The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Society chief hails day of ‘solid trade’ after 111 Charolais bulls change hands
David Benson takes a shot at the ‘doom and gloom merchants’ on the closing day of sales
Charolais bulls met a “solid trade” with nine lots selling for five-figure prices at the closing day of the spring Stirling Bull Sales.
Outgoing British Charolais Cattle Society chief executive David Benson hailed a “solid trade” with an 82% clearance rate achieved for 111 bulls selling to average £6,121 – up £62 on last year when 114 bulls exchanged hands.
He said commercial buyers were bidding to a budget and all buyers were looking for bulls with good calving ease figures.
“The doom and gloom merchants a while back saying that Charolais cattle were too big for the market have had their myths dispelled,” added Mr Benson who will be replaced by Peter Phythian next month.
Leading the sale at 25,000gn was the reserve overall and reserve senior champion from Alasdair Houston’s Gretnahouse herd at Gretna Green.
May 2015-born Gretnahouse Lord, by Balthayock Gladiator and out of Gretnahouse Coll, sold to Brendan and Greg Feeney’s Bastonia herd in southern Ireland.
Next best at 22,000gn was an unplaced bull from Bob and Kay Adam’s Newhouse herd at Newhouse of Glamis, Forfar.
July 2015-born Newhouse Lonestar is an AI son of Dingle Hofmeister and out of a heifer named Newhouse Flora. He sold to David Stobbart, Gladsmuir, Carlisle. Thereafter, 16,000gn was paid twice. First at this price was a third-prize winning bull from Major Walter’s Balthayock herd at Perth.
July 2015-born Balthayock Lineup is a son of Ugie Echo, out of 28,000gn Balbithan Vespian daughter Balthayock Fortune. He sold to Neil and Kirsty Blyth for their Marwood herd at Middleton House Farm, Elwick, Hartlepool.
The second lot at 16,000gn was a fourth-prize winning bull from Northern Irish breeder Will Short’s Woodpark herd.
October 2015-born Woodpark Longbow, by Deeside Gulliver and out of Woodpark Gina, sold to Jan Boomaars for the Vexour herd in Surrey.
The next best price of 12,000gn was also paid twice.
First up was June 2015-born Inverlochy Landmark from John Irvine and son Raymond, of Inverlochy, Tomintoul.
By Inverlochy Hercules and out of Inverlochy Heiress, he sold to W and CS Robb, Chalmerston Farm, Mauchline, Ayrshire.
The other at 12,000gn was August 2015-born Carwood Leo from Colin Wight of Carwood Farm, Biggar, Lanarkshire. By Ugie Goldcup and out of Carwood Dot, he sold to J and W Kellas, of Raws Farm, Dufftown, Keith.
Two entries sold for 11,000gn including the overall champion from Jemma Forrest of Hillend Farm, Biggar.
July 2015-born Edenhurst Leader, by Sandelford Harrison, sold to John and Jenny Rix for their Wissington herd in Essex.
The other lot at 11,000gn was the intermediate champion from Northern Irish breeder Bartley Finnegan’s Battleford herd at Dungannon.
July 2015-born Battleford Laser is an embryo transfer son of Lochend Apache out of Blelack Usp. He sold to the Bothwell family’s Killadeas herd in Northern Ireland.
In the female section of the sale, 12 heifers sold to a top of 6,800gn and an average of £3,220, which is up £211 on last year.