10,000GNS OVERHILL SIMMENTAL BULL IS THE ‘REAL’ MCCOY AT CARLISLE!

by Nicky Moreton | May 15, 2023 | 2023 Carlisle Sales, 2023 Scottish News, 2023 North West News, 2023, 2023 News

• Record Simmental average at Carlisle of £6519
• 100% clearance rate with all 12 bulls sold
• Eight bulls make 6000gns and more
• Midhope lead the pedigree females at 3800gns
• Auchorachan top the Simmental High Health bulling heifer sale at £3800
• Chestermann Reduction Sale tops at 3300gns

Richard McCulloch, Overhill House, Armadale, West Lothian led a terrific Simmental bull sale at Harrison & Hetherington’s Borderway Mart when he took the 10,000gns sale top price with Overhill House McCoy at the breed’s May Carlisle Sale on Saturday, May 13th.

A strong demand from a packed ring side saw a 100% clearance of the 12 bulls forward and a centre record average at this May fixture of £6519. In all, eight bulls made 6000gns and more with top price bulls selling to Orkney, Aberdeen, Northumberland, Hawick, Derbyshire, and Newton Stewart. A busy Simmental day saw pedigree females sell to 3900gns, whilst the newly introduced sale of Simmental X High Health heifers saw a top price of £3800 and 33 average £1790.

Earlier in the day, the December 2021 born Overhill House McCoy had been placed as the Supreme Champion in the pre-sale show of bulls by the judge Harry Wood of the noted Popes herd, Dutton, Lancashire. Come sale time some fast bidding for this bull saw him race to 10,000gns before being knocked down to prolific Simmental bull buyer Liam Muir, Stromness, Orkney. Mr Muir was purchasing the bull for clients in the shape of Ronnie & Gladys Brown, Newhall, Stromness, and for their 60-cow suckler herd. Commenting after the sale Mr Muir said: “This is just a good Simmental bull. He has width, plenty of length, great style, and is the dark red colour I was also looking for.”

These thoughts were echoed by the judge Harry Wood who speaking immediately after the sale said: “The Champion is just what you’re looking for in a modern Simmental. He had a good top line, was good on his legs, had plenty of breed character, and is the colour that buyers are looking for.”

The Supreme Championship and sale top price made it a double for the Overhill House herd who achieved the same feat at the recent Stirling Simmental Sale with the 16,000gns all-breeds top priced Overhill House Neil. Overhill House McCoy is by the 24,000gns Islavale Heston, the same sire as the herd’s Stirling topper, and is out of Islavale Caitlin a heifer bought privately as a yearling from the Islavale herd.

In all, eight bulls made 6000gns or more. Simmental bulls with polled genetics have increasingly been in demand and the second top price at Carlisle was the 8000gns paid for the heterozygous polled Auchorachan Monarch ET 21 (P), from D&R Durno & Sons, Glenlivet, Ballindalloch. This August 2021 born bull, who placed first in the first class, is by the heterozygous polled bull Lykke Iceman P, and is out of the Omorga Samson sired daughter Auchorachan Autumn EX94. A bull with length, power, and breeding, Auchorachan Monarch ET 21 (P), was purchased by the commercial producer, A&L Craig & Co, Downiehills Farm, Peterhead. A few lots later and the Durnos sold the entirely homebred Auchorachan Maserati for 6500gns to the Firm of McKinnel, Drumneil Farm, Newton Stewart. November 2021 born this bull, another with length and width, is by the prolific Auchorachan Hercules, and is out of Auchorachan Letta H2 VG88.

Two bulls made 7000gns. The first of these was the upstanding Newbiemains Mammoth from Jim & Patricia Goldie, Newbie Mains Farm, Annan, Dumfriesshire. Standing second in his class, this July 2021 bull with size and length, is by Newbiemains Jetset 18, and is out Newbiemains Joy VG 87, an Islavale Frontier daughter. Off to Northumberland, he was bought for the commercial herd of CJ Sutherland, Ross Farm, Belford. Speaking after the sale, Mr Sutherland said: “I liked this bull immediately as he had size, length, wasn’t overdone and I think is a good honest bull. He’ll be put to use straight away in the commercial herd.” Mr Sutherland’s commercial herd comprises of 140 suckler cows.

