Averages: 22 served and maiden heifers, £5207.27 (+£811 for eight fewer). Weaned calves – Five heifer calves, £3759.00 (+£315 for five fewer).
One of the best bred heifers forward topped the second Nxtgen pedigree sale of Simmentals at Carlisle, when selling for 18,000gns to noted Banffshire producers Reece and Andrew Simmers of the Backmuir herd from Keith.
The event, designed to showcase the Simmental breed and attract new breeders, was built on a show and sale top quality heifers with a section of weaned calves born in 2022.
Sale leader was an in-calf heifer from veteran stockman and breeder, Jimmy McMillan’s Brandane herd, Bradwell Ash, Suffolk. Former stockman for the Sterling herd up until it was dispersed, his star performer is backed by genetics from that well known herd.
Lu Lu, a rising three-year-old that stood second at Norfolk and Suffolk Shows and third at the Royal Highland in June, is bred from the Sterling Cotswold daughter, Sterling Candy’s F.C.U.K. Her sire is the Auchorachan Wizard son, Sterling Gino, a bull that sold for 12,000gns selling to Cornwall breeder, Jake Gregory. Such genetics have already produced five-figure prices, with her full sister Sterling FCUK Impuls making 13,000gns after standing female champion at the Stirling Bull Sales in 2019, to the Backmuir herd. Another full sister, Sterling Millie, made £15,000 when selling privately to Finlay Souter. Lu Lu changed hands due at the end of January to the 15,000gns Atlow Dixon.
Backmuir Trading also bought the 7000gns Heathbrow Girlie’s Laurel, an October 2020-born heifer by Scotland Hill Cairo, from David and Lesley Sapsed, Codicote, Hitchin. Bred from the Hochenhull Girlie family being a daughter of the Heathbrow Findlay sired, Heathbrow Girlie’s Ivy VG88, Laurel landed a red rosette at the National at Norfolk, and sold due to the 2019 European Bull of the Year, Heathbrow Important Ex93, a polled son of Heathbrow Grandslam Ex93, that goes back to Hillcrest Champion.
Richard McCulloch’s 150-cow Overhill House herd from Armadale, had a good day with sales at 9000gns and 6000gns. Dearest was Overhill House Luna, a second prize winner brought out by stockman Scott Gilmour and Brian Wills. The last heifer born by Curaheen Drifter which bred sons to 21,000gns and daughters to 17,000gns, this rising two-year-old is out of the Annick Talisker daughter, Woodhall Bliss, a 13-year-old cow bought privately from the late Hector MacAskill. Luna changed hands in calf to 26,000gns new stock bull, Pistyll Kingsman and with three straws of the 30,000gns Denizes Lancelot for luck to Messrs Holdings, Newmilns, Ayrshire.
The same buyers bought Mr McCulloch’s 6000gns heifer, Overhill House Nancy, an 11-month-old heifer by the 24,000gns Islavale Heston out of the Mohona Fletcher-sired Overhill House Isla. She sold with two straws of Pistyll Kingsman for luck.
Barlow Brothers’ Denizes Eve’s Beauty 7, an ET bred from three times Royal Highland Show champions on both sides was another to attract the big bucks when selling for 8000gns. The March 2021-born entry from the family who also own Barlow trailers, from Leyland, Lancs, is a result of a flush from Auroch Eve, a cow that was also voted The Scottish Farmer Cow of the Decade in 2020, and sired by Blackford Galaxy. Full sister to a bull sold privately to Genus, Beauty heads down to Norfolk, having been purchased by RE and SHW Steggles, Honingham.
Adding to the Denizes celebrations, the brothers also landed the reserve female championship with their 20-month-old Denizes Matilda 8, a polled heifer by the Irish sire, Slievenagh International. First in her class at the Agri Expo as a calf, and bred from the Matilda family that goes back to Raceview Beauty Matilda that was bought privately after standing champion at Tullamore, this prize winner was knocked down at 6000gns to James Anderson, Headshaw, Oxton, Lauder.
Irish genetics were behind the best from Jim and Patricia Goldie’s herd from Annan, when Newbiemains Lady Gaga, a May 2020-born entry by the Curaheen Wakeman son, Ardunsaghan Kool Kid bought at Roscommon, made 7000gns up to Orkney with Ryan Morgan, Swannay, Evie. Her dam is the Islavale Cracker-sired Moorglen Hit The Diff, and sold served to Newbiemains Louis Vuitton, a son of the Ex94-classified Skerrington Iceman.
Mr Morgan also forked out 5000gns for another Irish-bred heifer in the shape of 14-month-old Ranfurly Stella 13 M15 ET from David and Jonny Hazelton’s herd from Dungannon. Another backed by the best of breeding, she is the result of a flush from the Hillcrest Champion daughter, Raceview Fancywinty 652 Ex93 that bred the 9000gns Ranfurly Jackpot and the reserve female champion at Balmoral, Ranfurly Stella 12. Her sire is Ranfurly Jackall, a 14,000gns bull purchased by Strathisla Farms.
Matching that 5000gns bid, Garry Patterson, new manager at Delfur Farms, Rothes, Aberlour, for Sir Edward Mountain, bought the Stronach family’s Islavale Topaz 18, a 15-month-old heifer by the Curaheen Wakeman son, Islavale Echo Ex92. The heifer is out of a home-bred heifer by the Ex93 Corskie Highlander.
The family who own the 200-cow pedigree herd at Berryleys, Keith, also produced the overall weaned calf champion and top priced lot in the section, with Islavale Nestle, which made 6500gns. This eight-month-old calf is the first heifer sold by Coose Lincoln, an Ex90-classified bull by Team Celtic, bought privately from Irish breeders John and Ronan Tuohy. Junior female champion at the Stars of the Future, this classy calf out of the Curaheen Bandit daughter, Islavale Elisha Ex93 that has bred sons to 8000gns, was bought by Jimmy and Vikki Wood, son Harry and daughter Hannah of the Popes herd from Preston.
The family who manage Bowland Foods, which concentrates on processing quality red meat, produced the reserve champion calf. Popes Nightrider, a similarly aged bull calf by the 12,000gns Camus Harold is out of Popes Tatiana 3, a Raceview King-sired cow and sold for 2500gns to Messrs White, Hexham.
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
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