A top price of 27,000gns for a yearling heifer and an overall average in excess of £5500 were the main headlines from the Best of Berryholme sale, staged after the on-farm open day at Berry Holme, Kendal, to celebrated the Wright family winning Holstein UK’s Premier Herd title in 2019.

The farm which is managed by David Wright, his wife Naomi and father Francis, included the sale of 35 choice lots from some of the most prolific breeding lines, to include those of David's first purchase, Holmland Storm Flo Ex94-5E LP110 43* – the matriarch of the herd, having won the National Holstein Show in 2003 and bred a string of high classification females.

It was members of this great cow family that secured most of the lead prices too, including the day's 27,000gns high paid for Berryholme Silvio Flo, a 13-month-old daughter of Villy Silvio bred from five high Excellent-classified cows. Her dam is the Ex93-4E SP LP80 cow, Berryholme Lauthority Flo whose dams’ classifications were Ex93, Ex94, Ex94, Ex92 and Ex96 and featured two National Champions in her direct lineage. Silvio Flo was purchased by James and Amy McNeil buying for their Cairnpat Holstein herd from Stranraer.

Such was the demand for females from the Flo family that the nine members forward averaged £8283 and included a 7500gns bid from the Innes family from Drumduan, Nairn, for Berryholme Doc Flo ET. This seven-month-old heifer is the result of a flush from the VG87-2yr SP cow, Berryholme Diamondback Flo which in turn was bred from the Ex94-5E LP110 33* cow, Berryholme Shottle Flo ET, and sired by Woodcrest King Doc.

Also heading up the road to Drumduan on the same lorryload at 6500gns was Berryholme Pepper Ashlyn, an 11-month-old heifer by Delaberge Pepper out of Berryholme Mc Ashlyns Amy ET VG89 SP. She is a grand-daughter of the 2012 reserve grand champion at the British Columbia Fall Harvest Show, Butz-Butler Durham Amy Ex95 2*

Back amongst the Flos and Berryholme Sidekick Flo 4, a rising two-year-old by Walnutlawn Sidekick, made 7000gns selling in a three-way split to Drointon Holsteins, Stafford, Peter Cotton and Jake Manning. She is bred from the Ex92 SP cow, Berryholme Bankroll Flo and sold sexed to Woodcrest King Doc.

Second top price was 10,000gns paid by Robert McInnes, Grassyards, Kilmarnock, for Berryholme Callen Rae, a VG88-3yr classified fresh second calver by OCD 1stclass Callen. She is bred from the Ex93-3E SP LP50 cow, Berryholme McCutchen Rae, which goes back to Scientific Debutante Rae EX92 GMD DOM 30* – the reserve champion at World Dairy Expo in 2005.

Her six-month-old sister by Dealmaker made 3800gns selling to Messrs Grimshaw, buying for the Carldanton herd, near Bolton.

Co Cork breeder, Brian O'Connor, Eire, bought two of the top lots, forking out 9500gns and 6500gns. Tops was Berryholme Sidekick Lasenza, an in-calf heifer bred from one of Canada's most prolific breeding cows. Another by Sidekick, she is a daughter of the VG87-3yr SP 7* Berryholme Feizor WB Lasenza ET that was bred from the top Canadian show cow, Belfast Goldwyn Lasenza Ex95 2E 10* LP90 cow.

Selling at 6500gns to Mr O'Connor, was another from the Flo family, Berryholme Apple-Crisp Flo ET, a nine-month-old heifer by Siemers Oct Apple Crisp and the result of a flush from Berryholme Doorman S Flo Ex93 SP.

Northern Ireland breeders, Martin and Cyril Millar, Coleraine, Co Londonderry, also splashed the cash, giving 6200gns and 6000gns. The former, Berryholme Sidekick Flo VG86-2yr, again by Sidekick, calved her first in February and sold in-calf to Farnear Delta Lambda sexed. Another from the Flo family, her dam is the Ex90-2E SP cow, Berryholme Brawler 3 ET.

Two lots later, the Millars bought Berryholme Silvio Maud VG86-2yr, a fresh heifer by Villy Silvio, and bred from the Ex90 SP LP70 cow, Berryholme Windbrook Maud 3

Another astute purchase David made was buying Mikali Seaver Erle as a young calf, as she went on to stand champion at the Great Yorkshire Show in 2015 having won the two-year-old class at the National and UK Dairy Expo the previous year. Her Beemer daughter, Berryholme Beemer Erle 5, which sold due with her first to Arrow sexed, made 6200gns selling to the Baillie family of the Dalserf Holstein herd in Lanarkshire.

One of the most influential Holstein cows in the history of the breed, KHW Regiment Apple Red was behind a 5500gns sale to the Lawrie brothers, buying for their Grangehall herd from Pettinain, Lanark. Berryholme Sidekick Asset, a 16-month-old heifer again by Sidekick, is bred from a VG88-3yr which was out of an Ex94 Uno and then bred from the Apple cow.

Averages: Five cows and heifers in milk, £6342.00; four in-calf heifers, £6667.50; 23 yearling/heifer calves, £5624.35; three bulls, £2380.00. Overall, 35 Holsteins, £5568.00

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.