10,000GNS COLTFIELD PRINCIPAL LEADS RECORD SIMMENTAL TRADE AT ABERDEEN!

SIMMENTAL BULLS AVERAGE £7770, UP £1938 ON THE YEAR, AND A NEW CENTRE RECORD AVERAGE

Islavale Pizza sells at 9000gns
Backmuir bulls at 8000gns, and 7000gns x2
Tillyeve, and Drumsleed bulls at 7500gns

The ongoing demand for Simmental bulls was again evident with another record trade for the breed at the 2025 Aberdeen & Northern Marts Spring Show & Sale, at the Thainstone Centre, Inverurie, held on Wednesday 26th February.

Ten Simmental bulls sold to average a terrific £7770, up by £1938 on the year, and setting a new breed record mark for this fixture. The clearance rate was an excellent 83%.

Coltfield Principal 10,00gns

Leading the way was Cameron MacIver, and his son James, Wester Coltfield, Forres, Moray who topped the Simmental trade at 10,000gns with their April 2023 born Coltfield Principal. This calf is sired by the by the 13,000gns herd stock sire Wolfstar Loose Cannon, purchased at Stirling in February 2022, and is out of the classified Coltfield Holly EX 92, one of the ‘best cows’ in the herd who to date had only ever produced heifer calves.

Combining pedigree and solid performance figures, Coltfield Principal went to Thainstone with a bit of a show record behind him having been a class winner at the 2023 Stars of the Future Calf Show held in Stirling. His sisters have also previously placed first in class at the Royal Highland. Buying the top price was commercial producer G McConnach, Drumneachie, Birse, Aboyne for their 100-cow Simmental based herd.

Cameron & James MacIver with Coltfield Principal who sold for 10,000gns

It was a fitting time to take the top price with Cameron MacIver currently being the President of the Royal Northern Agricultural Society, the hosts of this annual and noted Spring Show & Sale! Speaking afterwards Cameron said: “With my Presidency hat on I wanted to support the sale with a good bull and am delighted that Principal went on to sell for the day’s top price. We considered selling him in October 2024 but kept him back to use on pedigree heifers. A tall, clean bull, who has excellent mobility, he’s retained a good coat of hair and we think carries some real style and spark.” Of the Simmental Sale generally, he went on to say: “The quality of Simmental bulls at this Thainstone Sale continues to rise year on year and the demand for the breed from commercial buyers was there again which is great to see.”

Reserve Champion Islavale Pizza 9000gns

Selling at 9000gns was the day’s Reserve Simmental Champion in the shape of Islavale Pizza from WS Stronach, Berryleys Farm, Grange, Keith. Full of proven breeding and performance figures, the November 2023 born Islavale Pizza is sired by Rockytop Luca, who has bred daughters up to 15,000gns, and is out of the ‘Golden Cow’ Islavale Topaz 8 EX 93 (EX2). Pizza’s figures put him in the breed’s top 1% for 400 day weight, the top 1% for both Terminal Production Index, and Self Replacing Index. He also carries a Maternal (Milk) figure of +9. Purchasing this dark red bull was JP Clark Ltd, Kinnahaird Farm, Contin, Strathpeffer. A prolific selling herd at Aberdeen, this second top price follows on from three consecutive years of Islavale topping this sale.

At 8000gns was Backmuir Pacific from Reece & Andrew Simmers, Backmuir Farm, Keith. Earlier in the day this bull had been placed a Overall Simmental Supreme Champion by the pre-sale multi breed judge, Stephen Sutherland, Sibmister, Castletown, Thurso. April 2023 born, this bull is by the homebred sire Backmuir Krypton 19, and is out of the Woodhall Ferrari 14 daughter Kennox Frankie’s Jewel. The day’s Champion was knocked down to Dingwall based commercial producer J&J Henderson, Udale Farm, Poyntzfield. It was another solid sale day for the 80-cow Backmuir herd who in addition to the Champion at 8000gns also sold other bulls at 7000gns x 2; and 6000gns.

Two bulls made 7500gns. The first of these was Tillyeve Polaris from Messrs C&M Bruce, Tillyeve, Udny, Ellon. By Corrick Logic 20, and out of Tillyeve Lily (TF), a Drumacritten Ian daughter, this bull is another heading to Orkney having been purchased by Liam Muir, Upper Onston, Stenness, Stromness. A few lots earlier, Tillyeve Paddy 23, another Corrick Logic son, made 6000gns when selling to J Watson, New Pitsligo, Fraserburgh.

Also selling at 7500gns was one of the youngest bulls in the catalogue, Drumsleed Pacific from Mr GW Smith, Drumsleed, Fordoun, Laurencekirk. May 2023 born, this third prize bull is by Dellfield Kingpin 19, and is out of Drumsleed Katelyn 19, a Lopemede Grenadier 15 (P) daughter. Drumsleed Pacific was knocked down to AJ McLeod, Mains of Hatton, Strichen, Fraserburgh. Another Dellfield Kingpin 19 son, Drumsleed Panther, sold for 8500gns at the recent Stirling Sale.

This Thainstone Sale followed hard on the heels of Stirling two weeks ago and where 94 Simmental bulls averaged a breed record £9,832, up £2,334 on the year, and with a new breed record price for a bull of 56,000gns.

OTHER SIMMENTAL PRICES:

7000gns Lot 48 Backmuir Porsche 23 to HJ Arnott, Westerton, Memsie, Fraserburgh

7000gns Lot 50 Backmuir President 23 to Finzean Estate, Finzean, Banchory

6000gns Lot 42 Tillyeve Paddy 23 to J Watson, New Pitsligo, Fraserburgh

6000gns Lot 44 Backmuir Paddy 23 to JK Ledingham, Fintry, Turriff

5000gns Lot 56 Whitecairns Paramount 23 to C Gospel, Auchmacleddie, Strichen, Fraserburgh