by Iain | Apr 6, 2010 | Uncategorised
It was standing room only at this years N.I. Simmental Cattle Breeders Club Spring Show and Sale in Dungannon Farmers Mart on Tuesday 6th April 2010. A packed ringside witnessed an outstanding show of both pedigree and commercial Simmental cattle.
Judge Kenneth Veitch from Lisbellaw awarded the Northern Bank Supreme Championship to the June 2008 born bull Drumbulcan Waterfall, from County Fermanagh breeders Harold Stubbs and Andrew Burleigh. Bred by Kenneth Stubbs, this popular champion was sired by Omorga Regan, out of the Barnattin Larry dam Drumbulcan Risotto. The judges choice was justified when Waterfall topped the sale at 4000 gns selling to Malcolm Fleming from Magherafelt.
Camus Ascot 09 picked up the Reserve Championship for breeder Joe Campbell from Strabane. Sired by Brinkton Brilliant and out of the Hillcrest King cow Camus Polly, this January 2009 born bull sold readily for 3100 gns to John Blair from Moneymore.
The award for the best opposite sex to the champion went to Drumagarner Annabelle, exhibited by Eammon McCloskey from Kilrea. This yearling Derrycallaghan Hamilton daughter was knocked down for 2100 gns to P Ward from Strabane. Top price in the pedigree female section was 2900 gns for Cladymore Tinkerbell, a January 2006 Dirnanean Nugget cow with bull calf at foot, shown by Archie Reaney from Armagh and selling to M McDonnell of Omagh.
The highlight of the sale, however, was the outstanding demand for commercial heifers, with buyers eager to acquire Simmental genetics as a foundation for their suckler herds resulting in a complete clearance. Cecil McIlwaine topped this section with a 470 kg heifer selling for £1750 to R McConnell from Newtownstewart, closely followed by M Fegan’s £1700 for 460 kg to W Fleming of Magherafelt. R N Weatherup’s 560 kg heifer made £1600 selling to M Fleming, Magherafelt, while Adrian Richardson averaged £1340 for 5 heifers with an average weight of 500 kg.
Two young cows with calves at foot averaged £1550 for Seamus Casey. 36 commercial heifers, weighing 437 kg, averaged £1075 each in this commercial section, generously sponsored by Connons General Merchants, Ballymena.
Leading prices – Bulls
Drumbulcan Waterfall – 4000 gns
Corrick Admiral 09 – 3500 gns
Omorga Admiral 09 – 3400 gns
Camus Ascot 09 – 3100 gns
Omorga Alex 09 – 2800 gns
Kilbride Farm Action 09 – 2600 gns
Omorga Wagner – 2600 gns
Templefyn Wilbur – 2500 gns
27 bulls averaged 2244 gns
Leading prices – Females
Cladymore Tinkerbell – 2900 gns
Drumagarner Annabelle – 2100 gns
Drumagarner Ace – 2000 gns
Rehall Wilma – 1900 gns
Drumagarner Whisper – 1800 gns
Knockreagh Wilma – 1800 gns
7 heifers averaged 1807 gns
1 cow and calf 2900 gns
Show Results
Class 1: 1st Drumbulcan Waterfall; 2nd Templefyn Wilbur; 3rd Ashdale Wilson
Class 2: 1st Camus Ascot 09; 2nd Corrick Admiral 09; 3rd Camus Action 09
Class 3: 1st Cleenagh Ashley 09; 2nd Omorga Alex 09; 3rd Omorga Admiral 09
Class 4: 1st Kilbride Farm Action 09; 2nd Kilbride Farm Armoy 09; 3rd Longbeach Almighty 09
Class 5: 1st Drumagarner Whisper; 2nd Edenbann Wispa; 3rd Edenbann Wallflower
Class 6: 1st Drumagarner Annabelle; 2nd Drumagarner Ace; 3rd Rehall Wilma
by Iain | Mar 21, 2010 | Uncategorised
Dargill Farm, Crieff, Perthshire by kind permission of Mr J. McLaren
by British Simmental | Feb 15, 2010 | Uncategorised
Commercial trade underpinned a strong demand for the better quality bulls in the Simmental sale ring at the Perth Spring Bull Sales on Monday 15th February 2010. A larger tail-end than usual meant that a higher percentage of bulls sold under the 3000 gns mark, which hasn’t been seen for some time, however the breed average continued to rise on the year by some 200 gns.
