It was the export demand which created the day's top price of 5000gns in the mart and also a new breed record for a yearling heifer at 3400gns.
The sale topper was the rising two-year-old Angus Mor of Glengoyne, from Ewan Mackay, from Killearn, near Glasgow, which was sold to American breeder, Nonie Drexel, from Rhode Island, who plans to keep the bull in the UK and market semen from it in her home country, Canada and elsewhere in Europe. Her purchase is by Brogach of Craigowmill crossed on to Dossan Ruadh 13 of Coirefuar. The 5000gns sale price was by far the biggest yet for Mr Mackay, who runs a fencing contracting business and has a small fold of 10 cows.
Hugh MacPhail, from Callachally, on Mull, had the second top-priced bull in the shape of the red bull Ewan Ruadh 2 of Callachally, the first son of Alistair Ruadh of Lyntoun and out of Lady 28 of Callachally. Paying the 3600gns necessary was Robert Rawle, from Higher Bodley, Barnstable, North Devon, for his Longstone fold.
Leading both show and sale in the mart was Lady Lithgow, from Ormsary, Lochgilphead, who took her third Oban championship with Iseabal 19 of Carsaig, a red four-year-old from her four-cow fold. This in-calf heifer is by Gille Dubh of Craigowmill, which cost 3000gns and has also bred three Oban champions for the Lithgow family. She's due in April to another Oban champion, Callum 2 of Goldenberry, which led the day at 5800gns in 2010. The final bidders were new breeders, G and A Brown, Springfield, Penicuik, Midlothian, who also paid 2600gns to get Mairie Mhor 77 of Ormsary, from Sir William Lithgow. Another in calf to Callum 2 of Goldenberry, she is another four-year-old and is by Oskar of Hyndford.
