Corrick Presley
Simmental bulls top at 7,200gns at Dungannon
A new breed record of 7,200gns for a Simmental bull was set at Dungannon for the supreme champion, Corrick Presley. This September 2023-born son of Seafort Gill out of the Team Celtic daughter, Corrick Matilda was consigned by Cecil and Scott McIlwaine, Newtonstewart, it sold to William Ferguson, Stewartstown, Dungannon.
Two bulls made 6,000gns and with the first being Knockreagh Popstar from Val and Conrad Fagan, Newry, County Down. November 2023 born, this bull which was second in its class was by Saltire Impressive 17 out of Knockreagh Kitty, a Dermotstown Delboy daughter and sold to the Killyfaddy Farm pedigree herd of Robert Duncan, Magherafelt, Co Londonderry.
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Also making 6,000gns was first prize winner, Drumacritten Robbie 24 by Dermotstown Delboy out of Drumacritten Dianna, a Drumlone Anchor 09 daughter. The buyer was Ivan Henderson, Enniskillen.
In the females, two December 2023-born heifers from D.G. Rooney, Newry, County Down, Veaghmore Pebble by Clonagh Tiger Gallant and Veaghmore Paris by Runfurly Dragoon 12, made 3,500gns each, both to James Porter, Dromore, Co Down.
Averages: 6 bulls, £5,477.50 (+£1,897 on 2024); 4 heifers, £3,438.75.
Auctioneers: Dungannon Farmers Mart.
Ballymaconnely flock leads Worcester Dorset trade
Leading the way at the Dorset Emeralds show and sale of Dorset Horn and Poll Dorset sheep at Worcester at 2,800gns was the pre-sale champion and top priced Poll Dorset, Ballymaconnelly Hulk H475.
From Samuel and Elaine Caldwell, Ballymena, Co Antrim, this September-born ram lamb was by Ballycraig Express E1720 out of a Coltrim-bred female by Mainview Zeebo Z603. It sold to the judge, James Royan of the Bennachie flock, alongside Alistair and Caroline Morton of the Clydesdale flock, and Robbie Morton of the Stobilee flock.
The Caldwells then took the second highest price of 2,600gns for another Poll lamb, this time Ballymaconnelly Haribo H488 by Bencran Ferrari F1545 and out of a homebred female by Lisnafillian Denzel D1574. The buyer was Tim Pratt, Woodbridge, for the Deben flock.
Next, at 1,200gns, was Pembroke Houdini H5583, a Poll Dorset ram lamb from David Lewis, Narberth, Pembrokeshire. By Ashvale Google G946, it sold to M. and A. Care, Looe, Cornwall, for the Burhos flock.
Making 1,100gns was the highest priced Dorset Horn ram lamb, Richhill Hooper H2088 from Ben Lamb, Richhill, Co Armagh. By Burhos W568, it was knocked down to Jeremy Durrant Thaxted, Essex.
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From this same home came the reserve male and reserve overall champion, Richhill Horatio H2137 by Island View Ed Sheerin E30, which went to Sam Driver, Glossop, at 1,000gns.
Leading the female trade at 850gns was the first placed shearling ewe and reserve female champion, Pembroke G140 from David Lewis. By Burhos Ewers E1518 and carrying Riverview Under Armour U5 blood in the dam line, it was knocked down to Lucy Carpenter, Widegates, Cornwall.
Next, at 750gns, was the winner of the ewe lamb class and overall female champion, Hydes Harriet H3980, a Poll daughter of Hydes Godfather G3237 which went to Rob Haydon, Evesham.
Averages: 5 breeding rams, £588; 5 breeding ewes, £598.50; 19 ram lambs, £978.16; 8 ewe lambs, £531.56.
Auctioneers: McCartneys.
Gisburn overwintering champion makes £3,400
An 11-month-old Limousin cross British Blue heifer shown by 25-year-old Rebecca Mountain, North Rigton, won the championship at Gisburn's Young Handlers overwintering competition which drew 36 competitors.
Rebecca bought the heifer in Gisburn when it weighed 320kg last autumn. Since then it achieved an average daily gain of 1.338kg and crossed the scales at 502kg, before selling for the top price of £3,400 leaving her a margin of £850.
Judges Olivia Matten, Thirsk, beef farming family, and the 2024 overwintering competition winner Thomas Capstick, Swinden Moor, found their reserve champion in another Limousin cross heifer from 16-year-old Maisie Beresford, Kirkby in Furness, who also won the senior newcomer award. Her black 14-month-old 456kg heifer and sold at £2,700 leaving a margin of £1,200 which gave her joint second best margin, having also won best presented animal in her age group.
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The other joint best margin winner with £1,200 was 11-year-old Emily Critchley, Preston, whose 22-month-old 654kg Limousin cross heifer won best presented in her age group and made £2,750 having achieved a 1.44kg daily gain over 125 days.
Topping the daily gain figures at 1.582kg and achieving the best margin of £1,270, was a 400kg British Blue cross steer from 10-year-old Freddie Standring, Newchurch-in-Pendle. After 139 days on-farm it sold at £1,800. Close behind on daily gain was a British Blue cross steer from Poppy Parker, Bolton which gained 1.574kg/day over its 169 days. Poppy also won the junior newcomer award.
The Brown family, Skipton, saw James aged five with a British Blue cross, and William aged 10 with a Limousin cross, both win their best presented classes, while Isabella aged nine came third in her age class with a British Blue cross.