With an 88% clearance and 135 bulls sold through the ring to average 4,751 gns compared with a 4,544 gns average in 2009 for six less sold, breeders went home feeling satisfied with the prices achieved but with a warning ringing in their ears, “that only the best will do” – a sentiment which will never change – but will continually return to dampen the ego of even the best breeder!
For the best in the judging ring, proved the best in the sale ring – 20,000 gns for the Supreme Champion and again for the Intermediate – a glowing tribute in itself, if one was needed – to the “man in the middle” – Robert McAlister, owner of the Bruchag herd on the Isle of Bute.
The first to fetch 20,000 gns was the Intermediate Champion, Blackford Worzel 2, from J. C. McLaren and Partners, who acquired a large portion of the long-established Blackford herd last Spring from Billy MacPherson, Blackford, Croy, Inverness, as foundation stock to establish a new herd. Bred from the Irish sire, Celtic Rock, who has recently been proving a point in the breeding stakes, producing some of the top prices at the autumn sale, and from the Curlieu Knight sired dam, Blackford Ragtime, Worzel 2, sold as a new herd sire to the Manor Park herd of D. C. Houldey, Lauder, Berwickshire.
The Junior Champion, Auchorachan Wizard, put the icing on the cake for a memorable Bull Sales for D. & R. Durno and Sons, Glenlivet, when he was tapped out as Supreme Champion and going on to fetch 20,000 gns in the sale ring, when he sold to the Ballinalare Farm Herd in Northern Ireland, belonging to Joe Wilson and family. With his dam having been bred in the famous Ravensworth herd, Wizard was sired by the Brinkton Brilliant son, Saltire Talent. Following on from a highly successful beef event at Auchorachan last autumn, where the large turnout of commercial producers were extremely impressed by the excellent quality of the commercial suckler herd, this time it was the pedigree herd which took the plaudits.
It certainly was a case of “keep it in the family” when Auchorachan lifted the joint second top price of the sale, 10,000 gns for the Clonagh Tiger Galant son, Auchorachan Winger. This 1st prize winner in class 10, whose dam Auchorachan Tara is a half sister to the day’s 20,000 gns champion, sold to Robert Macgregor, Kirkton of Mailler, Perth, as a new herd sire for the Team herd. Winger helped give the Durno family an impressive 11,000 gns average for their three bulls, when their third entry, the third prizewinning Auchorachan Whisky sold at 3200 gns.
The final four figure price, again 10,000 gns was realised by Innerwick Winchester, a third prize winner in class 7 for Dorothy and Lindsay Moffat. Sired by the herd’s stock bull, Oakhill Ned onto the homebred Innerwick Natasha, Winchester had an impressive milk figure of +12. He sold to the Whiteknowes herd of W. J. Barclay.
Four bulls were bid to 9,500 gns and the first of those through the ring was the Reserve Supreme and Senior Champion from the Banwy herd in Wales of R. E. Jones. This Camus Brandy son, Banwy Wonderboy, whose dam the Starline New Yorker sired Sexygirl, is off for pedigree breeding in the Popes Herd of Jimmy and Vicky Wood.
A handful of bulls later and it was the turn of the Denizes herd to get a piece of the top action when their second prize winning Dripsey Super King sired Warrior was bid to 9,500 gns. With a wealth of show winning breeding on the dam side, the Barlow family’s Denizes Warrior sold to Wm. Barnetson & Son, Wick, Caithness.
The best from W. H. Robson & Sons, the Reserve Intermediate Champion, Kilbride Farm Warren, full of home breeding on both sides, fetched 9,500 gns selling to A. Connolly, Moffat, Dumfriesshire. The final bull at this price was the second prizewinning Grangewood Wallace. This Gretna Supersonic son was forward from Andrew and Yvonne Leedham and sold to R. K. Bryce and Son, Stanley, Perth.
Getting a sale tag of 8,500 gns was the best from Jimmy and Iain Green’s Corskie herd at Fochabers, Moray. Corskie Wealth by the Ballinalare Farm Nightrider stock bull who has gave the herd many top priced lots over the past number of years sold to pedigree breeder, W. J. Hollingswood, Midhope herd, near Sheffield. The Dellfield herd of Brian Grant, Druid Temple Farm, Inverness, brought out the first sons of Stralongford Trojan, the 16,000 gns Supreme champion in October 2007 when purchased following Brian’s judging stint that day, as a new stock bull. His purchase gave the herd one of their best prices to date when Dellfield Warrior, sold for 8,500 gns to Stephen Allardyce, Aboyne, Aberdeenshire.
