28,000GNS KILBRIDE FARM PRINCE (PP) LEADS THE SIMMENTAL STIRLING TRADE AND TOPS THE ALL-BREEDS PRICES!

• 28,000gns Kilbride Farm bull a joint NI Simmental record
• Top price also the record for a homozygous polled bull
• 19 bulls sell at 7000gns and over
• 49 bulls sold through the ring to £7434

The homozygous polled bull Kilbride Farm Prince 23 (PP) from WH Robson & Sons, Doagh, Ballyclare, sold for 28,000gns to lead the Simmental trade, and take the all-breeds top price, at United Auctions, Stirling on Monday 21^st October.  The 28,000gns, which is the top all-breeds price at Stirling this year, is also a joint record for a Northern Irish Simmental bull.

Sale top price, and Reserve Intermediate Champion, Kilbride Farm Prince 28,000gns in the pre-sale show the previous day, this April 2023 born bull had stood as Reserve Intermediate Champion under the judge, Neil McIlwaine of the noted Corrick herd, Newtonstewart, Co Tyrone, after having been placed first in his class.

Newly elected BSCS President Chris Martindale, left, with judge Neil McIlwaine

Combining visual, pedigree, and performance, Kilbride Farm Prince 23 (PP) is entirely homebred being by Kilbride Farm Jetstream 18 (P), and out of Kilbride Farm Fanni 68J (P), a Kilbride Farm Gruffalo daughter.  With terrific performance figures, Prince 23 (PP) had a top 1% Maternal (Milk) figure of +13, the joint highest in the catalogue, and top 5% figures for growth and Terminal, and top 10% for Self-Replacing.  Come sale time this bull quickly went through the sale gears before being knocked down to the 80-cow Denizes herd of MA Barlow & Sons, Four Oaks, Nr Leyland, Lancashire.  Commenting afterwards John Barlow said: “This is just a tremendous bull in himself and the best homozygous polled bull we’ve seen.  He just ticked so many boxes having a ‘wow factor’ in himself, but having the figures and pedigree to match, and of course being polled, a trait which there is increasing demand for.  We’d seen his picture on Facebook and we liked him even more when we saw him in the flesh.  From here we’ll look to use him on Denizes Hamish daughters, and in time Corskie Nugget daughters, but we’re excited to have him and to see his progeny in due course.”

For the noted 100 cow Kilbride Farm herd, who over the years have had numerous high prices, and seven Overall Supremes at both Perth and Stirling, it was a top price for the herd to date eclipsing the 22,000gns for Kilbride Farm Foreman in 2016, and of course a joint record for a Simmental bull from Northern Ireland.  Speaking on behalf of the Kilbride Farm team, Norman Robson who was on the same weekend the outgoing President of the British Simmental Cattle Society after a two year term, said: “Having introduced the polled gene slowly, and at the same time maintaining the qualities that the herd is known for, it has been a goal for some 30 years to breed a homozygous polled bull of this quality.  We’re delighted with the sale today and hope Kilbride Farm Prince 23 (PP) goes on to breed well in his new home.”  The sire of Prince 23 (PP), Kilbride Farm Jetstream 18 (P), has previously bred bulls to 13,000gns x 2, and in 2023 was the Male Champion in the Society’s popular Virtual Show.

The sale itself saw 49 bulls sold through the ring, and 53 in all, to average £7434.  Six bulls made over five figures, and nineteen in total were sold at 7,000gns or more.  The top price aside, the sale was dominated by commercial producers competing for the first quality bulls of their choice.  Speaking after the sale, the incoming BSCS President Chris Martindale who runs the noted Forsdale herd at Coedfa, Oswestry, Shropshire said:  “There continues to be a real confidence in the Simmental breed at present, and it’s great to see the strength in the sale today again being driven by commercial producers.  With a focus on efficiency, added value, and performance, the Simmental maternal traits of milk, easy calving, fertility, temperament, and producing growthy, easy fleshing calves year on year, are a foundation benchmark that producers are very much looking for in their suckler herds.  We would of course have liked to have seen more bulls sold today but the numbers are perhaps reflective of where these backend sales are at present and with the pressures we’re seeing on cow numbers in the industry generally.”

Overall Supreme Champion, and Senior Champion, Popes Premier 15,000gns

There was a huge ringside roar when Popes Premier was tapped out, and led by Jimmy Wood!

