Junior Stockjudging Training Day
Dargill Farm, Crieff, Perthshire by kind permission of Mr J. McLaren
Hockenhull bow out on a top note
By Fiona Sloan
After nearly 40 years of breeding Simmental Cattle, Hugo, Geraldine and James Arnold saw their beloved herd go to new homes. Hugo’s impending retiral had forced the sale of a herd, which was renowned throughout the breed both here and overseas and around 1000 people turned up to witness the event and take the last chance of buying a Hockenhull female. As Hugo said at the conclusion of the sale, “every story has a start middle and end ….and this is the end!” It was the end of the Hockenhull Herd but a beginning for several new herds as well as many established herds, when 78 buyers bought the 102 lots on offer to a top of £17500 for cow and her first calf from the famous Snow Queen line.
Mrs Hayley Clarke, The Croft, Hevingham, Norwich paid 10,000gns for the Popes Laird bred Hockenhull Snow Queen 35th out of Snow Queen 25th by the Herd Stock bull for many years Blackford Harvester, to join her Williams Herd. Harvester will retire with the family and was not at the sale. Her heifer calf Snow Queen 40th, by Dirnanean Solomon, sold for7,500gns to DW &CE Jones Wiltor Lodge, Wilcrick, Magor, Gwent . This calf was one of several at the sale by Dirnanean Soloman, another of the successful stock bulls at Hockenhull.
Hockenhull Juliet 10th took the individual top price when she sold for 14,000gns with her Hockenhull Red Rum calf, Juliet 13th at foot to new breeder Mike Frazer, Ballyclare Road, Templepatrick, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland, one of three lots bought by Mr. Frazer. Juliet 10th is a 2006 cow by Hockenhull Norman out of the Harvester daughter Juliet 3rd who was sold in calf again to Red Rum.
Tony and Anne Jukes, Swallowhill, Sandhurst, Kent added the first of the in calf heifers, Trudy 36th to their Swallowhill Herd for a bid of 11,000gns. A January 2007 heifer by Hockenhull Norman, she was sold in calf to the current stock Bull Hockenhull Red Rum and will undoubtedly be closely watched on the show circuit next summer.
The first of several Scottish purchases went to The Greenhill Family, Craighall, Duntrune, Dundee when they paid 10,000gns for Snow Queen 39th. This 14 month old heifer is by Red Rum and out of the Blackford Harvester bred Snow Queen 19th.
David and Lesley Sapsed from Heathbrow Herd Codicote, Hitchin Hertfordshire went to 9,000gns to secure one of their three lots, Hockenhull Girlie 22nd. Girlie 22nd is from another famous line at Hockenhull and is a daughter of the Dovefields Gallant bred Girlie 13th that went to Findlay and Judy McGowan at Incheoch earlier in the day for 5,800gns and was dam of several outstanding lots in the sale. Girlie 22nd that is again by Harvester was sold with her 4th calf at foot, Girlie 49th by Dirnanean Soloman. David and Lesley had previously purchased the 5th calver Susanna 9th earlier in the sale for 7,000gns. Susanna 9th is out of Susanna 4th F37 and is again by Harvester and was sold with her bull calf Hockenhull Alaska 09 at foot by Red Rum.
Stuart Stronach, Berryleys, Grange, Keith, waited to later in the day to add Girlie 41st to his Islavale Herd. By the 17,000gns Glenturk Rolex she was an ET daughter of Girlie13th and sold for 8,000gns. She sold with a sire index of +31 and a Self replacing index of +39.
Hayley Clark added to her earlier purchase when she bought yet another Girlie 13th daughter, Girlie 47th for 7,500gns. Again by Rolex, she had a +35 Self Replacing Index to go with her.
Neill McGeoch was happy to bring his 7,000gns purchase Juliet 12th home to the Hazelden Herd based at Easter Blacklaw, Stewarton, Ayrshire. Juliet 12th is a February 2008 heifer by Solomon and out of Juliet 5th by Harvester.
Another 7,000gns purchase headed north, when Brian Grant, Druid Temple, South Inverness, bought Sarah 20th with her July born Red Rum Bull calf at foot. Sarah 20th is a third calving Harvester daughter out of Sarah 10th by Woodhall Dynamite.
Joe and Rachael Ede, Stone Leys, Four Trees, Checkley, Stock on Trent, spent 6,800gns to secure their choice, Deborah 11th , with her March born Red Rum bull calf at foot, Adjutant 09. Deborah 11th is by Hockenhull Norman and out of a Balmano Hitman daughter Deborah 7th.
