| 2016-10-24 |    |
Stirling Charolais Bulls top at 18,000gns
Charolais bulls were in demand at Stirling on Wednesday 19 October at the breed’s official autumn sale. 83 bulls sold to an average of £5,674 and topped at 18,000gns with a 63% clearance which is a satisfactory result for an autumn bull sale.
The majority of beef suckler herds are spring calving and they are taking advantage of the fast growth rates of the Charolais bred calves so they can sell them at the autumn suckler calf sales. By doing so the calf producers are increasing their margins by reducing the over-wintering costs.
Goldies Linford
Leading the bids at 18,000gns was the reserve supreme champion Goldies Linford ET, an 18 month old son of Blelack Digger and the home-bred Goldies Happiness, going back to the 34,000gns Perth supreme champion Goldies Uppermost. He heads down to Wales to work at Mold, Flintshire for Esmor Evans. Exhibitor Hamish Goldie, Ruthwell, Dumfriesshire sold a total of seven averaging £7,590 and his next was Goldies Landmark ET a 16 month yellow ticket winner with the same breeding who was purchased for 11,000gns by J and W Kellas, Dufftown, Keith.
Following on at 16,000gns was Ovill Lennon ET from O'Kane Bros, Dungiven, Co Derry. WP Bruce, Meigle, Perthshire was the man behind the money on this May 2015-born class winner sired by the 14,000gns Goldies Usher.
David and Nick Walter, Balthayock, Perthshire sold five bulls in total which averaged £9,030 backed up by top prices of 14,000gns and 11,500gns. The highest priced was the junior champion and 17 month old Balthayock Loyalist. Judge Rob Adam, backed up his judgement by purchasing this son of the 20,000gns Highland Show continental beef breeder champion Maerdy Grenadier for 14,000gns.
The Walter’s next offering was snapped up by J Hepburn and Co, Hawick, Roxburghshire for 11,500gns. The April 2015-born Balthayock Legend’s breeding includes sire Swalesmoor Cracker and dam Gigi who goes back to the 28,000gns Balbithan Vespasian.
Also in the money for Major Walter was another Swalesmoor Cracker son, the 17 month old Balthayock Lachlan who was purchased for 7,500gns by Clark Farms, Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire.
Two bulls were knocked down at 12,000gns a piece with the first coming from Bartley Finnegan, Dungannon, Co Tyrone and selling to Mr and Mrs A White, Swanage, Dorset. The 19 month old Battleford Lynx ET is a son of Blelack Blackberet, while the dam is the Balbithan Vespasian-sired Blelack Cerise.
Next to sell for the same price tag was Elrick Legend, an April 2015-born lad sired by the 16,000gns Stirling supreme champion Thrunton Fearless. Bred and exhibited by MJ Massie, Ellon, Aberdeenshire, it was JD Leavesley, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire who took home this blue ticket winner.
Making 9,500gns was the 18 month old Killadeas Larry offered by S and D Bothwell, Ballina Mallard, Co Fermanagh. Sired by Gwenog Braveheart and tapped out first in his class the previous day, he caught the eye of T Smith and Son, Alford, Aberdeenshire.
The May 2015-born Gower Lionking was the next along and commanded a 9,000gns bid from Mr Smith, Aboyne, Aberdeenshire. Lionking has been out on the show circuit this year being crowned junior male champion at the Royal Malvern Show, junior and reserve overall male champion at the National Charolais Show and reserve junior and reserve overall male champion at the Royal Welsh Show for exhibitors Richard and Alison Tucker, Gower, West Glamorgan and is sired by Mortimers Jaguar.
Just behind on 8,800gns was the first of a string of 11 bulls to sell from Neil and Stuart Barclay’s 100 cow Harestone herd from Insch, Aberdeenshire. The 20 month old Harestone Lee ET who won his class is sired by the 25,000gns Perth supreme champion and Royal Show junior male champion Thrunton Socrates and was purchased by JE Woodman and Son, Haltwhistle, Northumberland.
The senior champion Harestone Largo was next to sell for the Barclay’s. This March 2015-born son of the 16,000gns Stirling supreme champion Thrunton Fearless sold in a 6,800gns deal to W Barbour, New Abbey, Dumfriesshire.
The Barclay family had more success with the 18 month old Harestone Lewis ET who placed second in his class. Another son of Thrunton Socrates this time being purchased by Colin McMillan, Bowmore, Isle of Islay for 6,500gns.
An entry from Richard McCornick, Lochfoot, Dumfriesshire was along next. The 17 month old Ricnick Leonidas sired by Whitecliffe Harlequin who was champion bull at the Dumfries Show this year was purchased for 8,500gns by S Sinclair, Latheron, Caithness.
WK and P Drysdale, Blairgowrie, Perthshire sold three lots to an average price of £7,280. Leading the bids was Glenericht Legendry who is sired by the 28,000gns Perth supreme champion Brampton Nacodar and whose dam Glenericht Gem was also shown to great success. JM Forbes and Son, Nairn took a shine to him and paid 7,500gns to take this 17 month old home.
The Drysdale’s next lot was purchased by RM MacKay and Sons, Thurso, Caithness; the reserve senior champion and December 2014-born Glenericht Justsogood, a son of the 12,000gns Caylers Gladiator.
Glenericht Leghorn was the next to go and the first of two bulls to sell for 6,500gns. Sired by the £25,000 Royal Highland Show champion Maerdy Impeccable he was knocked down to W Haddow, Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire.
A March 2015-born son of the 13,000gns Highland Show junior male champion Kelton Trident was the final lot to sell for 6,500gns. The Class Winner Innisrush Lancelot exhibited by William Whyte, Portglenone, Co Antrim found a new home with WJ Jack and Sons, Muir of Ord.
Averages: 83 bulls £5,671
