This trade resulted in a top price of 3100gns for Ruckhall Forbidden Peach, a freshly calved heifer by Double Trouble Forbidden and from eight generations of VG or Ex consigned by R J Goss and Son, Wiltshire. She was purchased by a commercial producer from Somerset.

At 3000gns was Sahara Holsteins’ Sahara Atwood Ambrosia 3rd from a show winning family. She joins the Symba herd of Robert Symms and family at Sherborne, Dorset.

At 2750gns was the 34kg a day Bettiscombe Bogart Delila from regular consigners Roland and Simon Bugler who sold to regular purchasers D W C and M A Brunt, Bridport.  Red-and-white heifers from Longmoor Farm Partners sold to 2150gns for Longmoor Royce Dimple Red, one of nine cows and heifers purchased by the Tamplin family who are starting a new herd in South Wales.

Cows sold to 2050gns for Bettiscombe Principle Lovely 39th a second calver giving 45kg daily, while organic heifers form P R and S A Manley’s dispersal sold to 1950gns for Primehill India 5th by Palmcrest Breakout. Meanwhile, in calf heifers from R J Willcox sold to 1420gns for Wortwell Bolivia Milly due June to an Aberdeen-Angus.

Holstein bulls from A J Bennett and Sons sold to 1450gns for the red and white Lilylane Artiface Red.

Averages: Holstein calved cows £1651.50; Holstein calved heifers £1983.63; Holstein bulls £1198.75; Holstein in calf/served heifers £1276.00; Holstein heifer calves £569.10.

The sale leader came in the form of the reserve grand champion Kaludah Daddy O G224, offered by M M and P J Shelley, Kaludah Herefords, Cooma, NSW, selling to Top End Herefords, Goulburn, NSW.

The 21-month old junior bull had a big eye muscle area scan of 135 centimetres squared and weighed 1038kg on sale day.

By Kaludah Tiger D883 and out of Kaludah Margaret, a Banemore North End daughter, the bull was the third Kaludah sire Top End Herefords have purchased at Wodonga in recent years.

The top-price Poll Hereford and intermediate bull was offered by P J and J E Hancock, Whim Park, Blayney, NSW and purchased by fellow NSW breeders Yavenvale Herefords, Adelong, at $28,000.

Whim Park General G037 was by Kidman Neutron and was 22-months old. Weighing 926kg, the bull had positive estimated breeding values for both rib and rump fat.

Mawarra Herefords, Longford, sold the horned bull Mawarra As Good As It Gets at $17,000, the top-price for a senior bull and the top-price for a Victorian vendor. This 1154kg bull is by the stud’s powerhouse bull Mawarra Vice Admiral.

And while stud buyers were present for a portion of the bulls, it was the commercial buyers market, with many high quality lots selling for between $3000 and $5000.

Some 58 of the 76 junior bulls offered sold to a top of $30,000 and averaged $5207, while 69 of the 80 intermediate bulls offered sold to a top of $28,000 and averaged $5732. The senior bulls saw 22 of the 33 bulls offered sell to a top of $17,000 and average $5182.

The record breaking Auldhouseburn hoggs

Blackface breeders saw breed records smashed today at United Auctions, Stirling, when Hugh and Alan Blackwood, Auldhouseburn, sold a pen of six ewe hoggs for £1900 apiece. Buying these were Andrew and Ian Cullens, Dollarbank Farm, Dollar.

Following them at £820 were a pen of 20 from Ian Hunter, Dachirla, with these going to Ewen MacMillan, Lurg, Another Dachirla pen sold at £310 apiece when selling to Mr McAldowie, Northern Ireland.

Then at £290 was a pen from Mary McCall Smith, Connachan, with this pen selling to Archie Paterson, Hardridge Farm, Kilmacolm. And another Dachirla pen made £220 when heading to Mr McCrugian, with a £215 bid for another Dachirla pen made by Hunter Smith, Spittal of Glenshee.

Champion in the native steer section went to Welsh Wizhard, a 552kg Beef Shorthorn cross steer from Arwell Jones, this son of Hinstock Timothy was first prize Baby Beef at Agri-Expo and reserve native at Smithfield 2012. Second to him was Phil and Sharon Sellers’ Hereford cross steer Call Me What U Like and in third was Richard and Judy Fountaine’s Aberdeen-Angus cross steer I’m All Ears.

Texel ewes with twin from P A Holliday, Dacre, Harrogate, then sold at £235 an outfit, while a strong entry from Anthony Thompson, Foulridge, Colne, sold to a high of £220 with Beltex Ewes suckling twins

In the day’s show and sale of hoggs with lambs at foot the championship and top price went to John Stapleton, Skipton, with his Texel hoggs with Beltex lambs at foot which sold at £225/outfit.

Meanwhile, E A Davies’s long journey from Abergele, Wales, was worthwhile when he received the second prize rosette for his Suffolk cross hoggs with strong Charollais lambs at foot which sold for £198.