M. Hind, Bungehurst, Newick Lane, Mayfield, East Sussex, paid 6,200gns for Snow Queen 37th to join their Ravensdale Herd. A Harvester daughter, she was sold with her first calf at foot, Snow Queen 41st by Red Rum and in calf again to Red Rum.
No less than four lots made 6,000gns. The first of these was another from the Snow Queen line, the Hockenhull Kojac daughter, Snow Queen, 26th who was out of the very successful Snow Queen 8th. She is a fourth calver and was sold with her April born Harvester calf Snow Queen 42nd at foot. She sold to Richard Storer Smith, to join his herd at Spath Farm, Utoxeter.
Robin and Rory Bell, Roxburgh Mains, Kelso, paid 6,000gns for Hockenhull Sarah 22nd, a second calving daughter of Hockenhull Norman out of Sarah 17th. Her Bull calf Abadan 09 by Harvester was sold separately to Barry Harding, Cornerfields, Holly Bush Lane, Bucks for 4,800gns giving a 10,800gns tag for the outfit. The very next lot in the ring also sold for 6,000gns and again headed north. This time to Mrs. Margaret Addison’s Lartington Herd at The Keld, Kings Meaburn, Penrith, when she purchased Juliet 5th, an April 05 Harvester daughter, with her March born Dirnanean Soloman bull calf, Achilles 09 at foot.
Mr. W. J. Hollingsworth, High Midhope Hall, Midhopestones, Sheffield also paid 6,000gns for Deborah 12th. An April 07 daughter of Red Rum and out of a Harvester daughter, Deborah 6th, she was sold in calf to Hockenhull Kramer.
The Stock Bull, Hockenhull Red Rum, sold for £6000gns to Paul Gunther, Fir Covert, Felthorpe, Norwich, to join his Fircovert Herd.
Semen from Hockenhull Magnum sold to 80gns to Jimmy and Vikki Wood, Popes Farm, Dutton, Longridge. The same buyers paid 65gns for Magnum’s sire’s semen from Overhall Hivy, both hugely influential in the success Hockenhull herd.
There was never any doubt that the sale would be a huge success but it exceeded all expectations when the 102 lots sold averaged a massive £4447!
Tributes were given to the Arnold family at the end by Dan Evans from the Wroxhall Herd, a life long friend and fellow breeder and the family were presented with the First Edition of the new Border Fine Arts Simmental Cow and Calf which comes out in January and is modelled on one of the Hockenhull cows.
A presentation was also given by the Society General Secretary, Claire Rowbotham to Fiona Sloan, their Development Manager who leaves the Society this month after 5 years.
OTHER AVERAGES
Cows without calves at foot 13 £4079
Cows with calves at foot 44 £4704
Bull Calves 6 £3413
Heifer Calves 4 £4909
In Calf Heifers 18 £4632
Maiden Heifers 13 £4232
Stock Bull 1 £6300
Young Bulls 3 £2940
Simmentals sell to 3200gns at Bristol
Scotland Mercury took the championship and made a top price of 3200 gns at the Society sale at Bristol on Saturday 24th May 2003.
Purchased by Mr M L Shadrick of Glebe View, Bradworthy, Devon Mercury is a son of Scotland Kit Kat and is out of Woodhall Dorinda. Mercury was bred by Peter Hill of the Scotland herd at Loughborough. Peter had a highly successful day also achieving the equal second highest price of 2000 gns for Scotland Moss, a son the renowned Scotland Hooray Henry. Scotland Moss was purchased by Messrs Morgan-Jones & Son of Sugwas, Swainshill, Herefordshire.
The 2000 gns price tag was matched by 0akhill Moka from Mr & Mrs S Wakefield in Surrey. Moka has a Beef Value of SM27 and is the first calf to be born to 0akhill Nelly 5th, who won her heifer class at The Royal Show in 2000. The successful purchasers were Messrs Redman from Mitcheldean in Gloucestershire.
0n the female front, trade was exceedingly strong with 38 of the 39 lots forward selling after brisk bidding.
Topping the female trade was Twyford Joann, a daughter of Gretna House Supersonic with a Beef Value of SM33 and +4kgs 200 Day Milk figure. This 1998 born cow was sold by Mr & Mrs Joe Peters to Mr J Wilkins for his Ulceby herd in north Lincolnshire.
The same purchaser also paid 2000 gns for Brooklyn Miss Bluebelle, another Gretna House Supersonic daughter and also brought forward by the same vendor. Miss Bluebelle has a Beef Value of SM24 and a Calving Value of SM2C.
