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Simmental achieved a new 32,000gns female breed record in Stirling on Monday 23 October when David and Lesley Sapsed dispersed their entire noted Heathbrow polled herd following a decision to retire after almost three decades of breeding pedigree Simmental.
Star of the sale at 32,000gns was Heathbrow Natasha, an 18-month-old maiden by the herd’s illustrious Heathbrow Important 17, the multi-title winning show bull, herd sire and European Simmental Bull of the Year in 2019, and she was out of Raceview Emerald Alicia600 EX91 by Milnafua Graduate. A striking, fleshy well-balanced heifer exemplary of the breed, Natasha had already been in the limelight during her short-lived show career having secured the Great Yorkshire Junior Interbreed title and Reserve Breed Champion at Edenbridge, together with a fist full of red tickets. She was knocked down sold to Jimmy and Vikki Wood based at Popes Farm, Dutton, Preston, Lancashire.
Commenting after the sale Jimmy Wood said: “It was actually our daughter Hannah who bought her and will be starting a herd in her own name with Natasha as her foundation female. We first saw Heathbrow Natasha at Herts County Show when she was just a young heifer and immediately saw her potential. We’ve been ‘up close and personal’ to her ever since having shown at many of the same shows through the summer. She’s just kept coming on and we thought she was outstanding at the Great Yorkshire Show. Natasha has everything we would look for in a female. She’s full of femininity with lots of sparkle and presence and is a totally new bloodline with the best of breeding behind her, a real cow maker for the future. It’s a big price tag but it’s a long-term investment and there’s always going to be competition when that quality of heifer and genetics comes to the market.”
The Wood family took home another four entries. At 9,000gns they secured Heathbrow Melody, an April 2021 born in heifer by Heathbrow Klassik 19, out of Raceview Emerald Alicia and scanned in calf to Blackwood Kirk. Also heading home to join their Popes herd at 7,500gns was the Heathbrow Findlay 14 sired Heathbrow Girlie’s Ivy VG88. An in-calf Heathbrow Girlie’s Freesia EX94 daughter she was a successful member of the Sapsed’s show team.
The dispersal’s second top call at 14,000gns went to Heathbrow Milky Way VG85, a January 2021 born heifer by Scotland Hill Cairo 11 EX91 and out of Dirnanean Girlie E31 EX93. She was sold with her three-month-old twin heifer calves at foot, Heathbrow Girlie’s Polly and Heathbrow Girlie’s Poppy, sired by Heathbrow Masterpieve 21. The trio went to breed newcomer, Jimmy Hodge, Fellowhills Farm, Horndean, Berwick upon Tweed.
“Milky Way stood out as one of those animals that you wouldn’t want to change, and she is certainly making a good job of her twin heifers,” said former Holstein breeder, Mr Hodge who currently runs 30 pedigree Herefords. “I was so impressed with the quality of the Heathbrow cattle on offer, I thought I would give them a try and invest.”
Making 13,200gns in total was Heathbrow Kitkat’s Treasure VG87, a rising four-year-old Kilbride Farm Newry daughter and out of Darsham Real Treasure EX91, together with her nine-month-old heifer calf, Heathbrow Paradise Treasure by Blackford Kirk 19 EX91. Kitkat’s Treasure who was scanned in calf to Heathbrow Masterpiece was secured for 9,000gns by J A Griffin, Common Lane, Hemingford, Huntingdon, while her calf attracted a 4,200gns from V M Bailey and Sons, Mixbury Hall Farm, Brackley, Northants.
The same buyers went to 7,600gns for their own pair. Heathbrow Girlie’s Lorna VG87, a February 2021 born heifer by Heathbrow Grand Slam 15 and sold in-calf to Kilbride Farm Morikawa was knocked down for 3,800gns, while the Baileys made an identical 3,800gns bid for her 10-month-pld bull, Heathbrow Napolean 22 by Blackford Kirk 19 EX91.
Two entries shared a 10,000gns bid. First to go was Heathbrow Sarah’s Elegance EX94, a Celtic Comet daughter and out of Dirnanean Sarah. This 10-year-old was sold with her July-born bull calf, Heathbrow Polo, by Heathbrow Grand Slam to Mr R J Grenham of Boars Head Farm, Crowborough, East Sussex.
