The sale of Simmental bulls at Stirling yesterday started slowly but, by the time it came to the best of the intermediate and junior bulls, trade had picked up, with commercial producers vying with the pedigree breeders for the best of the offering.
By the end of the sale, 79 bulls had changed hands for an average of £5,641. This is back £165 on the year and represents a 63% clearance rate.
The top price of 18,000gn went to veteran Northern Ireland consignor Billy Robson – but not for his overall champion, Kilbride Farm Detroit. Instead, it was his stablemate, Kilbride Farm Doubleaction, that led the way.
He is a son of Kilbride Farm Warren, since sold for 9,500gn, and out of Kilbride Farm Eustice.
Doubleaction is almost certainly destined for pedigree use and is off to join Anne MacPherson’s herd at Blackford, Croy.
The next best was not far behind at 17,000gn, selling to Brian Grant, Dellfield, Inverness. This was another from Northern Ireland, this time from father and son Robert and Richard Rodgers, Portglenone, Ballymena.
Hiltonstown Dominic is by Dirnanean Jacob son Auroch Amos and out of Hiltonstown Wallis, a granddaughter of Woodhall Premier.
The pre-sale senior champion and reserve overall made 13,000gn for Lachlan Quarm, Holehouse, Irvine. His 21-month-old Annick Dalwhinnie was the breed champion at Ayr Show this year.
His sire, Skerington Visa, has a track record too, having bred the February 2013 Stirling intermediate champion.
Dalwhinnie is out of Annick Brackens Primrose, also the dam of the 20,000gn Annick Talisman. The purchaser yesterday was J. Barclay and Son, Ardiecow, Fordyce, Banff.
There was to be another 13,000gn transaction with Stewart Stronach, Berryleys, Keith, selling Islavale Daz to A. Wright, West Lundie, Argaty, Doune.
Daz is by Chestermann Varney, a successful stock bull at Islavale and a senior champion at the last Perth bull sale, where he was bought for 7.500gn.
The judge, Alister Clark, Stratheast, Holm, Orkney, backed his judgment by buying the reserve senior champion for 12,000gn. This was Corrick Dictator, from Cecil McIlwaine, Corrick, Newtonstewart, Northern Ireland. Dictator is an AI son of Drumlone Anchor, a 10,000gn Stirling champion in 2010.
Mr McIlwaine was notching up his sixth bull sales championship with Dictator and later went on to make it seven when he collected the junior championship with Corrick Dunedin.
Billy Robson was also a vendor at 12,000gn for another Kilbride Farm Warren son, Kilbride Farm Duke. This one is heading for pedigree duties with the Henry Widdecombes Starline herd in Devon.
In the ranks of the Simmental females, there was nothing between the female champion and the reserve when it came to the sale ring. Both made 4,000gn and went to the same buyer, J. Innes and Sons, Dunscroft, Huntly.
The champion, Ben-Nant Cadi, from B.T. Raymond, Nantymab, is a 31-month-old in-calf heifer by Hirwaun Rooney and out of Ben-Nant Whitney.
The reserve, Magheragrigan Clare, from T.W. Abraham, Irvinestown, Ballymena, is also 31 months old and was sold in-calf to Curraheen Bossman. She is by Omorga Volvo and was reserve female of the year in Northern Ireland. Five females sold to average £2,606.
Other leading bull prices: 11,000gn – John Dykes, South Slipperfield, West Linton, to Mr Farland, Northern Ireland, for Mendick Delboy.
11,000gn – Cecil McIlaine to D.N. Campbell and Sons, Bardnaclavan, Thurso, for Corrick Dunedin.