Commenting on the sale, Roger Trewhella, general secretary of the British Simmental Cattle Society, said:
“The demand for breeding females, especially cows and in-calf heifers was exceptional, and the competition between bidders created an atmosphere which was quite electric.
“Purchasers of bulls only wanted the highest quality animals and it was quite clear that demand at this stage of the season was for stronger sires ready to work immediately.
“0verall, it was a highly satisfactory sale drawing a good crowd of bidders and underlining the increase demand for the Simmental breed.”
Averages:
5 cows £1712
7 In-Calf heifers £1017
14 Bulling heifers £781
9 Yearling heifers £781
11 Bulls £1589
Simmentals sell to 3000gns at Ludlow
Tilbrook Mason, an exceptional son of Salisbury Challenger, was the Champion at the British Simmental Cattle Society sale at Ludlow on 9th May and topped the market at 3000guineas.
Brought out by Mr Peter Burgess, Daventry, Northamptonshire and was purchased by Mr Michael Mercer for his 400 cow commercial Simmental herd near Leominster.
” Michael Mercer produces exceptional stock and achieves this through buying top quality sires,” explains Roger Trewhella, general secretary of the British Simmental Cattle Society. ” Today’s purchase of Tilbrook Mason will have been one of the best bulls we have seen at a sale for some time and represents excellent value for money.”
In total 15 Simmental bulls sold to average £1638 which shows steady improvement on last year’s first sale at the venue when 8 bulls were traded to level at £1696.
First Prize winner and Reserve Champion, Shellthorn Norman, from Mr and Mrs Andy Grossey, Ilminster, Somerset was a well muscled compact animal.
Successful purchaser was Mr Simon Vaughan, Kington, Herefordshire, another repeat buyer for the Simmental breed for use in a large cow herd.
” This was a good show of bulls and there was keen interest around the ringside,” commented Roger Trewhella. ” This is a venue in the heart of good cattle country, and we look forward to continuing with such progress here over the forthcoming years.”
Simmental female sells for 5000gns in Carlisle
Wishful Muffin, a Sacombe Wishful Thinking daughter out of Greenside Bella, sold for 5000 guineas at the British Simmental Cattle Society’s sale at Carlisle on Friday 25 April.
Bred by Mr and Mrs David Mills from Wellington in Somerset, Muffin has a Beef Value of SM30.
Muffin was Supreme and Female Champion and was purchased by Wesley Abraham for his Magheracrigan herd at Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.
Demand for Simmental bulls was also strong with all 14 bulls forward changing hands to level at £1950.
Leading the way again was David and Christine Mills’ Wishful Neff that sold for £2940 to Mr T Keel from Thirsk in Yorkshire.
Neff, with a Beef Value of SM29, is the April 2002 born full brother of Wishful Muffin, the Supreme Champion.
In total, six bulls topped the £2000 price mark.
Beaghall Neolithic Man, coming with a Beef Value of SM25 from Messrs M Brears and Sons, Goole, North Humberside, sold for £2835 to Stobo Farms in Peebles-shire.
Annick Magnificent from Lauchlan Quarm, Irvine, Ayrshire realised £2730 with Miss McBryde from Lochmaben, Lockerbie being the purchaser of this Woodhall Dynamite son.
Also from Lauchlan Quarm, Annick Marksman fetched £2520.Out of Sterling Copelia’s Farewell, Marksman sold to Mr JB Crow, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire.
Reserve Male Champion, Beechtree Noble equalled the price of £2520 for Messrs H and CW Burkhill of Driffield, East Yorkshire. With a Beef Value of SM22, Noble’s successful purchaser was Messrs Gaskin from Barnard Castle, County Durham.
Blakewell Mercury, another entry form East Yorkshire, made £2100 for Mr and Mrs Ian Steele from Easington, Hull.Mercury comes with a Beef Value of SM24 and was bought by Mr EW Jolly, Rescobie, Forfar.
“It was excellent to see such demand for bulls and females alike,” commented Roger Trewhella, general secretary of the British Simmental Cattle Society.
“Although the entry was smaller than last year, the clearance level was complete amongst the bulls. With such a growing demand across the country, it is essential that our breeders maintain the improved quality that is now on offer. Well fleshed bulls of a good conformation will continue to meet the requirements of commercial beef farmers.”
Averages:
14 Bulls averaged £1995 ( 23bulls from 34 forward averaged £1580 in 2002);
3 In-calf heifers averaged £2415;
1 Maiden heifer at £780;
Midhope Draft, on behalf of Mr WJ Hollingsworth, 8 females averaged £957;
Stoneknowe Reduction, on behalf of Mr and Mrs I Lancaster, 7 females averaged £721.
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