The second 10,000gns call was made by George Scrivens and Holly Grant, Highfield, Shrewley, Warwickshire for Heathbrow Magical Star sold in-calf to Blackford Kirk. A January 2021 born Heathbrow Important 17 daughter, she was out of Heathbrow Ice Star. George commented: “We’d visited the Sapseds four or five times over the last 12 months and rather than coming away with five or six average animals we really wanted a couple of the very best. Magical Star was top of our shopping list. She meant more to us than any other animal in the sale and we’re thrilled to come away with her.”
The couple’s quest to invest in a heifer calf to show next year was achieved when they paid 5,200gns Heathbrow Precious, a six-month-old by Heathbrow Important 17 daughter with her dam, the rising ten-year-old Heathbrow Fancy EX92 who goes back to Dirnanean and Swallowhill lines.
A cow and calf pair attracted the next highest total at 9,700gns. The EX90 classified nine-year-old Heathbrow Fizzy by Dirnanean Welcome and scanned in calf made 3,200gns to Ward Farming, West Mains Farm, Carnwath, Lanarkshire. A 6,500gns bid secured Fizzzy’s eight-month-old bull calf Heathbrow Phoenix 23, by Heathbrow Important 17 for Robert Blyth and Son, Harestonhill Farm, Wishaw, Lanarkshire.
Minutes later, the next heifer and calf unit was sold for a total of 8,400gns. The three-year-old Heathbrow Luxury VG86, by Cairo made 4,200gns to John Tuohy, Coose Farm, Whitegate, Co Galway, while the same 4,200gns price tag went to her 10-month-old bull calf Heathbrow Nautical 22, by Blackford Kirk. The buyer was Speirs Farms Ltd, Pepsal End, Pepperstock, Luton.
Totalling 7,800gns was Heathbrow Kimberley VG88, an April 2019 born Heathbrow Grand Slam daughter sold in calf to Morikawa and her nine-month-old bull Heathbrow Paddy 23 by Heathbrow Important. Kimberley made 3,800gns to Nether Balfour Farms Park, Balvenie House, Drumolk, Banchory while Paddy attracted a 4,000gns bid from Wisson and Son Partnership, Southwood Farm, Abbotsley, St Neots.
Heathbrow Heidi VG88 and her eight-month-old twin bulls by Heathbrow Important 17, went for 7,700gns in total. The seven-year-old Heathbrow Freddie Star 14 daughter sold in calf to Morikawa was bid for 2,500gns to Simon Kemp, Kingston, Canterbury. Heathbrow Pele 23 made 2,400gns to J and M Troup, Southbank Farm, Skene, Aberdeenshire, while his twin Heathbrow Pogba 23 sold for 2,800gns to J C McLaren and Partners, Dargill, Crieiff, Perthshire.
Next pair at 7,500gns was the January 2020 born Heathbrow Lavender VG88 (pictured below) together with her eight-month-old bull calf, Heathbrow Principal 23. Another Important daughter, Lavender was sold scanned in calf to Moriawa and made 5,500gns to Inverdunning Ltd, Inverdunning, Dunning, Perthshire ,while K Thain and Son, Shank, Huntly, Aberdeenshire went to 2,000gns for Principal.
David Sapsed commented after the sale: “We’re both really delighted with the trade and it was fantastic to see such widespread demand for the Heathbrow cattle. There were a lot of new entrants and younger breeders buying cattle and we hope their purchases set them off on as enjoyable a pedigree road as we have had. Cattle sold into Scotland, back to England, and with an export trade to both Germany and the Republic of Ireland.
“Very much the icing on the cake was the fantastic sale of Heathbrow Natasha to the Wood family. That’s our first female at auction to sell for over 10,000gns and for her to set a new Simmental female record, well it was an unbelievable finale to our pedigree breeding career. We were so pleased with how the cattle travelled and looked at the sale and huge thanks are extended to Brenda Hide, Rhys Grenham, Richard Rettie and all the team for their hard work. We’ve always tried to breed genuine, long, stylish cattle that have good locomotion, are quiet and a little bit slightly later maturing. Lesley and I would like to thank all of the bidders and buyers on the day and we wish everyone the very best of luck with their new purchases.”
Averages: seven cows and calves £6,555; 25 cows £3,948; 12 bull calves £3,509; eight heifer calves £3,728; 10 in-calf heifers £5,975; 14 maiden heifers £5,955; two bulls £4,883.
Auctioneers: United Auctions
