Three 900gns bids for heifers top Welsh Black return to Carlisle

Champion Welsh Black Waedog Gwawr 28

Welsh Black heifers sold out hitting three top prices of 900gns when the Welsh Black Cattle Society returned to Carlisle on Thursday November 13th 2003 after a four year break.

And the trade throughout fully justified the decision of a small group of Welsh Black breeders who had decided to hold back quality stock from key Society sales in the breedís Welsh home land to take them to Carlisle the final Society sale of 2003.

Six breeders, five from Wales and one from Cumbria, took 27 heifers to Carlisle selling every one to average 697gns. What was even more satisfying was that the buyers all came from the north of England and Scotland.

The Carlisle sale, the only remaining Welsh Black Society sale outside Wales, was set up to serve Welsh Black breeders and commercial suckler producers in Northern England and Scotland. However it was hard hit by the death of a major vendor from Wales who specialised in producing cattle for Carlisle, and the dispersal of a major Borders herd. Apart from enforced cancellation due to the foot-and-mouth epidemic, the event had hit increasing problems and its future was more and more in question.

Welsh Black Cattle Society chief executive, Andrew James said: "The breeders taking cattle to this year's sale had taken care to select and present the type and quality of cattle that are in demand at Carlisle, and this was reflected in the demand for the cattle and the prices achieved."
"Although there are pedigree breeders buying at Carlisle, the demand is for heifers that will grow into high quality, commercial suckler dams. This year's Carlisle sale has shown that there is strong market for these type of cattle, and that the breeders selling them can be well rewarded.
"The challenge of the Society and our breeders is to be able to return to Carlisle next year with cattle of the same high quality. It is up to us to provide what our Northern and Scottish customers want, and they have shown that they will pay us well for doing so."

Both the champion and reserve maiden heifers made 900gns each with both going to the same buyer, Mrs S. Preece of Lower Moor Farm, Bridekirk, Annan, Dumfries. The champion was Waedog Gwawr 28, a Graig-Goch banner daughter from Emyr Wyn Jones of Rhiw Waedog, Rhosygwalia, Betws-y-Coed, Gwynedd. Mr Jones also provided the reserve with his Waedog Celynen 129, a Graig-Goch Rhys 16 daughter. Emyr Jones sold another four maiden heifers at an average of 750gns.

Making up the trio of 900gns sales was the reserve champion female, Nant ñGanol Tegwyn 34, a Gerddi Ebrillwr daughter bred on a hill farm over 1,000ft above sea level. She had been running with Fedw Perry. Vendors were Thomas Brothers of Nant Ganol, Rhiwlas, Oswestry and the buyers were young Society members, Charles and Katherine Walker of Barnside, Abbey St. Bathans, Duns, Berwickshire. Messrs Walker took home a total of eight females from the sale.

Thomas Brothers also had a first class day selling six in-calf heifers to level at 848gns. These included the third lot in the sale, Nant-Ganol Memi, another Ebrillwr daughter, which went at 850gns to H.L.Nelless of Thistleyhaugh, Longhorsley, Morpeth, Northumberland.

The same buyer took Rhiwlas Eirlys 17, a maiden heifer from Robin Price of Rhiwlas, Bala, Gwynedd. The price was 780gns. In all Mr Nelless took home five lots from the sale including four from Nant-Ganol. Mr Price ës entry of four maiden heifers levelled at 740gns.

South Wales vendors, Peter and Emma Anthony of Cwm Risca Farm, Tondu, Bridgend, Glamorgan, found the long journey north well worthwhile selling seven maiden heifers to average 693gns. The heifers were all bred on Anglesey in the Fedw herd of Diana Flack.

A member of the Scottish Welsh Black breedersí group, David Anderson of Whitslade Farm, Ashkirk, Selkirk, was also in the bidding taking home five maiden heifers averaging 720gns.

Averages (all females):
7, 2-3 years, £897.75
19, 1-2 years, 694.05
1, under one year, £294.00
Overall: 27 females, £731.85.