Farming Eye

In a case of what many may suggest is shutting the stable door after the horse has well and truly bolted United Auctions have today announced that they are to rebrand the Perth Bull Sales as the Stirling Bull Sales.

UA says the decision has been made in a bid to update the event’s image and brand to reflect it’s location at UA’s Stirling Mart, a move made nearly three years ago after the closure of the Perth site.

David Leggat, Executive Chairman of UA, said the company was incredibly proud of the Perth element of the Bull Sales’ heritage, which is held dear to many people, including himself. “However, the event has been known anecdotally as the Stirling Sales since they moved here nearly three years ago and we feel the time is right to officially adapt the name for clarity of location.”

The change of name will of course make no difference to the overall running of the event or our coverage of it and the Farming Eye team look forward to seeing you in Stirling in October if we don’t see you beforehand at the myriad of sales we’ll be at in between now and then.

by Jonathan Long

Skipton Auction’s Mart’s summer sale of working sheep dogs was a complete flyer on Friday with the second highest price in the world ever paid at an official sale, plus a four-figure price for a pup under six months old.

Shaun Richards, Hapton, Burnley, achieved the first feat with a 15-month-old black and white dog that made 5000gns, while Beverley Fort, Steeton, Keighley, sold a five-and-a-half-months-old brown and white bitch pup for 1000gns.

Mr Richards’ classy dog Marchup Sam, an excellent prospect for the trials field, was bred locally by Andrew Throup, of Silsden. Her dam is Calderdale Sue, while the sire is Aled Owen’s Roy, with whom he won the International Sheep Dog Society-organised World Trials in 2008 and the 2007 International Supreme.

It was Mr Richards’ best-ever performance in terms of price at the North Yorkshire venue. He said the achievement was even more fulfilling, as he had only been working with Marchup Sam for a little over a month. While he sold locally and will be used as both a work and trials dog, the buyer requested anonymity.

In addition, Mr Richards made 3500gns with his two-year black and white bitch Poppy, who found a new home in Aberdeenshire. Poppy is also by Mr Owen’s Roy, out of Maddie, bred in Caton, Lancashire, by Tom Huddleston, secretary and treasurer of the English National Sheep Dog Trials, which take place this Thursday to Saturday (Aug 2-4) at Over Kellet, Carnforth.

Beverley Fort’s 1000gns bitch Marchup Roxy was also bred in Silsden by Andrew Throup. She is a daughter of Jace, while the sire is Staff, from J Richardson, who has produced many winning trials dogs. Roxy’s new Scottish Highlands owner, Tracey Sutherland, of Caithness, is hopeful her smart acquisition will also go to prove herself on the trials field in next year’s nurseries.

The second highest price of the day at 3800gns fell to an exciting nursery prospect, Hillmoor Blu, a 22-month-old tri-coloured bitch from Skipton sale debutant John Atkinson, who is shepherd on the Escrick Park Estate near York, owned by renowned conservationist and sporting gun Charlie Forbes-Adams.

by Chrissie Long

Apologies for the break in coverage, but here’s a round up of the remaining leading prices that we know about at the moment.

Selling for the day’s best of 3600gns was Messrs McConnell Bros lamb from the Hollylodge flock. This was 12XWZ00115, a son of Blakeney King Louis, a E3300 sire bought at Tullow  in 2010 and is out of a dam by Ballynoe House Felix daughtert. This one sold to Jim Bell.

Selling at 1350gns was a shearling from Drew and Stephen Cowan’s Tullyear flock. Sired by Bawnard Keystone this was 11QY00378. He is out of a Logie Durno Finnegan daughter.

Close behind was a two shear from the same flock, Knockychottaun Lepricorn, bred by Peadar McGee. He is a son of an imported sire and out of a Lowereye Diablo sired dam. He went at 1200gns.

Then making 1000gns was the reserve champion from Jonathan Aiken. This shearling was 11ZXJ00184,  a son of Kilbarry Kaiser Chief out of a Loaningfoot Highlander daughter.

And leading the female trade was the female champion and first prize ewe lamb from George Booth’s Beechview flock. This one, 12PZ00175, is by Castlellau Kingdom and out of a Parkgate Hunter daughter.

That’s all we have for now, more details, including buyers to follow in due course.

by Jonathan Long

Taking the championship and day’s top price at Bentham Auction Mart’s Agri-Lloyd Dairy day under judge Doug Graves was  Killington Geneva Val, from John Waller and his daughters Sophie and Natalie, Killington. She sold for £2100 to the judge.

