The Theatre of Dreams sale lived up to its name in more ways than one, when Riverdane Holsteins not only achieved a UK record average for a single vendor, but also equalled the breed high of 90,000gns.

The on-farm sale of no fewer than 148 elite Holstein lots from Mark and Susan Nutsford and their daughter Jodie at Ravenscroft Hall, Middlewich, Manchester, averaged a colossal £5543.12 – a solid £1000 ahead of any other UK sale for a single breeder and saw more than £820,000 change hands.

The event included an assortment of All-Britain, All-Canadian, All-American, or All-World matriarchs – alongside the best of Riverdane’s home-bred stars – including two National champions.

Such was the interest that some 2000 people from around the globe viewed the sale online through Marteye, and a crowd of close to 1000 attended the event.

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Bidding came from across Europe, England, Canada, the United States – with one live lot selling to Switzerland.

 

Riverdane KD Hannah sold for 90,000gns (Photograph: Jane Steel)

Riverdane KD Hannah sold for 90,000gns (Photograph: Jane Steel)

 

Headliner at 90,000gns was the 11-month-old heifer, Riverdane KD Hannah, which sold in a three-way split to John Sherratt, Pankymoor; Rob Evans of Hope Valley Holsteins and Neale Evans, Heatherleigh Holsteins.

The talk of the sale, long before she stepped into the ring, she sold as the No.1 GTPI Kingdoc female in Europe (10th in the world), and the No. 2 female (>2900 GTPI and >3.00 PTAT) in the UK (7th in Europe).

She is backed by three Global Cows of the Year (2020, 2019, and 2005) – going back to her famous foundation (and 10th) dam: Snow-N Denises Dellia, Ex95, being a result of a flush from the Ex92 2E Siemers LBA Hanina.

There are 11 generations of VG or Ex in Hannah’s pedigree – culminating with two Ex94-point cows in Hannah’s dam and grand-dam, and an Ex95 in Dellia. Hannah’s fourth dam (and the 2019 Global Cow of the Year), Cookiecutter MOM Halo has written her own memoirs with 18 sons in AI, 21 daughters classified Ex and more than 51 daughters classified VG.

Mr Sherratt’s syndicate also bought one of the high style heifers, Riverdane Altitude Tequila-Red for 21,000gns. This six-month-old is cut from the same cloth as her maternal sister Milksource Tantrum Ex92 – the 2022 World Dairy Expo Intermediate Red and White champion – and her highly decorated Ex96-2E dam, Stans-Jen-D Tequila-Red Ex96-2E.

Mr Sherratt paid the same money for Riverdane Miss Awesome Strawberry-Red Ex92, a five-year-old that was 2022 Red and White grand and supreme champion at the 2022 UK Dairy Expo. She is also the reigning champion Red and White and reserve supreme from this year's UK Dairy Expo. She sold back in calf, sexed to Swissbec Power.

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Auctioneer Glyn Lucas said the day was important on several levels.

“From an industry point of view, it was just a phenomenal day,” he said. “This amazing sale highlights the importance and value of pedigree cattle and the superb return on investment that is possible in the premier division of the dairy business.

“There was a great atmosphere, and it was great to see the support for Mark and Susan from all over the UK, Ireland, and Europe. From start to finish, people came here to support the family, because they do so much for the industry and for other people.”

Second-top price was 32,000gns for Riverdane Crushtime Atlee VG89 (Ex90MS)-3yrs, purchased by Matthew Weaver, Staffordshire. Another backed by world class genetics, her sixth and seventh dams respectively are both classified Ex94 and four out of five generations are All-American. Her third dam, Ridgefield Gold Atlee VG89 32*, is the chapter where Riverdane first signed in to write their own Atlee story.

Mark and Susan snapped up the then 14-month-old Gold Atlee for the second-top price of 20,000gns at the 2008 Ridgefield Holstein dispersal of John and Valerie Barker, from Loughborough. Mark said he knew immediately that day that he wasn’t going home without the Goldwyn heifer, which he considered to be the 'opportunity of a lifetime'. That investment has well and truly paid off, with seven Atlees grossing $57,700gns.

Close behind the Crushtime Atlee at 25,000gns was Riverdane Awesome Ambrosia VG89 maximum pointed 3yr. She is set for Dairy Day for her new owners, Arwyn Wilson, Kev Rickard and Sulwyn Richards, with her dam, Sahara Sanchez Ambrosia 4 Ex94-3E standing supreme grand champion at the 2019 UK Dairy Expo and honourable mention All-Britain Mature Cow in 2019.

A first-choice heifer calf by Dropbox and out of Duckett Parfect Heidi made 15,000gns. The resultant heifer calf, due next month will be a grand-daughter of the famous five-year-old S-S-I Doc Have Not 8784 Ex96-4E (EX96-MS) which sold as a package for $1.925million, at the Duckett Summer Selections ll Sale USA 2022. The choice was bought by Willsbro Holsteins at Cornwall.

Just behind, on 12,000gns, MP and BJ Hollins and Son, Staffordshire, bought the 10-month-old Riverdane Jimtown Rosabel, a direct daughter of Riverdane EX Rosabel Ex97-5E SP.

Two six-month-old Farnear Delta-Lambda grand-daughters of the 2022 World Dairy Expo supreme champion, Oakfield Solom Footloose Ex96-2E, sold for 11,000gns each – one to Willsbro in Cornwall, and one to Ian Smith, in Scotland.

Ayrshire-based breeder, Kevin Lawrie, Myremill, also forked out big money, going to 10,000gns for the rising three-year-old, Riverdane Gchip Ashlyn VG86-2yr, which sold due in November with her second, sexed to Davinci.

Marteye was the online medium for the sale, and 42 lots or 28% of the offering, sold via the platform. In all, 81% of the sale lots received online bids.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

Averages: 27 cows in milk, £6537.22; 18 heifers in milk, £5903.33; 17 in-calf heifers, £4854.71; 20 yearling heifers, £3223.50; 53 heifer calves, £6628.87; five bulls, £2457.00; seven embryo packages (28 embryos), £967.50. Overall, 148 Holsteins, £5543.72.