Invincible 6 conquers at spring sale
AVERAGE bull prices rose by £476 for the South Devons’ Spring Show and Sale, rising for the seventh year in succession, and by £661 for bulling heifers.
Held at Exeter Livestock Centre on Wednesday, April 3, the top price was set at 10,000 guineas, with another nine bulls achieving in excess of 5,000 guineas.
Breed secretary, Caroline Poultney, commented: “The breed is deservedly receiving consistently higher prices in recognition of its money-earning high ranking traits; and it’s always great to welcome new breeders!”
In the show ring, judge Julian White from Brampton Ash, Leicestershire found his male champion in Trewint Captain from Peter and Ashley Rowe’s Menheniot-based Trewint herd, a March 2022-born son of the national herd competition 2023 best bull, Trewint Carlos.
Reserve male champion was John Throssell and James Warwick’s Broompark Elsworth Lad (HP) from Holsworthy, a heterozygous polled bull by Colcharton Jupiter 3 and out of a Cutsey cow. This bull also took the award for best polled bull and was one of the reserve pair.
The best bull on a combination of Breedplan performance and inspection points was Reuben Saunders’ Boakley Tiberius, travelling down from Malmesbury in Gloucestershire. This bull is a high performing son of Royal Welsh Show breed winner in 2019, Grove Brutus 151.
Female champion was Waddeton Ann 217 carrying bloodlines including Edmeston, Polkinghorne and Ewefields. This two-year-old heifer beat the Pluess family’s Trevoulter Loeiza 2 into reserve position.
Prizes were presented in the show ring by newly-elected South Devon Herd Book Society president Rodger Laity, from the renowned Polkinghorne herd in Hayle.
In the sale ring, the top price of 10,000 guineas went to Mervyn and Richard Rowe from Menheniot for their heterozygous polled bull, Tregondale Invincible 6 (HP). One of a consignment of three bulls from the Tregondale herd sired by Polkinghorne Indiana 2 (PP), this bull sold to R G Elliott & Son from Willoughby in Warwickshire.
Coming up behind were three bulls at 7,000 guineas. Peter and Ashley Rowe’s Trewint Simpson and Trewint Captain, who were the best pair of males, sold respectively to the Dunstall Estate, Burton-on-Trent and to Mr B Kingham, Aldbourne, Wiltshire. Colcharton Farm Partners’ Colcharton Clyde 7 (HP) then sold to the Tully Partnership from Waddeton, Brixham.
Next came A E J & F J Claridge’s Knowlhill Patrick, travelling down from Middle Claydon, Buckinghamshire and selling to North Bovey breeder R J M Osborne & Sons for 6,200 guineas; Mervyn and Richard Rowe’s Tregondale Invincible 8 (HP) heading up to Haversham, Buckinghamshire
for Andrew and Rachel Paton’s Swansway herd at 6,000 guineas; and R J Throssell & J A T Warwick’s Broompark Elsworth Lad (HP) selling for 5,800 guineas to T Bastard, Launceston.
A consignment of three smart Waddeton bulling heifers from the Tully Partnership sold firstly for 2,700 guineas to A V & N Lee from Crediton, and then two each for 2,500 guineas to the Benacre Estate, Beccles, Suffolk. Benacre also acquired a third heifer from Budebased G W J & L F Pluess for 2,500 guineas.
Averages: 23 bulls, £5,131; four heifers, £2,678. Auctioneers: Kivells.