Charolais bulls met a strong demand at the Stirling Bull Sales, with 14 lots hitting five-figure prices and 78 selling to average £7,599 – 15 more sold than last year.
Falleninch Stormzy, the reserve junior champion from Stirling’s Andrew Hornall, led the trade, selling at 28,000gn and far surpassing the 12-cow herd’s previous top of 12,000gn.
Brought out and shown by Stevie Taylor, this 17-month-old is sired by Barnsford Ferny, the 70,000gn bull sold in 2011.
Out of Falleninch Orla, which won the inter-breed pairs at Perth Show as a youngster, this one sold jointly to four Charolais herds – the Barclays’ Harestone herd at Insch; the MacGregors at Allanfauld, Kilsyth; the Milnes at Kennieshillock, Elgin; and Hamish Goldie, Ruthwell, Dumfries.
Second-top, at 26,000gn, was the senior champion, Rutherston Sonny, from Abbie Anderson, Easter Knox, Arbirlot, Arbroath.
A son of Balmyle Oscar, this bull stood junior inter-breed champion at Perth Show earlier in the year. He was knocked down to the Campbells for their Thrunton herd at Alnwick.
The overall champion, Glenericht Superb, a Caylers Oxford son from Peter and Allen Drysdale’s Blairgowrie-based herd, sold at 20,000gn, to Lucy Houston, Gretnahouse, Gretna. From the same herd and by the same sire, Glenericht Scotsman sold at 12,000gn to Messrs McKenzie, Craiglands, Fortrose.
Making 16,000gn was Ricnick Sonnybill, a Harestone Hercules son from RF McCornick, Barnbackle, Dumfries, which sold to Shennanton Livestock, Newton Stewart.
Best for Archie and John MacGregor’s Allanfauld herd from Kilsyth, was 12,500gn for Allanfauld Shogun, a Maerdy Norseman son which sold to J More, Townhead, Arnprior.
Strathdon-based Billy and Moira Milne sold their bull, Glenernan Sprinter, for 12,000gn. Sired by Elgin Jagger, he sold to T Smith and Son, Netherton, Whitehouse.
Not far behind, the Middletons, of Cowfords Farm, New Pitsligo, reached a top of 11,500gn, with Hollywell Sorrento, a Whitecliffe James son which sold to FT Walton, Flotterton, Morpeth. Meanwhile, their other entry, Hollywell Seoirse, by Thrunton Fairfax, sold at 10,000gn, to GP Udale and Son, Penrith.
Bonnykelly Scotsman, from the Leggats herd at Mormond Prop, New Pitsligo, made 10,000gn, selling to Kincraigie Farms, Lumphanan.
Another at that price, was the reserve champion, Balthayock Sebastian, which went to Jan Boomaars’ Vexour herd at Heathdown.
Other five-figure sellers included one at 11,500gn from Goldies, one at 10,000gn from Gretnahouse and Corrie Stampede, from the show judge Duncan MacGregor, which sold to the Irvines’ Inverlochy herd at Tomintoul and the Muirheads’ Firhills herd at Arbroath.
Sale sets new female record for Aberdeen Angus
A new female record for an Aberdeen Angus was set when a 17-month-old heifer sold at 40,000gns, leading the trade at the breed’s sale at Stirling.
Sold as part of a complete sale of the 2021-born heifers from the Earlston-based herd, on behalf of the trustees of the late Gordon Brooke, Gordon Pole Star X695, by Netherallan Peter Pershore, sold to Ken Hodge’s Greenarch herd in Cheshire.
Next best for the herd, at 15,000gns, Gordon Black Cherry X638, by Rawburn Luthor, sold to R Mawer and E Benge, Corner Farm, Lincolnshire.
The reduction sale of Richard and Carol Rettie’s herd, based at Methven, Perth, peaked at 7,500gns, for the heifer, Retties Frances X187, which sold to A Hall, Antrim.
At the sale of bulls, where a selective trade resulted in a 52% clearance, Caroline Orr’s overall champion, from Halbeath, Dunfermline, went onto make the joint top price of 10,000gns.
That was Keirsbeath Kryptonite X575, an 18-month-old son of Linton Gilbertines President S021, out of Keirsbeath Kitty, which was knocked down to Vaughan Farms for the Kingsland herd in Leominster.
Also hitting the 10,000gns mark was Drumhill Minor Pro X306, a Rulesmains Jimo Eric son from Northern Ireland-based Jonathan and Lisa Doyle. Reserve junior champion at the pre-sale show, he was knocked down to Gordon and David Gray, for their Ettrick herd in Selkirk.
The trustees of the late Gordon Brooke achieved 8,200gns for Gordon Ellanin X639, a Rawburn Luthor son, which sold to Jan Boomaars, for his Vexour herd in Woldingham, Surrey.
Ken and Margaret Howie, of Lumphanan, Banchory, sold their 18-month-old, Cairnton Detroit X465, for 8,000gns. Sired by the home-bred Cairnton Black Captain V443, he went to Messrs Lockerley, Romsey, Hampshire.
Tom Hopkinson’s Lindertis Proud Iggy X757 was the first of three bulls to hit the 7,500gns mark. Sired by Rawburn Jingo Eric, he sold to Orkney buyers T and J Leslie, Shapinsay.
Among others at that money was the reserve senior champion, Drumhill Prime Cut.
Overall, 37 Angus bulls sold to average £5,398.
Cow and calf duo snapped up for 16,000gn
Beef Shorthorn females from John Elliot’s herd at Kelso proved the star attraction at the breed’s female sale, with a cow-and-calf outfit selling at 16,000gn.
The duo, Elliot Estelle 852 and her March-born heifer calf by Fearn Godfather, sold to M Cormack, Meadow View, Leominster, who also paid 8,000gn for Coxhill Desiree, a two year-old heifer from Mrs LJ Coxhill, Moffat.
Another from Mr Elliot, the two-year-old heifer, Elliot Miss Lea 342, sold for the second-top price of 12,000gn, to C Lowther, Askhamhall, Penrith.
Overall, 63 females sold to average £2,906, while 60% of the bulls struggled to find buyers, with just six selling to average £3,728.
Top there was 4,500gn, for Westbroad Rishi, a Shawhill JAT son from D Welsh, Fenwick.
He sold to Liam Muir, Orkney.
Breed president Charles Horton blamed the poor demand for bulls on the current lack of financial confidence in the country and the fact that many producers are still struggling for feeding after the dry summer.
“A lot of the winter stock has been eaten into already, so it’s easy to see why buyers would be cautious heading into the winter,” he said.
“Hopefully the trade will be more positive come February.”
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