SIMMENTAL BREEDERS upped their average, for more bulls sold when 135 bulls found new homes at an average cost of £4751.83, which is £207 more than the same sale last year and for six more.

It was two relatively new breeders who led the day’s trading with a couple of bulls valued at a sale-topping 20,000gns.

The champion made 20,000gns for Michael Durno, Auchorachan, Glenlivet. His Auchorachan Wizard, a son of Saltire Talent – a bull which had cost 4800gns at this sale two years ago – is out of one of his foundation cows, Ravensworth Madie – which had been bought as a bulling heifer at that herd’s dispersal. Wizard managed to conjure up a terminal sire index of +£30 and a self replacing score of +36.

Buyer was Joe Wilson, for his Ballinalare herd, in Northern Ireland.

SNFU president, Jim McLaren, is even more of a novice at the bull selling game – he admitted the only other bull he’d ever sold had been a Holstein which had made 1700gns at Carlisle – but his stocksman, Tom Henderson, has a successful show track record with his own Desswood herd of Simmies.

Mr McLaren bought the majority of the well-known Blackford herd of cattle last year and this one was the result of that purchase when Blackford Worzel 2 had come to be part of the new Dargill herd, when purchased along with his dam, Blackford Ragtime. The sire was Celtic Rock.

The final bid of 20,000gns for him came from farmer and machinery dealer, Clive Houldey, from The Dods, Lauder, who keeps his herd of 60-cows on rented land near his home. While the bread and butter end of the business is selling wood toppers, post drivers and other fencing equipment, Mr Houldey is a keen Simmental breeder and managed to offset part of his outlay when he sold one of his own for 6000gns.

Dorothy and Lindsay Moffat’s Innerwick herd, from Dunbar, was the only other outfit to get into five figures. Making the straight 10 grand for them was Innerwick Winchester, a son of Oakhill Ned which was bought by WJ Barclay, Whiteknowes, Deskford, Cullen, Banff.

The Robson family from Doagh, Ballyclare – Billy and sons, Michael and Norman – had a grand day, featuring in the championships with two animals and selling to a top of 9500gns. Best from their string of bulls was the reserve intermediate champion, Kilbride Farm Warren, which sold to A Connolly, Stenrieshill, Wamphray, Moffat. The background to this one includes the home-bred sire, Kilbride Farm Newry – which has bred sons to 20,000gns for the family – onto the Freighduff Brendan daughter, Kilbride Farm Nan.

Welsh breeder, Richard Jones and his son, Dafydd and daughter, Nia, got 9500gns for Banwy Wonderboy, which was senior champion and reserve supreme. This one is by the old-timer, Camus Brandy, and is a heifer’s calf out of Banwy Sexygirl, one of 15 pedigree females in the herd. He is off to work in one of the country’s leading herds, the Popes herd, owned by the Wood family, at Popes Farm, Dutton, Preston.

Off at the same money and for just as long a trip north, was Denizes Warrior from MA Barlow, from near Preston. This son of Dripsey Super King was taken to the 9500gns mark by William Barnetson, Lynegar, Caithness.

The final bull valued at 9500gns was Grangewood Wallace, forward from AS and YA Leedham, from Swadlincote, in Derbyshire. Their success came for a son of Gretnahouse Supersonic out of the Dirnanean Jacob daughter, Highcroft Tollie 7. Making the final bid was RK Bryce, Airntully, Stanley, Perth.

SIMMENTAL BREEDERS upped their average, for more bulls sold when 135 bulls found new homes at an average cost of £4751.83, which is £207 more than the same sale last year and for six more.

It was two relatively new breeders who led the day’s trading with a couple of bulls valued at a sale-topping 20,000gns.

The champion made 20,000gns for Michael Durno, Auchorachan, Glenlivet. His Auchorachan Wizard, a son of Saltire Talent – a bull which had cost 4800gns at this sale two years ago – is out of one of his foundation cows, Ravensworth Madie – which had been bought as a bulling heifer at that herd’s dispersal. Wizard managed to conjure up a terminal sire index of +£30 and a self replacing score of +36.

Buyer was Joe Wilson, for his Ballinalare herd, in Northern Ireland.

SNFU president, Jim McLaren, is even more of a novice at the bull selling game – he admitted the only other bull he’d ever sold had been a Holstein which had made 1700gns at Carlisle – but his stocksman, Tom Henderson, has a successful show track record with his own Desswood herd of Simmies.

Mr McLaren bought the majority of the well-known Blackford herd of cattle last year and this one was the result of that purchase when Blackford Worzel 2 had come to be part of the new Dargill herd, when purchased along with his dam, Blackford Ragtime. The sire was Celtic Rock.

The final bid of 20,000gns for him came from farmer and machinery dealer, Clive Houldey, from The Dods, Lauder, who keeps his herd of 60-cows on rented land near his home. While the bread and butter end of the business is selling wood toppers, post drivers and other fencing equipment, Mr Houldey is a keen Simmental breeder and managed to offset part of his outlay when he sold one of his own for 6000gns.

Dorothy and Lindsay Moffat’s Innerwick herd, from Dunbar, was the only other outfit to get into five figures. Making the straight 10 grand for them was Innerwick Winchester, a son of Oakhill Ned which was bought by WJ Barclay, Whiteknowes, Deskford, Cullen, Banff.

The Robson family from Doagh, Ballyclare – Billy and sons, Michael and Norman – had a grand day, featuring in the championships with two animals and selling to a top of 9500gns. Best from their string of bulls was the reserve intermediate champion, Kilbride Farm Warren, which sold to A Connolly, Stenrieshill, Wamphray, Moffat. The background to this one includes the home-bred sire, Kilbride Farm Newry – which has bred sons to 20,000gns for the family – onto the Freighduff Brendan daughter, Kilbride Farm Nan.

Welsh breeder, Richard Jones and his son, Dafydd and daughter, Nia, got 9500gns for Banwy Wonderboy, which was senior champion and reserve supreme. This one is by the old-timer, Camus Brandy, and is a heifer’s calf out of Banwy Sexygirl, one of 15 pedigree females in the herd. He is off to work in one of the country’s leading herds, the Popes herd, owned by the Wood family, at Popes Farm, Dutton, Preston.

Off at the same money and for just as long a trip north, was Denizes Warrior from MA Barlow, from near Preston. This son of Dripsey Super King was taken to the 9500gns mark by William Barnetson, Lynegar, Caithness.

The final bull valued at 9500gns was Grangewood Wallace, forward from AS and YA Leedham, from Swadlincote, in Derbyshire. Their success came for a son of Gretnahouse Supersonic out of the Dirnanean Jacob daughter, Highcroft Tollie 7. Making the final bid was RK Bryce, Airntully, Stanley, Perth.