Selling at 15,000gns was the pre-sale Overall Supreme Champion in the shape of Popes Premier 23 from Jimmy & Vikki Wood, Dutton, Preston. Having won Class Two, followed by the Senior Championship, this January 2023 born bull literally raised the roof with a huge ringside roar of approval from the packed ringside crowd greeting the ‘judges tap’ in what was a hugely popular win and a special moment for Jimmy and Vikki at ringside, and the Wood family.

A bit of a theme at the sale, Popes Premier is again entirely homebred being by Popes Lethal Weapon and out of the multi title show winning, Popes Princess Immie, whose grand dam is the herd’s famous show cow,  Popes Princess Cleo. In his own right last year, Popes Premier 23 won the Simmental Pedigree Calf Championship and National Pedigree Calf Show Interbreed, at the English Winter Fair.  This year he won the Male Championship and Reserve Overall to his stablemate Popes Princess Noor, at the 2024 Great Yorkshire Show, and was Reserve Male Champion at the 2024 Simmental English National Show held within the Royal Lancashire.  Commenting on his Overall Champion, the judge Neil McIlwaine said:  “This bull in my mind is a high end breeder’s bull. He just stood out with his power, length and super locomotion.  In prime condition he had great lines throughout, was full of breed character and showed himself so well on good legs.   He’s one of the best Simmental bulls I’ve seen at Stirling.”

Going commercially, Popes Premier 23 was purchased by the noted Islay Estates, Bridgend, Isle of Islay.  Islay Estates runs an extensive in-hand farming operation over a large area of the Estate. The farming practices and livestock on the ground vary as the land and topography ultimately dictate what is possible.  Livestock are reared naturally on the hill and on the in-bye land, where they graze all year round.

Of winning the Supreme Championship and the Stirling Sale, Vikki Wood said: “It’s been an emotional weekend and we’re over the moon to have won the pre-sale show.  Premier has been such an honest calf from day one, just a lovely bull to work with and a perfect gent.  Sunday was very much the icing on the cake with him!  We very much wish Islay Estates all the best with him”.

Junior Champion Islavale Private 12,500gns

Bringing another top team of bulls to Stirling was the prolific Islavale herd of WS Stronach & Son, Berryleys Farm, Grange, Keith, who sold seven in all to gross £64,050, and average a mighty £9150.  Included within that was the winner of the last class of the day and the Junior Champion, Islavale Private 23 who made 12,500gns when selling to Ayrshire and the commercial producer JH Logan & Co, Dalfask Farm, Girvan.  Continuing the theme, this May 2023 born bull is entirely homebred being by Islavale Lucifer 20 EX93 and is out of Islavale Keely EX 91.  Speaking afterwards Michael Logan said:

“I hadn’t gone to the sale necessarily with the intention of buying and was actually running a wee bit late. But looking at the bulls beforehand this bull just really caught my eye.  He had tremendous length and is a really strong, powerful bull for his age.  We’ve purchased from Islavale previously and the bulls have done really well so we’re happy again to pay the price for a bull of this quality.”  Islavale Private will be used in the Dalfask commercial herd which comprises of purebred Simmentals, Simmental x Salers, and Lim x Friesians.

In addition to the 12,500gns price further Islavale bulls made 11,000gns, 9500gns, 9000gns x 2, 6000gns, and 4000gns.  Both the Junior Championship and Intermediate Championship was secured, along with the Reserve Overall, and with the herd also picking up the Group of Three award.  The Junior Champion prize marked the fifth in a row the herd has won this title at February and October Stirling Sales.  Another fantastic ‘day at the office’!     The herd’s three top prices were all sired by the homebred Islavale Lucifer 20 EX93, his first sons at Stirling, and described as the best son of Corskie Highlander the herd has bred.  This bull was also the sire of Islavale Peaches the Weaned Calf Champion at the 2023 Next Gen Sale who made 9000gns.  Commenting generally on the day, Stewart Stronach said: “We’re very pleased with the day and to see a retained stock bull get on so well with his first progeny at Stirling.  In terms of the bulls our aim remains to produce bulls from strong maternal lines that are not too extreme, with good growth figures and milk, that have length, good tops, and are square over their plates.”

