- Location
- Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Stirling Beef Shorthorn females peak at 7,200gns
75 lots ave £2,204; 81% clearance; 14 bulls ave £3,248, 100% clearance
Beef Shorthorn females met a strong, level demand selling to a top of 7,200gns at the breed association’s official autumn sale at Stirling on Monday 19 October.
“A very firm trade throughout the sale resulted in averages up £32 on the year and an 81% clearance, trends that reflected the continuing demand for Beef Shorthorn as a functional suckler cow and attracting buyers at the ringside from as far afield as Cornwall and Ceredigion,” commented the breed society’s Frank Milnes.
Leading the trade at 7,200gns was Glenisla Foxglove Tansy H63 TI+17, SRI +16, achieving a herd record price in Stirling for Major John and Catriona Gibb, Glenisla, Blairgowrie. A 17 month old roan maiden heifer, she was by Glenisla Artic Storm and out of a homebred dam from their 60 cow herd. She travelled to Hampshire to join David Bradley Farmer’s 25 cow Meonside herd based at East Meon. “I was keen to introduce more Glenisla genetics to the herd, and Tansy was in my eyes the best heifer in the sale; she was outstanding with great width across the plates, great loin, tremendous locomotion, she was very feminine and a fantastic colour.”
Other leading entries from the Gibbs’ 15 strong draft were two, 18 month old Artic Storm daughters, Glenisla Eva Broadhooks H58 TI+29, SRI +22, selling for 4,000gns to R Crawford, Mauchline and Glenisla Eva Broadhooks H60 TI +29, SRI +23, at 3,600gns to G Parry-Jones, Nannerch, Mold.
The 17 month old roan, Millerston Augusta Helen TI +10, SRI +8, a Millerston Einstein daughter, in calf to Meonhill Charlie Chaplin and out of a homebred dam from Jack and Grace Ramsay’s 30 cow herd, Mauchline, secured a 4,500gns bid from Messrs Maxwell, Bowden, Melrose. Twenty four hours earlier she had been awarded the female championship by judge, Ian Neish who deemed her as ‘a clear winner’. “This heifer has tremendous length, good locomotion and character, and she demonstrates thickness from the shoulder through to her hind quarters,” he said. Helen was no stranger to the ring having taken a red ticket at Stars of the Future and at Ayr, while for the Ramsays it was their second consecutive championship in Stirling in 2015.
Two more entries sold to 4,000gns. Hampshire based LEP Farms, Hambledon offered Meonhill Skjaklin Primrose TI +30, SRI +18, a two year old in calf, light roan heifer by Chapelton Covenanter, to R Pettit, Portgordon, Buckie. The final 4,000gns bid went to the reserve champion, Lowther Strawberry Surprise TI +17, SRI +16, an 18 month old roan by Blelack Minstrel from Charles Lowther, Penrith to Tina Russell and Simon Farmer, Stanford in the Vale, Oxford.
Heading Douglas McMillan’s five strong draft at 3,800gns was Coldrochie Irania Rainbow TI +25, SRI +22, a 19 month old roan by Chapelton Winsome. She sold to Ross Withers, Probus, Truro who is establishing a new herd and who also paid 3,000gns for the next lot in the ring, Coldrochie Secret Swift, TI +21, SRI +14, an 18 month old roan by Coldrochie Fair Shake.
Two more roan Chapelton Winsome daughters were in the money; the 18 month old Coldrochie Lovely Hornbean TI +21, SRI +16 made 3,300gns to J and J Green, Insch, Aberdeen, whilst Coldrochie Joyful Rainbow TI +20, SRI +20 was secured for 3,000gns by A Maclean, Glenurquhart.
Earlier in the day, Luncarty, Perth based Mr McMillan was bid 3,000gns for Coldrochie Broadhooks H8 TI +18, SRI +12, a 19 month old roan Colnvalley Bogart daughter to W Watt, Keith, Banff.
Mr Watt also paid 3,250gns for the next lot in the ring, Castlemount Neptune Northolm TI +19, SRI +19, a 19 month old red and white Chapelton Neptune daughter from D McDowell, Newtownards, County Down.
Knockenjig Tessa TI +22, SRI +17, an 18 month roan from David and Rosemary Dickie, Sanquhar, and by the 8,000gns Tofts Whiskey commanded a 3,200gns bid from R Baudains, Nunnington, York.
Earlier in the day, Beef Shorthorn bulls achieved 100% clearance with the leading 5,500gns bid going to Podehole Gilroy TI +18, SRI +19, a two year old roan Chapelton Clansman son, offered by Sarah Wilkins, Jarvis Brook, Crowborough to Pitgaveny Farms, Elgin.
Next at 5,000gns was the male champion and within the breed’s top 5%, Chapelton Glen Etive TI +30, SRI +25 from Donald Biggar, Castle Douglas to John McIntosh, Dunragit, Stranraer. A Glenisla Banqo son and out of a homebred dam from the 80 cow herd, he ‘stood out from the rest’ in the judging ring having size, correctness and power, according to judge, Ian Neish.
Messrs McIntosh also went to 3,500gns for Langalbuinoch Hercules TI +12, SRI +10, a 20 month old roan by Newfield Tarquin from R and P McAlister, Kingarth, Bute.
Next at 4,200gns was Stobilee Gorgeous George, a two year old red by Tofts Master and out of a Glenisla dam from R Morton, Cleghorn, Lanark to R Mitchell and Sons, Hawick.
John and Catriona Gibb’s Glenisla Guardsman II TI +21, SRI +23 a two and a half year old red by the Australian bred Broughton Park Thunder commanded 4,000gns from Carey Coombs, Carnwath, Lanark.
The day’s second 3,500gns bid went to Castlemount Hector TI +11, SRI +12, a 20 month old red and little white Waukaru Coppertop son and out of a Chapelton dam from D McDowell, Newtownards. He returned back over the water with Stephen Hall, Monkstown.
Averages: 14 bulls £3,248; 75 females £2,204.
Auctioneers: United Auctions