The Innerwick herd was in the money again, when their second prizewinning Innerwick Whisky 2nd by Hillcrest Butcher fetched 7,500 gns selling to the Campbell’s, Wick, Caithness.
FEMALES
Topping the female sale was the Ballinalare Farm Nightrider daughter, Corskie Vail, from the Green’s at Fochabers, Moray. She sold at 4,000 gns incalf to the Kilbride Farm Tarrant stock bull to R. and C. Simmers, Peterhead, who also added the Reserve Female Champion at 3,600 gns to their float home. This was the Ashland Superboy daughter, Blair Willow, forward from Colin Fordyce, Meigle. Hamish Gilbert’s Celtic Rock sired Whiteridden Wendy also fetched 3,600 gns. She sold to Mrs. M. Ward and Sons, Lanarkshire.
22 females averaged 1,932 gns.
Dirnanean draft: 4 females averaged 2775 gns.
Skerrington draft: 10 females averaged 2350 gns.
Westridge draft: 7 females averaged 1707 gns.
Fishwick draft: 5 females average 1610 gns.
www.uagroup.co.uk
by British Simmental | Nov 13, 2009 | Uncategorised
The British Simmental Society autumn sales ended with a flyer at Carlisle, when the bull average soared by 1500 gns with three more sold than in 2008 and with females peaking at 4000 gns for the youngest heifer in the catalogue. Demand has been such this autumn that virtually every Simmental sale has witnessed at least a ninety per cent or higher, clearance of stock – which speaks volumes for the quality of bulls and females which have been offered for sale.
There was certainly no superstition about when Lot No. 13, born on 13th April 2008 entered the sale ring on Friday 13th for W. J. Hollingsworth, Midhope Hall Farm, Sheffield. This son of Dirnanean Snowie, bred from the homebred Greenside Eric daughter, Midhope Eve, having lifted the reserve male championship in the show ring, commanded much interest by intending purchasers, before fetching a sale topping price of 5,500 gns.
At 4,500 gns, Gerrard Winner, provided his breeder Bob Carter with a memorable day showing and selling at Carlisle. The Gerard herd have down through the years featured prominently in the top end of proceedings at their local sale and this year was certainly nothing different. This April 2008 born Salisbury Challenger son was full of home breeding on the maternal side with the dam being Gerrard Royale 7th. Mr. Carter was back in the ring two bulls later selling Gerrard Ward for 3,200 gns. This Brinkton Brilliant son was bred from the famous Belinda family, with the dam being the Sacombe Wishful Thinking daughter, Belinda 28th.
Next in the bull money list, was the Supreme and Male Champion, Blackpool Wyatt, forwarded from David Loftus, Lodge Farm, Kirkham, Lancashire. Sired by the imported Polled Danish Sire, Lamhoj Supery, and bred from the Sterling Logan daughter, Blackpool Penelope, Wyatt commanded a sale price of 3400 gns.
Needwood Willy sold at 3,000 gns for Messrs. B. and D. F. Williams, Hollybank Cottage Farm, Burton-on-Trend. This February 2008 born Popes Juggernaut son was bred from Needwood Hannah by Newborough Grange Mistro. At 2,600 gns, Tirley Wayfarer (ET) sired by Sterling Flint and bred from the show winning Ingleston Vodka daughter, Darsham Gem provided Mr. S. P. White with a top bracket price.
All eyes in the female section were cast on the youngest entry in the catalogue, the Blackford Ringleader daughter, Chestermann Ringleader Katy, forward from Nick and Nadia Gwynne, Crymych, Pembrokeshire, in Wales. Having lifted the female championship and reserve supreme ribbons in the pre-sale show, Katy sold for the top female price of 4,000 gns. Born the last day of September 2007, and part of the Gwynne’s draft female sale, she was bred from the Sterling Rapier daughter, Chestermann Katrina’s Kuss. Chestermann Ringleader Nymph sold at 2500 gns and Chestermann Ringleader Melody sold at 2400 gns to help this impressive draft of 11 heifers average 2131gns.
Mr R. H. Carter and Son were back in the honours and the money again when their homebred Blackford Harvester daughter, Gerrard Belinda 47th lifted the reserve female championship together with her Brinkton Brilliant heifer calf at foot. This February 2007 born heifer and her 4 month old heifer calf sold at 1900 gns.