William Robinson, Nook, achieved the second highest price of £1970 for New Valley Lucente Daphne 2, a pedigree heifer purchased by Stephen Metcalfe, Whittington. This one was closely followed by Peter Swindlehurst, Underbarrow, who sold another heifer, this time Tranthwaite Brick Tilly for £1960, again to Doug Graves. Mr Swindlehurst also clinched a first prize ticket with his second calver Tranthwaite Lucente Janet 2, who was knocked down at £1800 to Aubrey Greenhalgh.

A run of in calf heifers due in August forward from Robin Caton, Cowan Bridge, sold to a top of £1310 and averaged £1180 (Richard Turner and Son).

by Chrissie Long

Lambs from James McMordie’s Riverdale  Charollais flock have proved to be in high demand at Dungannon today, with the first lamb in from this flock selling at 3000gns. This was 12ZEG00082, a Logie Durno Laird son out of a homebred dam which goes back to Rutland Humdinger. He sold with an index of 364 and was bought by Robert Gregory buying on behalf of Lionel Organ.

The second lamb from the pen, 12ZEG00085, another Laird son out of a homebred dam which is maternal sister to the dam of the last then sold at 1200gns, with this one having an index of 370.

And the third lamb from this run was then knocked down at 1300gns. This was 12ZEG00093, again by Laird he has an index of 337 and is also out of a maternal sister to the dam of the 300gns lamb.

by Jonathan Long

The champion from the pre-sale show at today’s Northern Irish Premier Charollais sale at Dungannon, David Mawhinney’s first lamb in from his Rockvilla flock. This was 12VV00666, a son of Glyn Coch Knightrider out of a dam by Arjane Kavannagh.

Leading the shearling ram trade at 800gns was a tup from the Malcomson family, 11BX00141. This shearling from the Ringclare flock is by a Riverdale sire and out of a dam by Ringclare Guiness.

More details to follow in due course….

by Jonathan Long

The dispersal of the Bankside Herd of Limousins on behalf of Humphrey and Carol Connor was the main attraction at Bakewell’s monthly store cattle fixture on Friday, with the sale featuring 68 head of Limousins for the family.

Topping the trade at £3200 was the herd’s stock bull Threaphurst Felix, a Cloughhead Umpire son out of a dam by Threaphurst Rolo. He sold to David Twigg, Bradwell.

Leading the cows on offer was Bankside Emblem at £2650. Emblem is a first calver by Threaphurst Aramis out of a dam by Threaphurst Toledo and sold with a Threaphurst Dynamite son at foot. She was claimed by C Cooper, Rotherham.

A brace of cows then sold at £2600, with both of these being second calvers by Aramis. They sold to new owners in Boston, Lincolnshire, and Malton, Yorkshire.

In the in-calf cows the best call was a £1500 bid for a six year old cow due again in November, with maiden heifers selling to £2200 for a 15 month old Threaphurst Dynamite daughter which was bought by R Catlin, Brotherloft.

Averages; 26 cows and calves £2031.15, seven in-calf cows £1374.28, eight yearling heifers £1520, one stock bull £3200 (Bagshaws).

by Jonathan Long

Southdowns sold to an eager trade at the breed’s premier sale at Maidstone on Saturday, with clearance rates and averages in all sections rising on last year’s trade.

Taking the day’s top price of 890gns was the day’s male and overall champion, a shearling ram from the Whitcombe family’s Southern Cross flock.

This sale topper was Southern Cross 11/00229, a son of East Dean Guardsman out of a homebred dam. He sold to the day’s pre-sale judge Daniel Bunting for the Golden Valley flock.

Second best of the day was a 610gns bid for the second from the Southern Cross flock, 11/00227. This one was also by the East Dean sire and out of a homebred dam. He was bought by Hannah Turner.

Georgie Helyer made the trip from Salisbury a worthwhile one when she sold her sole male entry, shearling ram Langford 11/0080 at 780gns to Chris and Laura Beck.

And the Southern Cross entry continued its dominance of the day’s leading prices when a two shear ram traded at 550gns to commercial producer and noted primestock showman David Wadland, Daventry.

Another old tup, this time from the Goodwood flock then sold at 520gns. This one, Goodwood 10/0049 is by Chaileybrook 06/0007 and out of a homebred dam and sold to Jen Heathcote, Pluckley.

Chaileybrook bloodlines were present in the next best priced lot too, with this being shearling tup Chaileybrook 11/00035 from Jonathan Long. This son of Southern Cross 07/0013 is out of a homebred dam and carried an index of 192, inside the top 10% of the breed.

Best price among the females was a 280gns bid for a shearling ewe from Goodwood Estates, Goodwood 11/01140. This one, which had been first prize at Surrey and South of England, is by Southern Cross 09/008 and sold to Amy Redhead-Higgins.

Another from the same home and by the same sire, Goodwood 11/01255, then sold at the next best price of 260gns when selling to Mr Welton. Also at this price was Goodwood 11/01244, an East Dean 04/0030 daughter that also sold to Ms Redhead-Higgins.

