, Gretna Green, with Gretnahouse Indian, by Lochend Apache.
Female champion – Hamish Goldie, South Bowerhouses, Ruthwell, Dumfries, with Goldies Hilary, by BlelackEdition.
Reserve female champion – Jan Boomaars, Heathdown, The Ridge, Woldingham, Surrey, with Vexour Herd, by Newhouse Emperor.