Averages:
10 Bulls, 3000 gns (7 bulls 1500 gns)
1 heifer with calf 1900 gns
3 females, 1233 gns (5 at 960 gns)
Chestermann draft, 11 at 2131 gns.
by British Simmental | Oct 20, 2009 | Uncategorised
A depth of quality gets strong Commercial vote as price averages rise significantly
“Spoilt for choice,” the comment of a leading commercial suckler farmer, just about summed up the quality of the Simmental bulls at the first autumn show and sale held at Perth Bull Sales new home, United Auctions modern state of the art premises on the outskirts of Stirling.
As good an autumn show of bulls as has been seen for some time reached out to tempt commercial producers who responded with an emphatic vote of confidence in the breed, which saw the sale average increase by some £834 on the year for 92 bulls, 17 more than last year, while the female average jumped £172 for 30 sold.
It was ironic though, that the sale topping price of 16,000 gns was reserved for the third last bull through the ring. Hockenhull Waterloo, sired by the 12,000 gns Blackford Harvester, provided a fitting finale for one of the breed’s “true gentlemen”, Hugo Arnold, Hockenhull Farms, Tarvin, Chester, to sign off with from the Autumn Perth Bull Sales. For a breeder, synonomous with quality cattle, who recently dispersed his prizewinning Hockenhull herd, it was the end of an illustrious career which deservedly ended on a high note. Waterloo, whose dam Hockenhull Girlie 13th, was the dam of several outstanding lots at that dispersal sale, sold to his sire’s breeder, Billy McPherson, Blackford Farm, Croy, Inverness.
Iain Green, who has just been elected onto the British Simmental Cattle Society Council, as a Scottish Club representative and father, Jimmy, can be extremely satisfied with a fine day’s trading having secured the two lead prices in the female section as well as runner-up in bulls for their renowned Corskie herd at Garmouth, Fochabers. Hitting the heights in the bulls, was Corskie Woody, an April 2008 born son of the Irish sire, Celtic Rock, who sold for 12,000 gns to Pitgaveney Farms, Elgin. Earlier in the sale, Corskie Wham, a son of the herd’s stock bull, Ballinalare Farm Nightrider sold for 8500 gns selling to the Burytown pedigree herd of Mr and Mrs Fields, Blunsdon, Swindon.
Grangewood William exhibited by Andrew and Yvonne Leedham, Swadlincote, near Derby, who secured the blue ribbons in the last intermediate class, attracted much attention in the salering selling at 11,000 gns to the Sacombe pedigree herd in Hertfordshire, owned by Paull, Judy and Bridget Borlase. This eyecatching son of Popes Laird who had won his class at the Royal Show in July, was bred from the homebred dam, Grangewood Sundial by Blackford Falcon.
Two Northern Ireland bulls commanded the final two five figure prices of 10,000 gns each. First through the ring was the best from W. H. Robson and Sons, Doagh, Co. Antrim. Sired by the homebred stock bull and widely recognised AI sire, Kilbride Farm Newry, the February 2008 born Kilbride Farm Wick now joins the Chestermann pedigree herd of Nick and Nadia Gwynne, Pembrokeshire, in Wales.
Omorga Watson, secured the final five figure sum, selling to Norman Innes, Findhorn, Forres. Having lifted the junior championship earlier in the day under the scrutiny of judge, Jimmy Wood, whose Popes Herd itself has lifted many top accolades in the show and sale ring up and down the country, Watson has an impressive pedigree legacy behind him. Being a full brother, to the jointly record priced Samson, stock bull at Strathisla, he is an embryo son bred from the highly successful mating of one of the most prolific brood cows in the breed, Cleenagh Daffodil and the widely acclaimed Irish bull, Raceview King, a combination which has proved unbeatable for his Omorga herd owners, Messrs. Harry and John Moore, Beragh, Co. Tyrone.
A cracker from the Broombrae herd of Gordon Clark, Auchtermuchty, Cupar, gave his owner a personal best price of 9,000 gns for the March 2008 born Broombrae Wayne. Sired by the herd’s stock bull, Woodhall Regent, a trait leader for 400 day growth, this big long red bull who was a third prizewinner in the pre-sale show sold north to A. Sime and Son, Bruceland, Elgin. Another by the Irish AI sire, Celtic Rock commanded 9,000 gns for Messrs J. and G. Houliston, Drem, North Berwick. Saltire Wallace whose dam is the homebred Saltire Pearl, is off for commercial work for J. Campbell, Bardnaclaven, Thurso.
Darshams Lucky Strike, the Islavale stock bull added another highly valued son to his list when Stewart Stronach and son Stewart, Grange, Keith, got an 8,500 gns sale in the form of Islavale Watson. Bred from the Whitemire Kansas daughter, Islavale Maxine, Watson sold to W. S. Galloway, Culnoag, Newton Stewart.
