Last week’s Charolais bull sale in Stirling was a day to remember for UK Charolais breeders, with the breed smashing previous sales records.

A total of 105 bulls and two heifers changed hands, representing a 89% clearance rate and an average price of 8,317gns (€10,020), up 1,196gns (€1,440) on the February 2021 sale.

Twenty-eight bulls sold for 10,000gns (€12,048) or more.

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Hitting the top price was the Barclay family with their bull Harestone Ronaldinho.

Placed first in his class in the pre-sale show, he is sired by the £23,000 (€27,700) Goldies Oasis and goes back to a Hermes cow. He sold for 24,000gns (€28,915) in a joint split between the Balthayock herd and C Smeaton, Inverarity, Angus.

Harestone Robroy, sired by Goldies Oasis, sold for 14,000gns (€16,867) to Dovea Genetics.

Next up was the well-known Goldies herd with Goldies Rocky.

Goldies Rocky, sired by Gretnahouse Heman, sold for 21,000gns (€25,301).

By Gretnahouse Heman and out of Dingle Hofmeister-bred dam, the 19-month-old bull was knocked down to the Wilson family in Aberdeenshire for 21,000gns (€25,301).

Three bulls came in at 20,000gns (€24,096). The first was Wetscarse Ruler who stood senior champion and reserve overall champion in the pre-sale show. It was new breeder Catherine McGregor’s first bull to bring out and what a start she had, with the Nuthampstead Judas-sired animal being knocked down to Colin Wight.

Next in at 20,000gns (€24,096) was Silver Rebel from the Harman family from Buckinghamshire.

The first-prize winning Silver Rebel, sired by Balthayock Musketeer, sold for 20,000gns (€24,096).

Sired by Balthayock Musketeer and out of a Thrunton Fairfax-bred dam, Rebel was knocked down to former Scottish rugby international John Jeffrey to join his pedigree Charolais herd in Kelso.

Another bull from the Harman stable also hit 20,000gns (€24,096).

Westcarse Ruler, the senior champion and reserve overall champion sired by Nuthampstead Judas, sold for 20,000gns (€24,096).

Chesham Rocky, a 16-month-old son of Silver Oakman, sold to Smallburn Farms Ltd in Morayshire.

Next in the money was Balmyle Roberto from the Bruce family. By the homebred Balmyle Jasper and out of a daughter of Sackville Dynamite, Roberto was knocked down at 18,000gns (€21,686) to the Mill family in Caithness.

Balmyle Roberto, sired by Balmyle Jasper, sold for 18,000gns (€21,686).

Reserve intermediate champion Balthayock Rastas also saw the hammer drop at 18,000gns (€21,686).

Balthayock Rastas, the reserve intermediate champion sired by Balthayock Maximillian, sold for 18,000gns (€21,686).

Sired by Balthayock Maximillian and out of a Balthayock Impression-sired dam, he went to join the Wordie’s herd in Aberdeenshire.

One of the youngest bulls in the sale is heading to Ireland. Harestone Robroy, a 16-month-old son of Goldies Oasis goes back to a daughter of former Stirling supreme champion Thrunton Fearless. He was purchased for Dovea Genetics’ AI stud.

Maerdy Rocketman, the junior champion and overall champion sired by Goldies Linford, sold for 16,000gns (€19,277).

Dovea’s John Lynch said: “We were delighted to purchase Robroy, we really like his breeding on both the sire and dam’s side. He’s everything what you want in a Charolais and we think he will do a super job for the Irish terminal market.”