Winner in the YFC member section was Pendle club's 21-year-old Bethany Duerden, with her 11-month-old white British Blue heifer which had been the best presented heifer in her age group, gained 1.201kg /day and sold for £2,200 leaving her a £1,000 margin after 139 days.
Auctioneers: Gisburn Auction Marts.
High of 4,800gns at Carlisle dairy sale
The March Border and Lakeland Holstein Club show and sale at Carlisle topped at 4,800gns with 36 animals selling for more than £3,000.
The sale leader at 4,800gns was the heifer, Berryholme Cascade Erle by Regan-Danhof Cascade from the Wright family, Kendal, which was unshown. The buyer was the Donald family, Carlisle. The Berryholme heifers averaged £3,990.
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Peter Kemp, Aberdeen, sold six heifers to average £3,158 topping at 4,600gns for a daughter of Boghill Glamour Santos bred by the Drointon herd. It sold to David Coulthurst, Preston, who also paid 4,000gns for Aliann Attico Carmel from the same vendor.
The championship went to Espland Adorable Madge by which went on to sell for 3,000gns to the judge, Isaac Lancaster, Gisburn.
Cows topped at 3,300gns for Blythbridge Austin Ambrosia from the Laird family, Blyth Bridge, which sold giving more than 60kg daily. Blythbridge Applicable Trethelma, also giving 60kg and from the same home, sold for 3,200gns, with both cows going to the Robinson family, Humshaugh, Northumberland.
Averages: 10 cows in-milk, £3,060.82; 114 heifers in-milk, £2,778.82; 3 faulted/three-quartered heifers, £1,775; 13 in-calf heifers, £2,314.04; 2 heifer calves, £1,050.
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
Pedigree heifers to £3,420 in Gisburn
An Aireburn heifer from G.B. Moorhouse, Skipton, topped Gisburn's dairy at £3,420. By Fly-Higher Mellancamp, the January 2023-born heifer was from the herd's Honey family and out of a Challenger dam.
At £3,000 was the Applejax-sired Sandcrest Adexa 29, one of six Sandcrest heifers from the Kirkham-based herd of J. and M. Sanderson. Nine heifers from Gibson and Berry's Audbrook herd, Kendal, peaked at £2,750 for an Alamamater A2A2 daughter.
Non-pedigree fresh heifers sold to £2,820 for H.J. and K. Blackwell, Gargrave, while the in-calf pedigree trade peaked at £2,620 for one of three from D.W. and M.N. Ishmael, Wigan, in-calf to the Aberdeen-Angus for May.
Averages: Pedigree newly calved heifers, £2,349; non-pedigree newly calved heifers, £2,266; pedigree newly calved cows, £2,254; non-pedigree newly calved cows, £2,200; pedigree in-calf heifers £2,106.
Auctioneers: Gisburn Auction Marts.
Stirk record set at Bentham
A new stirk record of £3,000 was set at Bentham for the pre-sale show champion from Nick and Charlotte Brown, Claughton.
The second prize winning heifer and reserve champion from Gary Lodge, Malham Moor, sold for £2,500 with another heifer from the same vendor at the same money. The best heifers sold from £1,800-£2,200.
Bulls topped at £2,360 for the first prize winner from Michael and John Dawson, Littledale, with many of the strongest bulls either side of £2000 with the younger better shaped bulls £1,700-£1,900.
Younger cattle saw five-month-old Herefords sell to £1,100, £1,080 and £1,000 for Richard Thornton, Winmarleigh.
A. Roebuck, Millbrook, sold young Simmentals to £1,020 with other younger cattle £900-£1,100 and 12-15-month-old bullocks and heifers of all breeds selling from £1,200-£1,500.
Stronger British Blue heifers were £1,700-£1,900, with black and whites to £1,780 for Dave Harrison, Wray, with younger sorts from Messes Foster, Cartmel Fell, at £1,220.
Auctioneers: Richard Turner and Son.
Rearing calves to £860 at Skipton
A new rearing calf record of £860 was set at Skipton for the pre-sale show champion, a seven-week-old British Blue bull by Odds On from Rob and Sarah Marshall, Dacre. It sold to the judge, Jack Monk, Mellor.
The Marshalls also had the second and third prize winners in the same class which both made £790.
They also headed the Blue-cross heifer calf prices at £670 with the second prize winner with their consignment of 10 British Blues averaging £734. The Marshalls also had the winning native bull calf, an Aberdeen-Angus which sold for a section-topping £670.
The reserve overall champion, the first prize Limousin bull calf, a seven-week-old from G.P. Pickersgill, Hawksworth, made £750. The first prize over-eight-week-old Continental Limousin-cross bull from the same home made £800.
British Blue-cross bulls averaged £673 with the best £700-plus, the next grade £640-£690, and the younger end £500-£560. The top British Blue heifers were £600-£665, younger calves £500-£590, just the youngest £400 upwards to average £577.
Stronger continental bulls were £700-£770. Continental heifers sold from £400 to £500 top, this for the first prize Limousin from J. Howard Jnr, Skipton, with the same vendor also heading the native heifer prices at £490 for an Aberdeen-Angus.
Strong Aberdeen-Angus bulls were £500 upwards and strong Aberdeen-Angus heifers £360-£480.
Auctioneers: CCM.
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