Livestock showcase gets off to a strong start
At the first week of the United Auctions’ Stirling Bull Sales pedigree breeders and buyers from across the UK and Ireland filled the Stirling Agricultural Centre’s ringsides and enjoyed the warm hospitality of the city of Stirling.
The prestigious agricultural event, which is supported by Galbraith, ran on Sunday and Monday, February 2 and 3, with the leading livestock auctioneers hosting 886 pedigree bulls and females on show and sale.
Local breeders made their mark in the show ring and under the hammer with their bulls going to buyers from Orkney, Sutherland, West Lothian, Cumbria, Northumberland, Worcestershire and Surrey.
United Auctions were delighted to welcome Councillor Douglas Dodds, Bailie of Stirling Council, as guest of honour. In his first visit to the Stirling Bull Sales, Councillor Dodds toured the event, saw the judging of Limousin bulls in the exhibition hall.There he presented a prize before watching the AberdeenAngus sale from the auctioneer’s box and later the Beef Shorthorn sale as vendors prepared their bulls to go through the ring.
There were plenty highlights for breeders from the Stirling area.
In the Aberdeen-Angus sale ring five-figure sums were hit five times, including for local breeder J Robert Calloway of Cardona, Doune.
His first-prize bull, Cardona Jewel Eric, fetched the third best price of 13,000gn on Monday. The bull goes north to Sutherland with new owners G & W Henderson of Culrain Mains, Ardgay.
Dunblane’s Highland Wagyu of Burnside of Balhaldie also enjoyed a good event, with two of their Aberdeen-Angus bulls placing first and second in the pre-sale show on Sunday.
The first prize bull, Black Barberesco, went on to place junior champion in the championship judging and fetched 9000gn in Monday’s sale ring. He was bought by Seafield Pedigrees Ltd, Seafield Farm, Bedley, Redditch.
Their second prize bull, HW Barolo, was sold to L Wilson, Bridge View in Wigton for 7200gn. Meanwhile, Blairdrummond Limousin breeder J Burnett & Sons of Upper Spittalton Farm, saw success in the pre-sale judging on Monday morning. Spittalton Overland placed both junior champion and reserve overall champion and in the afternoon sale ring was knocked down to 8000gn to Croy Cunningham Farms Ltd, Gartness Farm, Balfron.
John Roberts, group sales director at United Auctions, said: “The first week of the Stirling Bull Sales was off to a strong start with very busy ringsides for Sunday judging and throughout the sales on Monday. With the majority of breed averages up on the year, it’s really positive to see the confidence coming back into the beef industry.
“A number of the top price Aberdeen-Angus and Beef Shorthorn bulls going through the ring were bought for stud bulls and there was an increased interest for the Limousin breed. We enjoy strong support from local Limousin breeders and it was good to see them achieve some of the top prices this week.”
The second week of the Stirling Bull Sales will run from Sunday, February 16 until Tuesday, February 18 when the Simmental, Charolais and Salers breeds will be on show and sale.