Hundreds gathered at Carlisle’s Borderway Mart earlier this month for a range of pedigree and cattle sales. One of these events was the 31st black and white dairy sale which saw trade peak at 9,000gns.

Ironically, the sale leader was a red and white Holstein heifer, as opposed to the traditional black and white. Bred by Eastfield Holsteins, Absolute Hotspot Red is out of the 2012 World Dairy Expo grand champion Starmark AD Hotstuff Red and found a new home in Northern Ireland with Andrew Kennedy.

Selling at 8,200gns was Natasha’s Absolute Windbrook Adeen ET from Graham and Janette Kirby.

Sired by Windbrook Adeen, this VG88 classified second-calver is out of the 14,500gns Holmland Goldwyn Adeen ET. Purchased by local breeders High Whinnow, this stands as the sale’s highest price paid for a cow.

The Priestland herd, which claimed the reserve overall champion at last weekend’s winter fair, saw their entry sell for 8,000gns.

The young heifer Priestland 6147 Atwood James Rose ET is out of prolific show cow Priestland 5235 PS James Rose ET, which this year secured the all-Britain four-year-old champion title. Sired by Maple Downs Atwood, the yearling was secured by the O’Connor family’s Bawnmore herd, Lismire, Co Cork.

Securing the next top and leading Jersey price was Futuredreams Tequilas Excite Veronica at 7,500gns.

This-nine-month-old heifer secured the championship at this year’s National Calf Show and was purchased by judge on that day Richard Saxby. Dam behind the Jersey leader was EX91 classified show cow Futuredreams Excitation Veronica.

A first-prizewinner at the National Calf Show, Lynholme Brokaw Amyly 3, secured a bid of 7,000gns.

This 15-month-old heifer, exhibited by Bob Lawrence, was purchased by Alison Hunter. Sired by Mr Atwood Brookaw, the Amyly family is a well-known family in Italy, with this one of the first animals to be offered in the UK.

Also at this money was the heifer Heavenly SO Katrysha from Heavenly Genetics, Lancashire. By Soloman and from a VG85 Windbrook dam, this 10-month-old heifer was purchased by Peter Prior of Designer Holsteins, Essex.