Annual May Show and Sale of Charolais Bulls & Females Thursday 6th & Friday 7th May 2004

TOP CALL OF 25,000GNS FOR CHAROLAIS BULLS

A new Charolais centre millennium breed record of 25,000gns was established in Carlisle on Friday 7th May 2004 at the breed society’s official late spring show and sale.

Furthermore, a consistent strong demand throughout the day from a packed ringside led 122 bulls to come under the hammer sold for an average £3,336, up £495 a head on the year for 17 more bulls traded.

The last entry in the ring commanded the fixture’s top 25,000gns call from a consortium of Scottish breeders: Caul and Thomson, Tealing, Dundee; Edward Clayhills-Henderson, Meigle, Perthshire and David Cooper, Forfar for Alasdair Houston’s 13 month old youngster Gretnahouse Ubeauty who earlier on had been placed in his class. From an opening of 5,000gns, it took just eight bids to reach the knock down price for this much admired Oldstone Egbert son who was within the breed’s top 1% on Beef Value at CH37. He was out of a Balmyle bred Dingle Hofmeister dam, one of 35 cows which have been developed as a foundation herd by the Houstons at Gretna Green, Dumfriesshire after losing their former Gretnahouse herd to FMD.

It was a red letter day for Alasdair Houston who surpassed his previous 10,500gns in Carlisle with Gretnahouse Noel. “We are rebuilding the herd with a series of planned matings from family lines carefully selected for conformation, back breeding through dam lines and evidence of consistent performance.” The strategy is already paying off. Gretnahouse Ubeaty was among the first progeny from the re-established herd to come under the hammer. “We selected Ubeauty for both his measured and visual outstanding performance, and coming from a consistently productive, milky dam line,” said Neil Caul on behalf of the consortium who between them run 40 pedigree cows together with more than 200 commercial cattle. “We are optimistic he’ll produce some top quality commercial calves hopefully, with that show potential,” he added.

Earlier on Alasdair Houston sold Gretnahouse Urgent CH34, an Egbert son and out of another Balmyle bred cow by Hofmeister. He went for 5,000gns to join Stephen Ling’s Heywood herd based at Wellington, Somerset.

Another newly re-established herd produced the day’s second highest bid of 14,000gns. Jim Goldie, Mouswald, Dumfries offered Goldies Usher CH37, a 14 month old Dingle Hofmeister son and out of a Kinclune bred cow going back to Killadeas lines. Usher who was placed in his class and was rated in Northern Ireland as a Beef Quality Initiative Elite qualifying bull, went over the water to George Henderson, Bushmills, County Antrim.

Seaville Unique

The day’s judge Iain Millar, of Stirling found his intermediate and overall supreme champion in Seaville Unique who commanded the next highest bid of 12,500gns from WK and P Drysdale, Blairgowrie, Perthshire. This 16 month old was by the 12,000gns reserve Perth champion Mowbraypark Northend and out of a home bred cow from Robbie and Marion Jackson’s 15 cow herd based at Seaville, Silloth. The Jacksons were enjoying their best ever day in 20 years of breeding Charolais.

Heading a string of entries from Welsh vet, Esmor Evans, Mold, Flintshire at 7,000gns was the 18month old Maerdy Tally CH29. Tally, who collected the reserve intermediate title was by the Grimaldi son, Maerdy Naser and out of a homebred cow. He went to Jan Boomaars’ newly established herd based at Woldingham, Caterham, Kent.

Welsh Charolais Region chairman, Alywn Rees of Pennal, Machynlleth, Powys sold his 14 month old Pennal United CH22 for 6,400gns to neighbours EI Lewis and Sons, Uwchygarreg, Machynlleth. An Allanfauld Vagabond son and out of a homebred cow going back to Maerdy Grimaldi, United was judged the top calf in the Welsh Charolais Rumenco herd of the year 2003.
Bill Bruce, Meigle, Perthshire enjoyed a slice of the action himself when his January 2003 born Balmyle Uranus CH24 sold for 6,200gns to join Richard Hassell and Rachael Wyllie’s respective Penfold and Brailes herds based at Lower Brailes, Banbury. This class winner was by the 28,000gns Perth champion Brampton Nacodar and out of a homebred cow again going back to Hofmeister.

Sean McGovern of Clogher, County Tyronne was fresh from his success last week when he consigned the latest NI breed record at 10,500gns. On Friday in Carlisle he sold for 6,000gns, the class winner Carrowcur Thomas, a 20 month old by Doonally New and out of a Pulronaghan bred cow. Thomas went home with AH Fisher, Portpatrick, Stranraer.

Three more lots shared a 6,000gns price tag. First in the ring was Lucy Poett’s (Dollar, Clackmananshire) class leader, Harviestoun Tresco, an August 2002 born Harviestoun Marseille son and out of a homebred cow going back to Guiting lines. The buyer was CWJ Hobday, Hawick, Roxburghshire.

Next at 6,000gns was another class winner, Chunal Titanium CH25 from Mark McGahan, Glossop, Derbyshire who was also enjoying his best day out. This 17 month old Brampton Nacodar son and out of a Dingle Hofmeister sired homebred cow was knocked down sold to Grove Farms, Irongray, Dumfries.

Aberdeenshire breeders, Neil and Graeme Massie, of Dinnet, Aboyne offered the final 6,000gns lot to J McKenzie, Fortrose. He was Blelack Unity CH23, a 14 month old youngster by the homebred Holfmeister sired Blelack Percy and out of homebred cow going back to Lochar lines.

Edenhurst Target

Two lots went for 5,800gns each. First to go was Peter Vasey’s Edenhurst Target CH18 who earlier on had been awarded the senior male championship. An August 2002 born Baggrave Minstrel son, Target sold to JB Milburn and Son, Hexham, Northumberland.

Shelling out the second 5,800gns bid were EM and J Holliday, Wigton, Carlisle for the 15 month old first class winner, Moyness Umbria CH28, a Moyness Polonium son and out of a Balmyle sired homebred cow from Sandy Innes, Auldearn, Nairn. Umbria’s stable mate, Moyness Unique CH38 (January 2003), also by Polonium and out of a homebred cow going back to Maerdy Impeccable made 5,500gns to AK Brooke, Glenluce, Newton Stewart.

Another Cumbria bred bull to travel over the county boundary was Hallbankgate Tenpin CH23, a December 2002 born Edenhurst Pioneer son from Tom Bell, Hallbankgate, Brampton. He sold for the day’s second 5,500gns price tag to RJ Coulson and Son, Langley-on-Tyne, Hexham.

The female trade was led at 4,400gns by Gower Oregarmi from Richard and Alison Tucker who made a highly successful 550 mile round trip from Gower, near Swansea. An October 1998 born Blelack Ladysman daughter, Oregarmi was offered with her five month old bull calf, by Nectargerc, at foot. The buyers were D Ferguson and Sons, Bewcastle, Carlisle.

Averages:
49 senior bulls £2,568
38 intermediate bulls £3,064
35 junior bulls £4,163
19 cows and heifers, served and or suckling £1,932
6 maiden heifers £1,450.

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