Charolais fetches top price at 23,000gn

Goldies Oasis leads the way on final day of sales which saw 74% clearance rate for breed but average down

Charolais bulls achieved the highest price of the fixture at the closing day of the Stirling Bull Sales.

A 74% clearance rate was achieved when 65 bulls sold to average £5,735 – back £1,244 on last year when 73 bulls exchanged hands.

The sale leader at 23,000gn was first prize winning June 2018-born Goldies Oasis, from Hamish Goldie, South Bowerhouses, Dumfries.

By the 15,000gn Gretnahouse Heman, he sold to Neil and Stuart Barclay, Harestone Farm, Insch.

The next best price of 12,000gn was paid twice for the overall and reserve overall champions.

First up was the overall champion, which sold to the Wight family at Carwood Farm, Biggar.

Put forward by veteran breeder Major David Walter, who has been breeding Charolais cattle for 50 years at Balthayock, near Perth, was May 2018-born Balthayock Octavian, by Balthayock Ferdinand.

The reserve overall champion sold to the Irvine family for its Inverlochy herd at Tomintoul, Ballindalloch.

This was May 2018-born Coolnaslee Oreo, by Mortimers Hurricane, from the Crawford family, Maghera, Co Londonderry.

Thereafter, JM Cant & Partners, Easter Knox, Arbirlot, Arbroath, paid 9,500gn for the intermediate champion.

This was May 2018-born Balmyle Oscar, by Ovill Lennon, from Perthshire breeder Bill Bruce.

Other leading prices included

9,000gn twice.

First at this price was March 2018born Gretnahouse Orangutan, by Westcarse Jimmy, from Gretna Green breeder Alasdair Houston. He sold to E Scott, Linross Farm, Glamis.

The other was May-2018 born Tophill Olly, by Sandelford Harrison, from the Stott family at Canonbie, Lockerbie. He sold to Ross Farms, Wester Middleton, Gorebridge, Midlothian.

The reserve senior champion sold for 8,000gn to the Sutherland family at Sibmister and Stainland Farms, Thurso, Caithness.

The dispersal of the Russell family’s Denny-based Lesliepark herd topped at 4,000gn for five-year-old cow Ballathie Iwasstuck, by Balthayock Empire, with her January-born heifer calf at foot.

The outfit sold to A& B For rest, Hillend, Robertson, Lanark.

Pictures: Wullie Marr. Above: Simmental bull Team Jackpot which sold for 14,000gn. Right: Overall Charolais champion bull Balthayock Octavian with Davie and Tracey Nicol, Major David Walter, Ron MacKay and Hector Campbell.

Above left: Charolais bull Goldies Oasis sold for the top price of 23,000gn and, right, Simmental bull Ranfurly Jackall fetched 14,000gn.