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The Charolais breed topped the trade and produced an average to envy all at the Stirling bull sales. The breed’s 46,000gns high seller helped greatly in producing the highest average seen in a number of years.
Settling at an average of £7,635 for 115 bulls sold, which represented an 88% clearance, the Charolais trade remained strong throughout, but particularly for the senior bulls.
Claiming the top price was the previous day’s senior and overall champion Balthayock Minstrel. Brought out by the Walker family, this May 2016-born bull was sired by Balthyock Ferdinand ET, a bull also bred by the Walker family. Ferdinand had previously sired bulls to 50,000gns.
Dam Balthayock Gem is sired by Barbican Lancer, an old bull who also bred last year’s reserve female championship at the Royal Highland Show.
With an exceptionally easy calving pedigree and set of EBVs, the champion was knocked down to the Balmyle and Harestone herds in a joint partnership.
The Balthayock herd also secured the reserve senior championship with Balthayock Mandate. This May 2016-born son is sired by Maerdy Grenadier, a bull that needs no introduction having claimed the Royal Highland Show championship in 2012 and sired last year’s female champion.
Balthayock Mandate.
On the dam’s side, Mandate has Swalesmoor Cracker in his breeding, one of the herd’s most successful sires. This bull also left an impression when he sold for 16,000gns to H R and C Dalrymple of Kings Arms.
The second-prizewinner to the overall champion also came from the Walkers’ pen – Balthayock Manifesto secured a bid of 19,000gns.
Balthayock Manifesto.
This well-made bull also has a Swalesmoor Cracker-bred dam, while his sire is the homebred 2015 Royal Highland Show male champion Balthayock Imp. This one was knocked down to PM and SM Donger of Northants.
Top of Mr Barclay’s Harestone outfit was Harestone Monarch at 18,000gns. This first-prizewinning bull is sired by Thrunton Socrates, a bull with champions all over his pedigree, while the dam was privately purchased cow Trefonnen Ffion. This one heads across to France with Gaec Godet Retailleau.
Harestone Monarch.
Thrunton Montego from the Campbell family was next in the money when his intermediate bull secured a price of 16,000gns.
Sired by Maerdy Hearthrob and out of a Balmyle Dickler-bred dam, he was knocked down to C A Smith in Aberdeenshire. Montego combines easier than average calving, with high growth EBVs.
Thrunton Montego.
At a price tag of 15,000gns was the previous day’s reserve intermediate champion Newhouse Maxamus from R M Adam and son. This July 2016-born bull is also out of Maerdy Hearthrob, while the dam is Newhouse Geisha, a Brampton Nacodar daughter. This one was secured by David Connolly of the Brigadoon Herd.
Newhouse Maxamus.
Two more bulls traded at 14,000gns. First up and back into the big money was the Walker family with Balthayock Mikado.
This April 2016-born bull is out of the aforementioned Balthayock Imp and out of a homebred dam by Swalesmoor Cracker. With a calving ease figure of +3.2, he was knocked down to James Jefferey, Kelso.
Matching him at the price tag was the day’s intermediate and reserve overall champion Maerdy Montypython from Messrs Evans. This son of the former reserve Stirling senior champion Blelack Fabulous goes back to the outstanding cow Claybury Clarissa. With a positive calving figure, he was secured by J Price of Oakchurch farms.
In total, a massive 21 Charolais bulls broke the five-figure mark, which was largely driven by commercial buyers in demand for strong able bulls.
Simmental
Topping the Simmental breed with a call of 24,000gns was William Stronach’s Islavale Heston 16. This bull had placed reserve junior champion the previous day and was in high demand from the moment he entered the ring.
Isavale Heston 16.
He is sired by Ranfurly Confederate C24, a bull bred by the Hazelton family in Dungannon and in turn out of the Irish-bred cow Raceview Aisling Matilda.
Heston’s dam side also heavily incorporates Irish breeding, with the Grandsire Curaheen Bandit, bred by the Wall family in Dublin. With one of the easiest calving EBVs in the catalogue, he found a new home with R McCulloch of Over Hill House.
This was only the tip of the iceberg for Mr Stronach, who also secured the breed’s second-top price of 16,000gns for Islavale Harvest 16. This September 2016-born bull was also sired by Ranfurly Confederate, this time out of a Woodhall Walker-bred dam.
Islavale Harvest.
With above-average EBVs for a number of traits, he found a new home in Northern Ireland with the well-known Kilbride herd.
Not stopping there, the Islavale herd also managed to secure the overall breed championship under judge Anne MacPherson of the well-established Blackford farm.
Islavale Hugo, having claimed the senior championship earlier in the day, went all the way to be tapped forward as overall Simmental champion.
Islavale Hugo.
This March 2016-born bull is homebred on both sides, with the sire Islavale Echo 2 and the dam Chestermann Varney son Islavale Emblem. Having left the ring unsold, he was purchased outside for 10,000gns by W J Barclay.
Reserve overall Simmental championship of the show again went the way of the senior bulls, this time to Auchorachan Hunter.
This April 2016-born bull, bred and exhibited by the Durno family, was also homebred on both sides. Sire was Auchorachan Elgin, while the dam Auchorachan Diamond, a former show animal.
This strong bull found a new home in the Scottish Government bull stud at 6,200gns.
The day’s intermediate champion Camus Harold, originally bred by Mr Campbell but sold on the day by Messrs Stubbs and Burleigh, came under the hammer at 12,000gns.
This July 2016-born bull was sired by Kilbride Farm Newry, while the dam Camus Easter was sired by Dirnanean Apostle 9. Securing the intermediate champion was the Woods family of the well-known Popes show herd.
Overall junior championship of the show was awarded to Corskie Harry from the Green family. This son of the 22,000gns Dirnanean Bradley is out of a homebred dam by Ballinalare Farm Nightrider.
Sire Bradley is a well-known bull, having won the overall Simmental championship at the Royal Highland Show in 2014. Successful bidder for Harry at a price of 7,500gns was Newton Farms.
The last of the Simmental bulls to reach the five-figure mark was the Robson family’s Kilbride Farm Haka. This October 2016-born bull is out of Kilbride Farm Warren, who has previously sired bulls to 18,000gns, while the dam is Kilbride Farm Eunice 145D.
Overall trade was tough for Simmental bulls, particularly in the senior classes, with the younger bulls helping greatly to boost the average.
In all, 116 bulls sold to average £5,477, back £589 on the year, with an 82% clearance.
Cleuchhead Legacy.
Salers
This year featured a record number of Salers forward at the bull sales, with a catalogue of 40. However, the added bulls weren’t met by demand, with the average price falling by over £3,000.
Leading the day’s trading in the Salers ring was the intermediate champion Cleuchhead Legacy from Rob and Kath Livesey. This bull traded at 7,000gns to Andrew Tullie Farming. Sired by Cuil Godfather, Legacy is out of homebred dam Cleuchhead Gentle 25.
Securing a price of 6,200gns was Kaimburn Lewis from Edgerston Trading. This 2016-born bull was sired by Seawell Highlander and found a new home with N and D Austin.
Fourteen bulls sold on the day to average £3,878.
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