The Charolais breed was the last through the rings at Stirling last week, but the wait proved fruitful with the highest average and best clearance achieved of all the breeds over the two-week run.

Similar to the Limousin sale in Carlisle the previous weekend, the sale saw a lack of high-flyers, but witnessed a very strong commercial trade right the way through.

Commercial buyers were willing to spend up to five figures to get their bull of choice.

While the ring may have not seemed as packed as other years, those who were there were there to buy, with 121 bulls sold, representing a near 84% clearance rate.

While the average price saw a substantial drop of £1,500 to settle at £6,063, it must be noted that last year’s sale was particularly impressive, with bulls selling as high as 45,000gns.

Leading the way with a top call of 13,000gns was Thrunton Nugget. This May 2017-born bull is homebred on both sides with the sire Thrunton Gladiator.

This was the highest of the four bulls sold by the Campbell family on the day, to an average of £9,900. Second-best was Thrunton Nike, who also sold for a five-figure sum - 10,000gns. This 16-month-old bull is also sired by Thrunton Gladiator, while the dam is out of Newhouse Bigal.

The pre-sale senior champion, Inverlochy Nelson, was next in line when he was knocked down at 12,000gns.

This stylish well-made bull is sired by Irish-bred bull Kilbline 1 Instigator, which was also awarded the overall championship at the Royal Highland Show in 2017. Bred and exhibited by John and Raymond Irvine, he was knocked down to Lanarkshire-based Mr and Mrs JJ Wight.

No less than three lots hit the 11,000gns price tag. First at the money was the June 2017-born Gretnahouse Neverland from Alasdair Houston, Drumfriesshire.

This first-prizewinner is sired by the herd’s stock bull Westcarse Jimmy, while the homebred dam is out of Gretnahouse Ultimate.

Matching Neverland at the money was the 18-month-old Harestone Nighthawk from R and N Barclay, Aberdeenshire. Another red rosette winner in the pre-sale show, Nighthawk is the mating of the 12,000gns Balmyle Addition and Harestone Brigitte.

Last at the money was Hamish Goldie with Goldies Navigation. Sired by the 15,000gns Gretnahouse Heman, the 18-month-old bull’s pedigree also contains the 12,000gns Goldies Elation.

In total, Hamish went on to sell a total of 13 bulls to average £7,083. This continued a highly successful week for the Goldies outfit, which also secured one of the top pen averages at the premier Limousin sale in Carlisle.

Topping the entries for the Northern Irish breeders which crossed the water was 10,500gns for Killadeas Noah.

This September 2017-born bull was bred and exhibited by Stuart and David Bothwell, Ballinamallard, Co Fermanagh, and was also a second-prizewinner in the pre-sale show.

Sired by Blelack Blackberet, he is out of the homebred daughter Killadeas Hazeline, herself a daughter of the 16,000gns Stirling champion Blackford Dynamite.

The Bothwells also exhibited a second bull at 5,250gns. This bull, Killadeas Nero, was sired by Gwenog Braveheart and out of a Dunlon Ulick daughter.

Goldies were back in the money when they sold a brace of bulls for 9,500gns. Goldies Nugget, a son of the aforementioned Gretnahouse Heman, was the first of the two. The pre-sale show class winner was the pick of A and J Wilson, Aberdeenshire.

Matching him was the 15-month-old Goldies Noelle, which was secured by Adrian ivory, Perthshire. This young bull is out of the homebred Goldies Formidable and out of a Blelack Blackberet-bred dam.

The Balthayock herd of Major Walter also had two bulls to 9,500gns. First was the June 2017-born Balthayock Nominee, a bull whose lineage is steeped in homebred genetics, with the sire Balthayock Impression and the dam Balthayock Japonica.

Their second at the money was also the previous day’s intermediate and reserve supreme champion, Balthayock Nanook. This stylish 19-month-old bull is sired by former Highland Show champion Balthayock Imp.

Last of the bulls to reach the 9,500gns mark was the Northern Irish-bred Woodpark Neptune from breeder Will Short. Sired by Deeside Gulliver, his dam is out of the 19,000gns Corrie Allan.