A family farm in Moray has set a new UK and European breed record of 56,000gns (£58,800) for a single Simmental at Stirling Bull Sales.
Smashing the previous breed record by 10,000gns was the overall and intermediate champion from James and Rachael Griffin’s small Hemingford herd in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.
There was fierce bidding for the bull between two Moray-based pedigree breeders.
Iain Green of Corskie Farm, Garmouth, and Reece Simmers, of Backmuir, near Keith, were both in the running for a spell.
Corskie knocks out Moray rival
But it was Iain’s final bid that won the day and, as a result, Prince Charming will now join the Green family’s 180-strong pedigree herd.
Hemingford Prince Charming is by Saltire Jaguar, which has previously bred sons to 11,000gns. His grandsire is the prolific Team Celtic, which has bred bulls to 28,000gns.
Iain farms alongside his daughters, Laura, Jemma and Hannah.
He said he was happy to make the purchase, as he was confident the 11 bulls the family were selling at Stirling would do well. He was proven right when their top bull made 26,000gns, the second best price of the day.
Corskie Farm boasts three 20,000gns-plus bulls at Stirling
Corskie Prime was a second prize junior bull by the privately purchased Rathnashan Leonardo, whose first son sold for 10,000gns. Out of Corskie La-Enna, he was bought by Jimmy and Vikki Wood for their Popes pedigree herd near Preston.
Another two Corskie bulls sold for 20,000gns apiece. The first was the junior and reserve overall champion, Corskie Pirate, by Rathnashan Magnum out of Corskie Hilda.
He was bought by James Innes, of Dunscroft, Huntly, for his large suckler enterprise.
Neil McGowan, of Incheoch, Alyth, paid 20,000gns for junior bull Corskie Pier.
Five-figure bulls push up Stirling Simmental average to record £9,832
The final five-figure price from Corskie was 13,000gns for Corskie Phoney. JS Fraser, of Tore Mains, Muir of Ord, took this one home.
A total of 26 five-figure prices helped the Simmental average at the latest Stirling sales to a record £9,832 for 94 bulls sold.
This was up by £2,334 on last year for one fewer animal sold.
Simmental momentum ‘building’
British Simmental Cattle Society general manager Iain Kerr said, “Momentum for the breed has been building for the last four years, and eight out of the last nine sales have had record averages.”
Reece and Andrew Simmers, of Backmuir, sold their senior champion, Backmuir Poseidon, by 2023 Highland Show champion, Backmuir King, for 15,000gns.
The buyers here were Neil and Stuart Barclay, of Harestone, Aberdeenshire.
East Lothian breeder, Ross King, of Tranent, sold two bulls for 14,000gns.
The first was his second prize Wolfstar Prototype, by prolific 13 year-old bull Team Celtic, which went to John Sutherland, of Sibminster and Stainland Farms, Thurso.
Meanwhile, Liam Muir, of Upper Onston, Stromness, Orkney, paid 13,500gns for Springfield Pace, by Islavale Jabba, from Gavin Brown, of Penicuik.
Several bulls sold at the 13,000gns mark, including another one from the Simmers.
Backmuir Portsoy, by Backmuir King, went to Robin Bell, of Kelso. Also at this price Braidwood Panther by Wolfstar Jimmy Choo from Lindsay Moffat, Innerwick, Dunbar, went to J B Dobie, Easter Middleton, Gorebridge.
The reserve junior champion, Overhill House Presley, made 13,000gns to Strathisla Farms, of Meigle, Perthshire.
Elsewhere, Steven Knox’s reserve senior champion, Kyleston Principal, sold for 12,000gns to Kincraigie Farms, of Banchory.
Another to make this price was Rockytop Pirelli from Gary and Angela Christie, of Birchfield, Huntly, selling to Karen MacGillivray, of Acharacle.
Michael Durno, who runs the Auchorachan herd at Glenlivet, had a good trade for his pen of bulls, selling to a top of 11,000gns for Auchorachan Premier.
Michael sold his reserve intermediate champion, Auchorachan Picasso, to the previous day’s judge, Jim Goldie, of Annan, for 10,500gns.
Eight-year old from Caithness sells bull for 10,000gns
Ward Farms, of Carnwath, sold Westridge Pebble to M Allardyce, of Eastown, Tarland, for 11,000gns.
Stewart and Fiona Stronach, who run 200 cows at Berrylees, Keith, sold to a top of 11,000gns for Islavale Panama, which went to Glenrinnes Farms, Dufftown.
And Echt farmers J Walker and Sons, of Sauchenbush, paid 11,000gns for Delfur President, a senior bull from Delfur Farms, Rothes.
Four bulls sold for 10,000gns, the first being only the third in the ring for the youngest registered breeder in the society. Eight-year-old Jenson Gunn has five cows of his own, while mum and dad, Jonathan and Joanne, run the Mavsey herd at Lybster, Caithness.
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