The British Charolais Cattle Society held a special heifer sale in Borderway Mart, Carlisle, England, last weekend.

The White Gold special sale attracted 36 entries from some of the best herds in the United Kingdom.

Irish and Northern Irish breeding was to the fore in some of the top prices during the sale.

Leading the trade

Leading the day’s trading was Tweedale Rosemary ET from the herd of Jonathan Watson. Rosemary was by the Northern Irish-bred Woodpark Elgin, which goes back to Corrie Alan and by a Major-sired dam.

The April 2020-born heifer was knocked down at £18,000 (€21,428), with the successful purchaser the Timm family from north Yorkshire.

Next in the money was another heifer with an Irish connection. Chris Curry’s heifer Burradon Roxy was by the €13,000 Clenagh Lyle, bred by the Quin family in Co Clare and purchased by Curry in Elphin in 2016.

Three to Tyrone

Roxy was out of a homebred dam Burradon Josie. The May 2020-born heifer was knocked down at £9,000 (€10,714) and was one of three purchases knocked down to the Plumbridge-based Bradley family in Co Tyrone.

They also purchased another Clenagh Lyle-bred daughter from the Burradon herd. Burradon Rebecca is a May 2020-born heifer out of a homebred dam. The Curry family’s six heifers averaged £6,000 (€7,142) each.

The third heifer that came back across the water was another from the Tweedale pen.

Tweedale Royalty is by Maerdy Jerusalem going back to a Blelack Blackberet cow. She was hammered down at £5,000 (€5,952) to the Bradley family.

Next highest

Next highest-priced lot went to the Milne family for their November 2020-born heifer Elgin Robin.

She is by French imported Harestone Oscar, an I Love You son and goes back to a homebred dam by Caylers Gladiator. This heifer was purchased by the Anderson family from Angus.

The sale attracted a lot of interest nationwide, resulting in a fantastic result

Commenting on the sale, auctioneer James Little added: “After a long absence of dedicated Charolais female sales in Borderway, I was absolutely delighted the company was instructed to carry out this inaugural event.

"The sale attracted a lot of interest nationwide, resulting in a fantastic result. The clearance rate was exceptional, with many bidders present with a variety of budgets.

"All heifers were well bid for and to achieve a centre record of 18,000gns really capped the day off."

The average for the 25 heifers sold was £4,779 (€5,689), with the clearance rate coming in at 80%.

The next date in the UK Charolais calendar is Tuesday 22 February when 177 Charolais bulls will go under the hammer at the famous February bull sales in Stirling.

For the full sale report with photos, check out this week’s Irish Farmers Journal.