Charolais cross calves dominated Caledonian Marts’ annual calf event in Stirling on Friday where they cleaned up the silverware and commanded the highest bids including the day’s leader at £6,000.

The supreme champion and £3,000 entry from David Henderson, Auchenrivoch

The champion Charolais calf and overall supreme award went to an 11 month old Charolais cross heifer, by Carradale Neptune from David Henderson, Auchenrivoch, Banton, Kilsyth. The day’s judge, Will Owen, Braich y Saint, Criccieth backed his judgement by paying £3,000 for this stylish heifer who weighed in at 370kg and is scheduled to return to Scotland in a couple of months time for the Scottish National Winter Fair.

“It was a great feeling to win the championship, after being thereabouts on several occasions,” said David, who was enjoying his best ever day in the ring since he began showing calves at Cally Mart with his father, David senior, more than 25 years ago while at junior school. Since then he has sold to £2,800 and his successes include Gemma, the 2003 Scottish National Winter Fair supreme champion. On Friday he offered 12 Charolais cross potential show calves for an average £1,070, while a total of 41 head from Auchenrivoch’s 75 cow herd, and all but one sired by Carradale Neptune, sold to average £744.

Leading the day’s trade at £6,000 to David Cormack, Thirsk was Alan McArthur’s sole entry, a January born heifer bred from his 90 cow suckler herd at Cretelvane, Balfron Station, Glasgow. This youngster who earlier on collected the reserve Charolais calf and overall reserve championships tipped the scales at 380kg and was sired by the 5,000gns Billingley Sir Alex who has already produced a Smithfield class winner. A much talked about calf on this season’s show circuit, she was no stranger to the limelight having already collected the championship titles at Gargunnock and Doune and Dunblane.

The day’s second highest price of £4,200 was paid by Messrs Wright, Somerset for an 11 month old steer bred from Duncan MacGregor’s 70 cow commerical suckler herd based at Burnside, Kilsyth. Sired by the 7,500gns Moelfre Torpedo and weighing in at 410kg, this calf was making his debut in the ring and he secured the highest price ever in the commercial ring for his owner.

Averages: 40 steers £889.00; 28 heifers £1,116.00
Auctioneers: Caledonian Marts (Stirling)

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