A hat-trick of bulls on the 8000 gns mark was led by Wroxall Wallace, a polled son of the Danish sire, Vingegard Texas and when bred to the Whitemire Guardian daughter, Wroxall Nice Moira, gave owners Dan Evans and son Rob, the reserve senior championship in the pre-sale show before selling to C. and M. Emslie, Law Farm, Insch. The Skerrington herd of John and William Young, Hurlford, Kilmarnock, hit the heights with a Starline Klassik son, who sold to pedigree breeders, Brian and Anne Wise, Skipton-on-Swale, Thirsk, Yorkshire. Lakeside Warrior provided Cecil Chartres and David Farrell, Lisbellaw, Co. Fermanagh, N.I. with a herd personal best when their Kilbride Farm Newry son sold to S. Gummow, Newquay, Cornwall.
7,500 gns for the reserve intermediate champion, Braegarrie Wisdom gave Lindsay and Shona Currie and son, Robert, a best ever price when their Corskie Regal son sold to the Bruchag pedigree herd of Robert McAlister, Langalbuinach, Rothesay.
Two Ballinalare Farm Nightrider daughters, Corskie Vixen and Corskie Valerie commanded the lead prices in the female section, for the Corskie herd of Jimmy and Iain Green, Garmouth, Fochabers. At 4,500 gns each the two incalf heifers sold to D. Evans, Carraton and G. S. and G. I. Pettit, Main of Tannochy, Buckie, respectively.
Sale Averages:
Bulls £4920 (92), Females £2135 (30).
by British Simmental | Oct 15, 2009 | Uncategorised
The autumn show and sale of Pedigree Simmental cattle held at the Bristol Sales Centre, drew an excellent entry of quality stock which proved to be much sought after by a filled ringside of customers. Quality paid dividends with bidding strong throughout the sale.
Henry Widdicombe’s Starline herd came up trumps topping the sale with Starline Wizard, while lifting the championship with Starline Westminster, two bulls which boasted practically total home breeding on both sides of their pedigree. Wizard, bred from one of the top females in the herd, Starline Lorette 9th, the dam of Starline Marquis, a bull which has bred well at Delfur Farms in Scotland, created quite a stir when he entered the ring, with the hammer falling at 3300 gns. The April 2008 born Starline Westminster lifted the championship, another to add to the collection for this famous Devon based herd. Westminster, weighed in with a sale day weight of 938 kgs. – demonstrating tremendous power and correctness, the champion sold at 2000 gns.
The Camus Frontier son, Cliftonswood Whiz Kid, bred from the homebred dam Cliftonswood Beauty and entered by Mr H. J. Brown, attracted much interest before selling for 2400 gns.
Two lots attracted bids of 2300 gns. Firstly, Lot No. 41, the pre-sale’s show Reserve Champion, from Mr and Mrs Field. Burytown Wellington, was bred from the Scottish dam, Skerrington Sunset 20th and sired by the highly successful Skerrington/Annick stock bull, Sterling Nelson 2nd. The Irish bred sire, Celtic Rock, by Carnkern Titan proved a successful mating to the homebred Beanhill Surprise, for owners, Mr and Mrs Kimber, with Beanhill Wyoming, born in April 2008, also selling for 2300 gns.
Potential customers looking for quality breeding females for their herd were not to be disappointed. Attracting a bid of 2550 gns, was the in-calf heifer, Greenfields Vesta, forward from Giles Green. Bred from one of the leading females in the herd, Curlieu Foxy Lady 4th, Vesta was sired by Corskie Pilot.
Amongst the stars in the sale, was the March 2008 born, Celtic Rock sired Beanhill Wynona. Much admired before the sale, Wynona added to a highly successful day’s trading for Mr. and Mrs. Kimber, selling for the top maiden heifer price of 2500 gns.
During the dispersal sale of the renowned Oakhill herd for Mrs. S. Wakefield, who has bred many prizewinning cattle over the years, she saw her best sell for 2900 gns. This leading female price on the day was bid for Oakhill Heidi 2nd , by Rhys Grenham, owner of the Boars Head herd. Another to display the herd prefix on both sides of her pedigree, Heidi 2nd was sired by the Gretna House Supersonic son Oakhill Moka and bred from the Balmanno Hitman daughter, Oakhill Heidi.
AVERAGES:
4 cows £1772.
10 in-calf heifers £1563.
9 maiden heifers £1270.
18 bulls £1955.
Oakhill Dispersal (6) £1678.
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