Innerwick Phoenix 12,000gns

Selling at 12,000gns was Innerwick Phoenix 23 from Mr & Mrs L Moffat, Innerwick Farm, Dunbar, East Lothian.  At the pre-sale show this April 2023 bull had stood second in his class to the Intermediate & Overall Reserve Champion.  Sired by Greencap Jaeger 18, who was purchased by the Moffat’s from Stirling in October 2019, and who was Junior Male, Overall Junior, and Reserve Male Champion at the Royal Highland Show 2019, Innerwick Phoenix 23 is out of Innerwick Gazelle, a Lambclose Bacchus daughter.  With good Terminal and Self replacing Indexes, this bull went north when purchased by W&J Brown, Hilton of Culsh, New Deer, Turriff.

Intermediate Champion and Reserve Overall Supreme Islavale Popeye 11,000gns

The Intermediate Champion and Reserve Overall Supreme was another from the Islavale team and in the shape of Islavale Popeye 23.  This April 2023 born bull is another by Islavale Lucifer 20 EX93 and is out of the second calver Islavale Keepsake (ET) VG 87.  Making 11,000gns this bull was purchased by repeat buyer A& J Craig, Craigton, Castle Douglas who run 380 Simmental cross cows. Commenting, Stephen Williamson the herd manager said:  “We’re delighted to get this bull and who has very good milk figures. We’ve purchased previously from Islavale and the bulls have gone on to leave a very strong base of cows in the herd.”  Of his Overall reserve Champion the judge Neil McIlwaine said: “This was another terrific bull.  Again he had plenty of power with great lines to him, width through the top, and depth through into his hindquarters. He moved extremely well and is a quality bull that could do both jobs.”

Kilbride Farm President 10,000gns

Following on from their top price sale, the Robson family were back in the money when selling the heterozygous polled bull Kilbride Farm President 23 (P) for 10,000gns to J Lawrie, Newton of Arbirlot, Arbroath, Angus.  This April 2023 born bull is sired by the herd’s new stock bull Hiltonstown Lachlan, who is ‘breeding very well’ in the herd and is out of a Sneumgaard Imperator (PP) daughter, K F Eunice 245I (P), who has already bred Kilbride Farm Lancer (P), the Reserve Junior Champion at Stirling in February 2022. Another bull with top performance figures, Kilbride Farm President (P) is in the top 1% for Self-Replacing Index; top 5% for growth, and Terminal Index, and top 10% for milk.

Islavale Perseus 9500gns

Back to the Islavale pen and the March 2023 born Islavale Perseus made 9500gns when selling to the pedigree and commercial Garrison herd of DJ Cleland, Glebe Farm, Hereford.  With both parents classified EX93, this bull again by Islavale Lucifer 20 EX93, and out of Islavale Dream EX93, carried a joint top Maternal (Milk) figure of +13, and with Self replacing and Terminal Indexes in the top 5%, and top 1% respectively.   Commenting afterwards Mr Cleland said: “We run 340 Simmental and Charolais crosses but with the aim to increase the Simmental influence.  We were looking for a bull with good breeding behind him, performance figures, and who was darker in colour.  This bull had all of that and a tremendous length and power to him.   He’ll be used in due course within both our commercial and pedigree herds.”

Quarryhill Pablo 9000gns

Four bulls in all made 9000gns and the first of the was the winner of class three, Quarryhill Pablo 23 from Geoff & Kate Anderson, Wester Greens Farm, Lossiemouth.  In September 2022, Geoff & Kate purchased Annick Desiree’s Joy EX 90, and her heifer calf at foot, for a combined 12,500gns.  In calf to Kilbride Farm Karl 19 (P), Quarryhill Pablo 23 is the resulting calf.  A good muscled bull with positive calving figures, this bull was bought by noted commercial producers J R Graham & Ptnrs, Greenshields, Biggar, Lanarkshire.

Delfur Pegasus 9000gns

Second prize in the same class, and again at 9000gns was the heterozygous polled bull Delfur Pegasus 23 (P) from Delfur Farms, Rothes, Aberlour.  This March 2023 born calf is by Woodhall Instinct 17, and out of Delfur Joy, an Islavale Cassius daughter.  Another bull to go south, and to be used on both pedigree and commercial cows, Delfur Pegasus 23 was purchased by JW Gosmore & Partners, who run the Newton House herd of 120 head in all at Newton House Farm, Chester.  Of Delfur Pegasus John Gosmore said: “I was looking for a bull with conformation and to use in our suckler herd of Simmental Limousin crosses, and also with the quality for the pedigree herd.  This bull has the shape, has good feet and legs, walked extremely well, and looks to have a very good temperament which is important to us.”

