Farming Eye

Devon breeders experienced a strong demand for the breed at Sedgemoor yesterday when trade peaked at 4800gns for a bull from Gavin Hunter’s Tilbrook herd, Cambridgeshire.

This one, a two-year old polled bull, sold to Wayne Copp, Ilfracombe, Devon.

Females also sold exceptionally well with demand outstripping supply.  George Vellacott of Dulverton Somerset, had a good day taking champion female with his two year in-calf heifer Ashway Poppy 2, and reserve champion female with Ashway Holly 1, who was also the highest priced female at 2000gns, bought by M A Collins, Warwickshire.

Averages; bulls £2680, cows and calves £1596, in-calf heifers £1995, maiden heifers £1163.75, steers £1002 (Greenslade Taylor Hunt).

by Jonathan Long

Top price in the Ruby Red Devons at Sedgemoor today was a 4800gns call for the third prize bull from the youngest class of the day Tilbrook Hat Trick from G M Hunter. This one has two lines of New Zealand breeding in him, being by Tilbrook Kiwi and out of Tilbrook Cash Tiller 9, a Rotokawa 688/95 daughter.

Top priced bill and third prize winner Tilbrook Hat Trick

Next best of the afternoon was a 4000gns call for the second prize bull in class three Champson Grenadier from G Dart and Son. This Efford Down Grenadier son is out of Champson Bribery 119, a Werrington Bowler daughter.

Champson Grenadier sold at 4000gns

by Jonathan Long

Taking the overall male championship in the Ruby Red Devons at Sedgemoor this morning is the winner of the third bull class Whitefield Knight of the Realm from Messrs Heywood and Hurd.

This June 2010-born Whitefield Centurion son is out of Whitefield Bridesmaid 18, a Kerr’s Rupert daughter and was second at Dorset and Frome last year.

Reserve male champion was the winner of the first bull class of the day, Barton Bonanza from P Huxtable. This is a March 2010-born son of Whitefield Devon Air out of Barton Bribery 49, a Brightly Diamond 6 daughter.

Female class results follow in due course….

by Jonathan Long

Judging is underway at today’s Ruby Red Devon sale at Sedgemoor, with judge David Martin working his way through the bulls first and once again we’ve got a Farming Eye spy ringside to give us all the action as it happens.

In the first class of bulls David found his winner in the form of Barton Bonanza from P Huxtable. This is a March 2010-born son of Whitefield Devon Air out of Barton Bribery 49, a Brightly Diamond 6 daughter.

Second place here went to Brightley Diplomat 13 from Brightley Farms. This Thorndale Fitzroy 3 son is out of Brightley Delicious, a Brightley Sunshine 42 daughter. And then in third was Whitefield King-Of-The-Hill, a February 2010-born son of Whitefield Archie out of Whitefield Orange 166, a Yeo Barton Diplomat daughter.

Then in the second class the winner was Challenge Redeemer from J Gilson. This one is an April 2010-born son of Bywood Buttons 4 and is out of Challenge Ribecca 12, a Challenge Brigadier daughter.

Second in this class was Yeomadon Ferdinand 2, a son of the now legendary and multi-interbreed winning Yeomadon Ferdinand. He is out of Stonegrove Hatton 3, a Rotokawa 667/95 daughter. Following on in third was Clannaborough Forester 6 from the May Farming Partnership. This son of Barton Forester is out of Clannaborough Helen 4, a Challenge Brigadier 3 daughter.

David Martin is making good progress in the bull classes with the top ticket in the third class going to Whitefield Knight of the Realm from Messrs Heywood and Hurd. This Whitefield Centurion son is out of Whitefield Bridesmaid 18, a Kerr’s Rupert daughter and was second at Dorset and Frome last year.

Taking second in this class was Champson Grenadier from G Dart and Son. This Efford Down Grenadier son is out of Champson Bribery 119, a Werrington Bowler daughter. Then in third place was Tilbrook Hat Trick from G M Hunter. This is by Tilbrook Kiwi and out of Tilbrook Cash Tiller 9, a Rotokawa 688/95 daughter.

by Jonathan Long