Mule hoggs with lambs sold to a top of £196 for a pen from Raymond and Robert Johnson, Harrogate, with the first prize winning pen from Stuart Forshaw with Beltex cross lambs at foot making £190, while at £184 were a pen from Edward Berry, Skipton.

And at Skipton on Monday it was a pen of Texel hoggs with single lambs at foot from Shaun Richards, Hapton, Burnley, which led the trade at £245/outfit. Selling at £170/outfit were a pen of Texels with single lambs at foot from Simon Bennett, Silsden Moor.

The record breaker, Bob a 15 month old black and white dog which was purchased by Howden, Selby-based John Bell at Skipton last year as a 13 week old pup for 300gns. Bred by Broughshane, Ballymena-based Ivan Stevenson, Bob was knocked down on Friday to an undisclosed telephone buyer and it is understood he now heads to the USA.

John Bell’s 8800gns record breaker Bob

Second best of the day was a bid of 3500gns for Nan, a three year old smooth coated black and white bitch from former world record holder Shaun Richards. This one was bred by Peter Blain, Bala and is by Gel out of Nell.

Already placed in open trials and with national points under her belt, Nan sold locally to Stephen and Tracey Fawcett, of Fold House Farm, Drebley, Barden, for use at home by the couple’s 23-year-old twins Samantha and Ben.

Following that at 2950gns was Fly, a ten-month-old black and white bitch with trial potential from Northern Ireland’s William Torrens, Castlederg, Belfast. By his own Ben, out of Kim, the quality young dog found a new home on the east coast of England with beef and sheep hill farmer Edmund Nicholson, Briscoe Farm, Whitby. Fly will be used solely as a work dog.

John Bell was then back in the money when selling Folly at 2800gns. This 16-month-old black and white bitch, bred in Northumberland by shepherdess Emma Gray, a member of the 2012 English National team, and a full sister to Shap-based Katy Cropper’s well-regarded novice trial dog Zac, sold to an undisclosed beef and sheep farmer in Cumbria, who will use him for both work and nursery trials later this year.

Mr Bell also achieved 2650gns for Skye, a 15-month-old tri-coloured bitch bred in Marston Montgomery, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, by 2012 English National champion Ben Smith. By his own Ben, Skye was bought at nine-months-old by Mr Bell and went to a purchaser from the Midlands.

This price was matched late in the day when Irishman W Lawrence, Money Moor, County Derry, sold his tri-coloured bitch Faye, two-years-old next month, by Tom Lawrenson’s Spot. Already proven in nursery trials, she found a new home at Holmrook, Cumbria, with Arthur Temple.

Tal y Bont-based Emrys Jones, then took 2400gns for his June, 2011-born black and white dog Drift, also by Tom Lawrenson’s Spot, out of P H Blenkinsop’s Nell. Drift found a new home in Ayrshire.

And Irish breeder Patrick McGoldrick, Meenadreen, County Donegal, then sold at 2300gns. This price was paid for Mr McGoldrick’s tri-coloured bitch Meg, fully home-bred by his own Sweep and Yale. The dog also found a new home in Ayrshire with Jamie Shennan, Old Dailly, Girvan.

A brace of entries followed that at 2200gns. First up was a two-year-old tri-coloured dog, Mynydd Meic, known as Mike at home, from Welsh trialist Meirion Williams, of Llwyn Onn, Brooks, Welshpool, Powys. By fellow Welshman Aled Owen’s 2008 World Sheep Dog Trials champion Roy, out of S Jones’ L’Minster Holly, Mike returned to Wales following a successful phone bid.

The second at 2200gns, a 23-month-old tri-coloured dog, Baledmund Sam, from South Cheshire’s Gus Dermody, presenter and commentator for BBC2′s ‘One Man and His Dog,’ sold to a Scottish buyer from Perthshire.

Also heading for Scotland after being purchased for 2100gns was Kate, a two-year-old black and white bitch from J Whitton, Spaldington, Doncaster. By the 2010 English National champion Milo, she was bought by Sandy McCullough, Dalmellington, Ayrshire, and will take her place as a work dog and potential nursery trial competitor.

An older black and white dog, the three-year-old Joss, a former East Anglian Trial champion, from Tim Bulgin, who farms between Thetford and Downham Market in Norfolk, sold well at 1900gns when joining Roy Campbell, Drimsynie. Joss is fully home-bred, being by Mr Bulgin’s Jip, out of Floss.

P Satterthwaite, Kirkby Stephen, then sold his August, 2010-born sable and white bitch Highfield Lexy, by D Harrison’s Ben, out of M Bowmer’s Shadwell Kit at 1850gns. She sold to an undisclosed buyer from Dalmellington, Ayrshire.

Close behind at 1800gns (£1,890) was Scottish vendor Ian Fleming, Douglas, Lanark, with his 19-month-old brown and white bitch Kate, by Tanhill Sweep, out of Jen. She joined Matt Tomlinson, Muggington, Derbyshire.