Islavale Preston 9000gns

Islavale Pepe 9000gns

Two bulls from Islavale made 9000gns.  The first at this mark was the March 2023 born Islavale Preston.  This bull is Coose Lincoln, who has bred sons to 13,000gns, and is out of Islavale Glee.  With a top 15% Calving Ease figure of +3.2, this bull was purchased by J Anderson & Son, Headshaw, Lauder, Berwickshire, for their predominantly Simmental herd of 135 suckler cows.    Speaking afterwards James Anderson said: “We picked this bull out at the pre-sale show and are really pleased to have got him.  He’s very correct, had a good top line, width and shape, and walked very well.  With a good head and breed character, he just had a presence to him and he’s got good figures as well.  The Simmental breed as a whole have very good maternal traits, are milky and make good mothers. This bull will go into the suckler herd for those qualities and to breed replacements for the future”.   The final bull at the 9000gns mark was the third prize winner Islavale Pepe 23.  March 2023 born, this bull is by Curaheen Giant, who has had sons up to 16,000gns, and is out of Islavale Ashley 7 GP84. This bull was bought by Robert Bell & Partners, Craigo, Milnathort, Kinross.

Reserve Supreme Champion Corskie Pot 8500gns

Standing second in his class to the Overall Supreme Champion and Senior Champion, and who himself was Reserve Senior Champion on the day, was Corskie Pot 23, from Mr WJ & J Green, Corskie, Garmouth, Fochabers. This January 2023 born bull is by Rathnashan Kellogg’s EX 94, and is out of Corskie Kettle EX 90.  Purchasing Corskie Pot 23 was commercial producer W A Wilson, Hutlerburn, Ettrick, Selkirk. Rathnashan Kellogg’s EX94 has had progeny sell to date up to 9500gns at Stirling, and has sired the Overall Junior Champion at the Royal Highland, and the Reserve Male at this year’s Highland and Simmental Scottish National Shows.    In addition to the 85000gns price, Corskie sold eight bulls on the day and with other prices including 7000gns, 6500gns x2, and 5500gns.

Scotland Hill Peter 8500gns

Up from Doncaster, Tom Hill, Mill Farm, Wadworth made 8500gns when selling the shapely Scotland Hill Peter 23 to Caithness and W M Barnetson & Sons, Lynegar Farm, Wick.  April 2023 born, Scotland Hill Peter 23 is Clonagh Mighty Ab Fab, a Manor Park Hansome son, and is out of Scotland Hill Ivonne, a Glenturk Extra Special daughter.

Reserve Junior Champion Pitmudie Princeton

Winning class nine and taking the Reserve Junior Championship was the stylish Pitmudie Princeton 23 from Heather Duff, Pitmudie Farm, Menmuir, Brechin.   April 2023 born, Pitmudie Princeton is by Hiltonstown Irish 17, and is out of Pitmudie Babe from the herd’s noted Manor Park Babe line. With a show track record behind him, through the summer this bull won the Reserve Beefbreeder Interbreed title at the Royal Highland and was Reserve Overall Junior Champion at the Simmental Scottish National Show.  Hiltonstown Irish 17, was purchased at Stirling in October 2018 for 8500gns.  Come sale time this bull was bid to 8500gns, not quite meeting the reserve, and with the Duffs thinking so much of him that he has been retained for use in the Pitmudie herd.

OTHER LEADING PRICES:

7,500gns          Lot 245 Coltfield Philadelphia sold to J E & B L Goddard, West Logan, Castle Douglas

7,500gns          Lot 198 Coltfield Peter sold to H H & A Swanson, Tister Farm, Halkirk, Caithness

Pitmudie Pitcairn 7200gns

7,200gns          Lot 223 Pitmudie Pitcairn sold to A D Sutherland & Sons, Kellas Farm, Elgin, Morayshire

Ranfurly Principal 7000gns

7,000gns          Lot 264 Ranfurly Principal sold to T G Hamilton, Killumpha Farm, Port Logan, Wigtonshire

Corskie Puma 7000gns

7,000gns          Lot 176 Corskie Puma sold to H Macdonald, Mains of Dalvey, Advie, Morayshire

Inverdunning Parker 7000gns

7,000gns          Lot 204 Inverdunning Parker sold to A & H Grant, Pathcondie Farm, Cupar, Fife

Overall Champion Popes Premier with the Wood family, judge Neil McIlwaine, Jonathan Gunn, and Galbraiths representative.

Senior Champion presentation

Intermediate Championship presentation

Junior Championship presentation

Islavale Group of 3 winners