- Clearance rate of 74%
- Nineteen bulls make 5000gns and over
- 56 bulls average £4601
The opening major British Limousin Cattle Society sale of the year saw Neil & Stuart Barclay, South Road Insch, lead the trade at Stirling on Tuesday February 2nd with the 10,000gns Harestone Jim. A June 2014 born embryo calf, the top price bull is by the well known AI sire Fieldson Alfy and is out of Millburn Caoimhe, a Mas Du Clo daughter, bought privately in Ireland from breeder Richard O’Brien. Earlier in the morning Harestone Jim had lifted the pre-sale show Junior and Overall Supreme Championship under the judge James Hazard from the noted Mereside herd at Saltby Heath, Skillington, Grantham, Lincolnshire. For the Barclays it was a first Limousin Championship, from their 25 pedigree cow herd, and a first Overall Supreme with any breed at the Stirling Sales. Back in February 2012 Stuart had been impressed by the Limousin bull Dolcorsllwyn Fabio who had sold for a then world record 120,000gns. Fabio was by Fieldson Alfy and out of a Mas Du Clo cow. It was this that in turn led to Alfy being used on Millburn Caoimhe who has herself previously bred bulls up to 6000gns.
Commenting on his Champion, the judge James Hazard said: “He was a ‘stand out bull’ full of quality and breed character. He had great width and length in his top whilst his hindquarter just filled your eye. Very free moving, he has the ease of fleshing and shape for commercial producers and also has the quality for the pedigree breeder. A terrific Limousin bull and a worthy Champion.” Come sale time and it was a pedigree breeder who purchased the Champion in the shape of Michael Cursiter who takes the bull home to Orkney to join his Lagas herd at Laga Farms, Arwick, Evie. Mr Cursiter runs fifteen pedigree females and eighty commercial cows.
Later in the day the Barclays also sold Harestone Black JP for 5000gns to the noted commercial herd of Peter Alexander, Mains of Mause, Blairgowrie. This July 2014 born bull is by Bailea BMW and is out of another Mas Du Clo sired cow, Corridan Voyage.
At the close of the sale 56 out of the 76 bulls were sold to average £4,601 and to represent a good clearance rate of 74%. In addition to the top price a further eighteen bulls sold for 5000gns and above. Speaking after the sale BLCS Chief Executive Iain Kerr said: “It was a good, solid, selective trade. There was a very strong, level show of commercial bulls brought forward and those with conformation, length, ease of fleshing qualities and growth potential were in ready demand and sold well. The breed is producing the quality calves at the weights required by the market and that sits very well with its carcase advantages in killing out percentage and meat yield. The sale was a really solid start to the year and we now head to Carlisle in less than a fortnight with another 175 bulls catalogued.”
Continuing a consistent run of sales at Stirling local breeder Andrew Burnett, who runs the 100 cow Spittalton herd at Upper Spittalton, Blair Drummond, took the day’s second leading price when selling the July 2014 born Spittalton Jimbob for 9000gns. This young bull is by Lodge Equal and is out of the Dyfri Tanner sired Spittalton Frisky. Buying this bull, and previous purchasers from the Spittalton herd, was WC and MI Wood, Octofad Farm, Isle of Islay. A notable trend of the day was the number of Limousin bulls that were sold into the Highlands & Islands of Scotland.
Andrew Burnett also went on to sell Spittalton Juror for 5400gns to the Scottish Govt Bull Stud, Inverness. This bull was by the Objat son Dinmore Hitman out of Spittalton Ellen. Another Lodge Equal son, Spittalton Judge, made 5000gns and went to the same home. Another strong day’s trading for the Spittalton herd saw the Dinmore Hitman sired Spittalton Jupiter sell for 5000gns to G Cooke, Gortin, Omagh, Co Tyrone.
The Reserve Overall and Intermediate Champion Goldies Jonjo from Bruce Goldie, Townfoot, Mouswald, Dumfries sold for 7,800gns. May 2015 born, Jonjo is by Goldies Fortress who has had sons sell up to 20,000gns (Goldies Jurassic in October 2015). Out of Goldies Fresh, an Ampertaine Bravo daughter, Goldies Jonjo was another bull to head to the islands when being bought by G. & M. Porter, Carrabus Farm, Isle of Islay.