Steeton’s Beverley Fort, now operating under her own Beverton prefix, achieved the same price with her promising young home-bred black and white dog, the 11-month-old Beverton Gud, said to be out of her two best dogs – Ben, a product of Jim Cropper’s renowned Sid, who ran in three World Sheep Dog Trials, out of Bess, by J Burrows’ Scott.  Known as Judd at home, he returned to Mr Cropper and will be aimed at nursery trials later this year.

Northumberland breeder Tony Isley, Morpeth, made 1750gns with his December, 2011-born black, white and mottled bitch Cree, by B Bell’s Moss, out of J Brunton’s Tanhill Bess. She sold to a buyer from Kinross, Scotland.

Averages; broken registered dogs £2380, part-borken registered dogs £878, unbroken registered dogs £362, broken unregistered dogs £578, part-broken unregistered dogs £494, unbroken uregistered dogs £47 (Craven Cattle Marts).

Top Price £4400 from J McAlister, West Thomaston

Breeding cattle met a ready demand at Caledonian Marts today, with heifers with calves at foot well bid for and a Limousin cross heifer with a Limousin heifer calf at foot selling for the day’s top call of £4400.

The heifer, consigned by J McAlister, West Thomaston, Banknock, had earlier stood third in the pre-sale show and was knocked down to Brian Harper, Falkirk.  Calf is by the Limousin bull Easegillhead Exterminator.

£3900 from J McAlister, West Thomaston

Second best of the day was a £3900 bid for another Limousin cross heifer. This one, from the same home, had a Limousin cross bull calf at foot also by Easegillhead Exterminator and sold to I Michie, Ballechin Farms. And at £3800 was another from Messrs McAlister, this time a British Blue cross heifer with a heifer calf at foot.

Selling at £3600 was a Limousin cross heifer with heifer calf at foot from Craig Malone, Pitcairn. A number then sold at £3200, including the day’s reserve champion a Limousin cross heifer with Limousin cross heifer Calf at foot also from West Thomaston. This outfit sold to the judge James Thomson, Hilton of Beath Farm, Kelty.

Mid Cambushinnie – 4000gns

A select offering of bulls saw 16 sold to a top call of 4000gns for a Charolais from Murray Lyle, with this one heading to Orkney with Liam Muir. Second best at 3000gns was a Limousin from Archie and John MacGregor, Allanfauld, with another Limousin, this time the champion from the Dick family’s Ronick herd, selling at £2900.

Averages; 62 heifers with calves at foot £2222.59, 18 cows with calves at foot £1104.71, 51 bulling heifers £913.88 (Caledonian Marts).

Following that at £2300 was another fresh heifer from Mr Taylor, this one a Fortland Rice daughter. She sold to N and K Forshaw for their Longridge pedigree herd.

Next was from Colin Singleton, Goosnargh, Preston, with a Schilldale Outbound heifer, giving 38 litres a day and was purchased by Brian Blezard, Ribchester, Preston.

A total of 10 dairy cattle achieved prices of £2000, they included Ben Hardcastle and Sons at £2150; Trevor and Clive Robinson, Tosside, Skipton, at £2100.

Trade for second quality heifers was more cautious due to the late turnout.

Averages: fresh heifers £1931; fresh cows £1895 (Auctioneers: Richard Turner and Sons)

Claiming the top spot was A and C Farms’ four year-old bull Mutterton Ashton Bitter, with Roger Rundle’s cow Kestle Dahlia 60 placed in the reserve spot.

South Devon National Show champion

The four year old Mutterton Ashton Bitter, bred by A H and E M Bartley, broke the breed record when he sold for 10,500gns at Exeter two years ago and has gone on to win a string of prizes including the breed championship at the Royal Welsh Show, the interbreed championship at Rutland Show and the reserve male interbreed at Newark Show.

The reserve, the four year old Kestle Dahlia 60 from Mr R K Rundle, Newquay, Cornwall, was breed champion at the National Show in Norfolk in 2011. This one is a Lumbylaw Leo 2 daughter out of a Sexton Centurion daughter.

Reserve overall champion Kestle Dahlia 60

To read more from the South Devon National Show click the tab below.

Mr Rundle also had success with last year’s National Show Champion, Kestle Tulip 85, who won her class and was reserve female champion.

Mr T L Warne, also from Newquay, won the 2011-born heifer class with Porthkerras Hyacinth 1, while the 2012- born heifer class was won by A & C Farms’ Langham’s Lady 2, sired by the breed champion.

Last year’s National Show male champion, Hopton Maximus 2 from P R and T Eustice stood reserve male champion, while the intermediate bull class was won by Leamington Spa-based Hadley Farms’ Knightcote Demetrius 6. Then the junior bull winner came from G W and L F Pluess in the form of Trevoulter Crusader 16.

Best cow and calf judged on Breedplan performance points with inspection was won by W H D Scott’s Grove Celandine 85, while the best young bull judged on performance and inspection was R W and S M Bostelmann’s Rufford SAS Lewis.

As ever all images are available to purchase from MacGregor Photography.