Also at 7000gns was T Hill & R Wright, Wadworth, Doncaster with the October 2021 born Scotland Hill McCoy. This bull followed the Champion through his class to take the Reserve Overall Championship in the pre-sale show. Sired by Clonagh King Eyes, and out of Scotland Hill Avril 2nd, Scotland Hill McCoy sold to the Borders and to IHG Warden, Skelfhill Farm, Hawick. Commenting afterwards, Mr Warden said: “This is the most we’ve paid for a bull at Carlisle, but we certainly think Scotland Hill McCoy will be worth it. He’ll be put to work at the end of June and will be run with 30 Luing heifers. The Simm Luing cross really works for us and we put them back to a Limousin bull. The bull had a certain finesse about him, and we think he’ll be perfect to produce nice hill females.” Strong supporters of the Simmental sales, the 65-cow Scotland Hill has previously sold bulls at Carlisle to 8800gns.

Regular vendors at Carlisle, Mr DC Houldey, Kirtleton House, Lockerbie made 6500gns when selling their December 2021 born Manor Park Mickey. Sired by Corskie Ebay 13, and out of Manor Park Bronte, this bull had strong figures being +11 for Maternal (Milk), in the top 5% of the breed, and +82 for 400 Day Weight, within the top 10% of the breed. Purchasing this bull was TW Hamilton & Son, Kirkton of Crawford, Biggar, Lanarkshire.

Polled genetics was again to the fore when the heterozygous polled Rooklea Newyear 22 (P), the last bull in the ring, from Mrs A Trafford, Springfield Farm, Cockermouth made 6500gns when selling to Peter & Andrea Booth who run the Barleyclose pedigree herd at Gun Lane Farm, Belper, Derbyshire. A January 2022 born calf, Rooklea Newyear 22 (P) is by the imported sire Losning Iver (P), and is out of Rooklea Jasmine, a Kilbride Farm Glenhead 1 (P) daughter.

The final bull at 6000gns and over was Braegarrie Maverick from DL&S Currie, Pinclanty, Pinmore, Girvan. October 2021 born this calf got by AI is by the well-known Woodhall Ferrari sire and is out of Braegarrie Vanessa who previously produced the 7900gns Braegarrie Bravo a Male Champion at Carlisle. From this milky dam line, and with a Maternal (Milk) figure of +9, Braegarrie Maverick was bought on the day by R McKinnel & Sons, Garrarrie Farm, Whithorn, Newton Stewart.

In the small show of Simmental females, the top price was 3800gns for the March 2021 born in-calf heifer Midhope Matilda from regular consignors WJ Hollingsworth, Midhope Farm, Sheffield. This heifer by Delfur Chas 11, was another to go to the Barleyclose herd of Messrs Booth, Belper, Derbyshire. From the same home, Midhope Melanie made 3500gns when selling to Philiphaugh Estate, Selkirk. March 2021 born, Melanie is by Denizes Johnny

The newly introduced sale of SimmX HighHealth bulling heifers drew much attention and again met with a strong trade. Leading this sale, and rounding off a good day’s trading, was D&R Durno, Auchorachan, Glenlivet, Ballindalloch, with a September 2021 born Simmental heifer making £3800 and being one of two purchases by James Hodge, Dreghorn, Irvine. Other leading prices in this sale saw the Houldeys, Manor Park sell heifers to £2600, and £2500 x 2. As well as the top price of £3800, the Durnos sold further heifers to £2400, £2200, £2100, and £1900 x 2. Messrs Freeman, Troutbeck Farm, Winderemere sold 14-month-old Simm x Luings to £1850 x 2, and £1800 x2. S&L Dodd, Tundergarth Mains, Lockerbie sold 12- to 14-month-old Simm x Luings to £1800 x 4; and Messrs Finlay McGowan, Incheoch Farm, Alyth sold 12 to 13-month-old Simm x Luings to £1750 x3. In all, 33 Simm X High Health bulling heifers averaged £1790.

The Simmental section also saw a major reduction sale for the Chesterman Herd of Nick & Nadia Gwynne, Castlewigg Farm, Newton Stewart. Being held due to a change in farming policy, the Chestermann herd is well recognised at Carlisle and with the herd topping last year’s bull sale at 6200gns, and 6000gns. The sale on the day saw a top price of 3300gns paid for the seven-year-old Chestermann Data Nonne 3, sold with her heifer calf at foot Chestermann Empire Nonne 4. Purchasing this outfit was Andy Wilson for his Cairnview pedigree herd at Kilwinning, Ayrshire. Four further lots made 3000gns as 12 in all averaged £2703.75.

Across the sections on the day the Simmental sale grossed £180,755.

AVERAGES

12 Bulls £6518.75
33 Simm High Health heifers £1790
4 Heifers £2756.25
12 Chesterman Reduction Sale £2703.75