Enjoying another good day at the sales, the Goldies also had the Reserve Junior Champion in the shape of the black coated Goldies Black Jonah. Another by Goldies Fortress and out of Goldies Visa, an SLVL Beef daughter, the June 2014 born Jonah was also sold for 7800gns and this time to R. Simpson & Son, Mains of Creuchies, Alyth, Perthshire. Late in the catalogue, and the first prize winner in class nine, Goldies Juryman, a son of Cloughhead Umpire, was sold for 5,500gns to Malcolm Gouborugh, Bigger
Another making 7,800gns was the Senior Champion Homebyres Jardine, an April-2014 born bull from the 80 cow Homebyres herd of Messrs J Logan, Homebyres, Kelso. By the 12,000gns Haltcliffe Eubank and out of Homebyres Visabelle, a Balnacraig Supreme daughter. Homebyres Jardine was purchased by another previous customer H. MacKay, Wester Tomloan, Nairn, Morayshire. The 7800gns price represented the Homebyres herd’s leading price to date at Stirling.
Mary Fotheringham and her daughter, Hazel McNee, Overfinlarg Farm, Tealing, Dundee, sold the homozygous black coated Westhall Black Justthejob to George Wordie, Cairnborrow, Glass, Huntly for 6500gns. Stood third in his class, this April 2014 bull is by Greenhaugh Forester and is out of Westhall Dancer for 6,500gns. The fifth prize Westhall Black Joker, by Westhall Fothers and out of Westhall Gingerspice, sold for 5200gns to Welsh buyers GR Davies, Nanthir, Bala, Gwynedd.
Shannas Joel, an April 2014 born son of Craigatoke Bart from John and Margaret Penny, Shannas, Mintlaw Peterhead made 5,500gns. Out of the Procters Rocco sired Shannas Dolly, this bull was snapped up by A&D Clark, Stratheast, Holm, Orkney.
Also at 5,500gns was the young July 2014 born Newhouse Jiver from Bob and Kay Adam, Newhouse of Glamis, Glamis Forfar. A first prize winner in the second last class of the day, Newhouse Jiver is by Millington Ferrari, an Objat son, and is out of Newhouse Elm. Purchasing this bull was the Scottish Government Bull Stud, Knocknagael Farm, Inverness. Jiver was one of seven purchases made on the day by the Bull Stud. At 5,400gns was another from the Adams, Newhouse Jura which had stood second to his stable mate in class nine. Again by Millington Ferrari, and out of Newhouse Usabell, this bull went to T.E. Hutchinson, Chapel Farm, Moffat.
Another vendor who has enjoyed consistent sale success at Stirling is Ian Nimmo, Bogside Farm, Newmains, Wishaw. This Stirling sale saw the herd have two first prize winners, with one going on to be Reserve Intermediate Champion, and both bulls making 5200gns. The Reserve Intermediate Champion, and winner of class four, was the May 2014 born Maraiscote Jasper. This bull is by the noted Goldies Comet and is out of Maraiscote Crisp. He was another purchase for Liam Muir, Orkney.
At the same price was the first prize winner from class three Maraiscote Jinsky. Jinsky is by Virginia Andy and out is out of the Comet daughter Maraiscote Gabby. This April 2014 bull was bought by Dunlossit Farm, Knocklearach Farm, Isle of Islay.
The final bull to make 5200gns was Strawfrank Jazzo from Allan Campbell, Strawfrank Farm, Lanark. A third prize winner the May 2014 born Jazzo is by the AI sire Loosebeare Fantastic and is out of Marlepark Celia. Taking this bull home was IO Warren, Lower Broadbridge Farm, Horsham.
Winning the Reserve Senior Championship was Knock Black Jackdaw from Albert Howie, West Knock, Peterhead. This black coated April 2014 born bull was bought for 5000gns by J Walker & Sons, Sauchenbush, Echt, Aberdeenshire. Sired by Goldies Florida he is out of the Jockey sired Knock Ailsa.
Watch the judging and sale highlights HERE
AVERAGES:
56 bulls, £4,601
