A number of records were smashed at the Lewis family's Bicentenary sale of Hereford cattle staged on farm at The Haven, Dilwyn, Herefordshire to celebrate 200 years of continuous breeding.

The Haven and Havenfield herds of Edward and Ben Lewis, who trade as EL Lewis and Son and Billy and James Lewis of JW Lewis’ Boycefield herd, saw a new female and poll female record set by the former who still hold the breed’s male record of 27,000gns paid for Haven Reign On, in 1980. 

A new official sale record average was also set and across the offerings from the two breeders, the sale broke the European female record sale average of £6252, with the Boycefield females averaging £5394 while Haven and Havenfield heifers averaged £6592.

Topping the trade at 20,000gns and setting a new female record price at public auction was Haven Thrush 74, a rising two-year-old heifer purchased by New House Herefords, Hampton Bishop, Herefordshire.

Surpassing the previous female record of 13,000gns paid for Pulham Diadem at the Designer Genes sale in December 2021, this youngster traces back 22 generations to one of the foundation cows purchased in 1850 under the Lewis ownership. 

By the Irish-bred sire, Shiloh-Farm Elite, Haven Thrush 74 is maternal brother to Haven Kermit which won the 2014 National Hereford Show, and a maternal grandson of Haven Wizard, the horned Hereford Bull of the Year 2005. She sold in calf to Mawarra Influential Q162 – the bull in which the Lewis’ purchased shares in at Australia’s National Hereford show and sale for AUS$42,000 in 2021.

Also beating the previous female record was Boycefield Acorn 45 which made 14,000gns to Anthony Whitfield, who bought several lots for his Butterbank herd from Derrington, Staffordshire.

The Lewis’ Acorn line descends from the LL Moore’s Brampton herd and is a full sister to Boycefield Stormzy which stood reserve champion at the 2019 Kington Show. This similarly aged heifer sold in calf to Boycefield Congo – the reserve male champion at the 2007 Royal Show.

Generating another piece of history was Havenfield 1 Lady Lynda 3, which after selling to Mr Whitfield for 12,000gns, now stands as the breed’s new poll female record price made at public auction. This October 2020-born heifer was judged best heifer calf in the West Midlands last year and is sired by the stock bull Solpoll 1 Lawman which stood supreme champion at Tullamore Show in both 2016 and 2017. Her dam is by Haven Lamborghini, the 2019 National Hereford Show senior male champion. She changed hands in calf to Dendor 1 Kohinoor.

Next in the money at 10,500gns was Haven Curly 144, purchased by FC Jones and Co, buying for their Upper House herd from Kington, Herefordshire. Another September 2020-born entry, she sold in calf to the Australian bull Mawarra Influential.

At 7800gns, Havenfield 1 Ruby 4, a 16-month-old heifer, was purchased by the Llynon herd of H Davies, Amlwch, Anglesey. Another from EL Lewis’ poll herd, it is bred from Dendor 1 Ruby 20 which was Kington Show champion in 2015 and also produced Havenfield 1 Robinhood, the 2018 National Calf Show male champion.

Read more: Hereford hit 11,000gns at Shrewsbury

Havenfield 1 Mary Irene, 13-month-old poll made 7200gns to add to Mr Whitfield’s Butterbank herd. This youngster was a heifer’s first calf and is out of Greenyards 1 Mary-Irene S485 purchased at the Allmans’ dispersal sale in 2020 which goes back to Dendor breeding.

Just behind on 7000gns, Havenfield 1 Lucy 8, a December 2020-born heifer carrying a Dendor 1 Kohinoor calf, sold to Newport Farms, Almeley, Herefordshire. By Solpoll 1 Lawman, this rising two-year-old is bred from Romany 1 Lucy D1 M16, purchased privately from Robert Wilson, Kelso.

Another in-calf heifer, Haven Queen 2, made 6500gns, to Newport Farms. By Shiloh-Farm Elite, she is out of Dovemount Gipsy L5, bred by Thorley Bros.

At 6200gns, Haven Lady Lynda 60, was purchased by Bob Borwick, Northampton, with half of the sale price being donated to My Name’5 Doddie Foundation in memory of Leslie Lewis, Edward and James’ father who was responsible for putting both the Lewis’ cattle and the wider breed in the spotlight in the 1950s and 60s.

The gavel went down at the same money for Havenfield 1 Lady Lynda 4 purchased by I Hurley, Claines, Worcestershire. Lady Lynda is a daughter of the AUS$95,000 Minlacowie Jubilant J123, and sold in calf to Dendor 1 Kohinoor.

Also selling at 6200gns was Haven Curly 145, when purchased by Anthony Spooner, Staffordshire. She is by Haven Snowdon and bred from Haven Curly 109 which produced Haven Nugget, the 2017 horned Hereford Bull of the Year.

Other sale highlights saw JW Lewis’ sell Boycefield Pinky 33 for 5500gns to JR Whitlow, of the HighHouse herd from Abbots Morton, Herefordshire. She is by the stock bull Lisrace Lumberjack 18, bred by Northern Ireland’s David Wilson, and from a long line of Haven Pinky females.

Boycefield Lady Lynda 26 also travels to HighHouse Herefords at 5200gns after previously buying a full sister. She is also Lisrace Lumberjack 18 and was the only Lady Lynda on offer from the Boycefield herd

Only one bull was forward for sale, with Havenfield 1 Tyson making 8500gns to Nigel Hooper, Leigh Sinton, Worcestershire. This rising three-year-old which sits in the top 1% of the breed for terminal and self-replacing indices, is also from Lady Lynda family.

averages: 14 Haven and Havenfield in-calf heifers, £7387.50; three Boycefield in-calf heifers, £7945; 13 Haven and Havenfield maiden heifers, £6243.46; five Boycefield maiden heifers, £3864. Overall, 36 head, £6326.

Auctioneers: Halls