The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Bidders deem the Charolais ring saves the best until last
Eighty-five bulls average £6,079, a rise of £405 on last year
It is not often that the last animal in the ring attracts one of the day’s top bids, but trade for Charolais bulls just got stronger and stronger as the Stirling sale progressed and concluded with a top bid of 12,000gn.
The day’s sound trade saw 85 bulls average £6,079, a rise of £405 on last year’s average of £5,674 for 83 bulls. The clearance rate was 82%. The top money was paid by a Northern Ireland breeder for one of the youngest animals in the yard, the firstprize Sportsmans Monarch from the Stockport partnership of Boden and Davies, Mellor Hall Farm, Mellor.
Earlier in the sale 12,000gn was also paid for the fourth-prize sire Maerdy Magestic, from Esmor Evans, Monfa, Mold. The buyers were Mr and Mrs CJ Wight, Carwood, Biggar.
And at 11,500gn Peter and Allen Drysdale from Middle Drimmie, Blairgowrie, sold their second-prize sire, Glenericht Majestic, to I and D Goldie, Greenfield Farm, Dumfries.
The Watson family from Bowsden, Berwick-upon-Tweed sold fourthprize bull Tweeddale Matador for 10,500gn to Hamish Goldie, South Bowerhouses, Ruthwell.
Major David Walter sold his first-prize bull, Balthayock Maestro, to John and Raymond Irvine, Inverlochy, Ballindalloch for 10,000gn and Jack Nicoll Farms, Todpark Farm, Alyth, sold Mornity Mushroom to J Anderson and Son, Headshaw, Lauder.
At the same price John Jeffrey, Kersknowe, Kelso, sold Kersknowe Matador to Eric Mutch and Son, Whitefield House, Forglen, and at 9,500gn he sold Kersknowe Matthew to WJ Millar, Huntingfaulds Farm, Tealing. Other top-priced bulls included : At 9,000gn the Milne family from Kennieshillock, Lhanbryde, sold Elgin Mojo to G Brown and Sons, Stoneypath, Stenton, E Lothian; AG Houston, Gretna Green, sold Gretnahouse Macbook to Ronnie Mackie, The Ross, Madderty, Perthshire; and J Watson and Co, Bowsden Moor Farm, Berwickupon-Tweed sold Tweeddale Maximum to Mr Evan, Coalfield.
At 8,500gn the Drysdales from Blairgowrie sold senior champion Glenericht Matrix to Allan McArthur, Cretlevane Farm, Balfron Station; Mike Massie, Mains of Elrick, sold the overall champion, Elrick Malt, to C Fraser, Tomnavoulin, Ballindalloch; and J Burnett and Sons, Upper Spittalton, Blair Drummond, sold Spittalton Massie to G Mitchell, Campdalemore, Tomintoul.
At 8,000gn Esmor Evans sold reserve supreme champion Maerdy Morellis to GA Mackie, Drimmie Farm, Rescobie, Angus; R McWilliams, Maghera, Northern Ireland, sold Stranagone Magic to Ramsay, Fallsidehill; WD and JA Connolly, Brigadoon, N Ireland, sold Brigadoon Maverick to Dunbeath Estate, Dunbeath; Hamish Goldie, South Bowerhouses, Dumfries, sold Goldies Magictouch to FT Walton, Flotterton, Thropton; and D Sawru, Kedzlie Farm, Galashiels, sold Swakesmoor Marquis to Wardie, Kenborrow.
At 7,500gn the Campbells from Alnwick sold Thrunton Masterpiece to Mr Brown, Biggings, Orkney; AG Houston sold Gretnahouse Matrix to a Tyneside buyer; and Mike Massie, Auchnagatt, sold Elrick Mighty to AH Fisher, Merrick, Portpatrick.
At 7,000gn the Milne family from Lhanbryde sold first-prize Elgin Moyness to R Brunton, Crudie Acres, Arbroath, and the Irvines from Inverlochy sold Inverlochy Magic to Gilston Castle Farms.
JH Christie, West Carse Farm, Stirling, sold the first-prize sire Westcarse Mac for 6,800gn to RH Brunton, Crudie Acres Farm, Arbroath, and at 6,000gn Bill Bruce, Balmyle, Meigle, sold his second-prize sire Balmyle Muffin to J Leiper and Sons, Black Heddon, Ponteland.