Trading at 255gns was the best of the day from the Whitcombes, Southern Cross 11/0023, an East Dean Guardsman daughter that sold to Jonathan Long for the Chaileybrook flock.

And making 250gns was the day’s female champion, Chaileybook 11/0037. This Southern Cross 07/0013 daughter had been reserve female champion at East of England Show and sold to Plumpton College, Lewes, for their new flock. (Lambert and Foster).

by Jonathan Long

Some 500 spectators turned out to witness a tremendous show of Blackface sheep at the National Show yesterday at United Auctions’ Stirling Mart, where judge Angus Kennedy had his work cut out in the South type section, where his overall champion came in the form of the Royal Highland Show Champion, a home bred ewe from J Wight and Sons, Midlock. This two crop ewe Jubilee Queen is by a £36,000 Dalchirla tup out of a ewe by a £22,000 Dalchirla tup.

The reserve title also went to the Highland Show reserve from Bill Ramsay and Sons, Milnmark. This one is a home bred gimmer Diamond Girl by a £26,000 Crossflat sire and out of a ewe by the home-bred Emperor.

The Midlock team also took the champion male spot with a Nunnerie bred shearling which they purchased for £35,000 in partnership with Connachan and Dalchirla. The reserve male championship went to Stuart Heads and Rab McInnis from Aitkenhead with a home bred tup lamb sired by the £30,000 Aitkenhead ram and out of a £10,000 Auchloy dam.

The North section saw Judge Alan Petrie tap out Mathew Hamilton, Woolfords, to claim the overall championship ticket with a home bred Shearling off a £6500 Woolfords tup.

Standing reserve was David Nicol from Viewmount with a home bred tup lamb by Joe Smith, a Woolfords bred tup.

by Chrissie Long

The champion from yesterday’s pre-sale show at Stirling has led the trade this afternoon at 28,000gns. This was Robbie Wilson’s first lamb in, FNV 12:090, a son of Rookery Rooney and out of a dam by Lakeview Leeroy. He sold in a three way split to Geoff Biddulph, Pexhill, Chris and Sally Holmes, Rookery, and Iain and Judith Barbour, Solwaybank.

Next best at 20,000gns was one from George Stuart’s Birness flock, 1W 12:044 (lot 164), a son of Rhaeadr Giggsy out of a dam by Rhaeadr Flash Harry. This one was knocked down to Patrick Donnelly, Donrho.

At 18,000gns was Myfyr Evans’ last lamb in (lot 201). This son of Ardlea Arbennig, the 90,000gns breed record holder, is out of a dam by Baileys Brigadier the Second. He sold in a four way split, with equal shares in this lamb taken by Robbie Wilson, Strathisla, Mark Priestley, Limestone, Patrick Grant and the Suffern family.

Another from the Birness and this time by Ardlea Champion (lot 165) then sold at 12,000gns, this was 1W 12:049, out of dam by Meikleson Square Up. A four way partnership took this one too, with Dennis Taylor, Alaistair Gault, Derrick Farrell and Malcolm Beattie sharing him.

At the same money was another from Robbie, FNV 12:136 (lot 134). This son of Forkins Figo is out of a dam by Strathisla Shadrachand was purchased by Graeme Christie, Balquhain.

A 10,000gns bid was enough to secure the first in the ring from Jimmy Douglas’ Cairness flock. This was 33H 12:021, a son of Cairness Cyclone out of a dam by Whitestone Warrior. Irish breeders were again top bidders in a three way split which included S and W Tait, Burnview, W and R Wilson, Shannagh, and Andrew Wilson, Castleisle.

And also at this money was one from John Gibb’s Cairnton flock, KLR 12:027 (lot 219). Sired by Cairnton Eyecatcher he is out of a dam by Deveronside Speedway and goes back to Cairness Warrior.  Buying this one for the Conveth flock were Charlie and Kevin Proctor.

Just 1000gns shy of that at 9000gns was another Strathisla lamb, FNV 12:112 (lot 133). Another by Figo he is out of a dam by Schumacher and found a new home with the Jubilee flock of Mark Evans.

Selling at 7000gns was the day’s reserve champion from Gary Beacom, JFF 12:140. This Cairness Cyclone son is out of a dam by Shadrach and was bought by George Stuart, Birness.

A pair then traded at 5500gns, with the first at this level being one from Robbie’s pen, FNV 12:049. This Figo son is out of a dam by Strathisla Speed and was bought by Mary Julia Cornish. The other at this price was from Jimmy Douglas as was 33H 12:048, a Whitestone Warrior son out of a dam by Cairness Achievement. Buying this one was David Duncan, Crumlin.

by Jonathan Long