THREE Scottish Holstein breeders joined forces to buy the second top priced Holstein at the Stars of the Sahara sale at Beeston, forking out 10,000gns for the yearling heifer, Sahara Harper Iola.
Dishing out that big bid was AOL Genetics, a joint partnership between John Jamieson, Hugh Neilson and Brian Yates, of the Annan herd from Dumfries-shire; Overside from Strathaven and Logan herd, Castle Douglas, respectively.
Their purchase a yearling daughter of Cookiecutter Harper, bred from six generations of VG or Excellent classified cows from the Dellia family, is ranked the No 1 Harper in the world with a RZG of 163 and a GPLI of +£628 as well as a type merit of +2.11. She also sold with contract interest from the German AI stud, Masterrind. Her grand-dam is the Ex91-2E cow, VVH Isa 6.
Mr Neilson also went to 3200gns for Wiltor Penmanship Gypsy, a 10-month-old heifer calf by Sandy-Valley 4 Penmanship bred from the VG87-2yr, Wiltor Oak Gypsy ET. She was part of a guest consignment from David and Claire Jones’ Wiltor herd.
Sale leader at 11,000gns was the first animal into the ring Sahara Mascalese Ambrosia, a VG88-3yr that gave almost 10,000kg as a heifer and calved her second in August. Winner of the Celtic Dairy Showcase in 2015 and a great grand-daughter of EK Oseeana Ambrosia, she sold giving 47kg per day and in calf to KH Cinderdoor, to Nick Sercombe of Lutterworth, Leicestershire.
Notably, her dam, Sahara Atwood Ambrosia 5 Ex93-4yr, sold next at 9000gns to Oliver Williams, buying for his Rosehill herd from Covington, Cambridgeshire. A former inter-breed champion at the Royal Welsh Show with top yields of in excess of 12,000kg, she is due this month with sexed semen to Kerdntway Kingpin.
Mr Williams purchased two other top end females, at 7800gns and 7500gns. The first, was the max score Sahara Numero Uno Jamaica, a VG89-classified second calver, due again in May with her third to KH Cinderdoor. A daughter of the Ex94-2E Hood ATM Jessica that has already bred 11 VG females, she boasts a top type score and has a GPLI of +£421.
The 7500gns cow was the third of the three max score cows in the sale of which Mr Williams bought all three. This was Sahara Windy Tessie Ex93-4yr, the current all Britain Junior 3yr. A daughter of Windbrook, she is the 11th generation of VG or Ex cows from the Shower family.
David and James Tomlinson of the Bilsrow herd from Bilsborrow, Preston, went to 4200gns for the November-calved heifer Sahara Jacey Jamaica 4, a VG85-2yr daughter of Coyne Farms Jacey, out of the 7800gns Numero Uno Jamaica. She boasts a  type merit of +2.29, a GPLI of +£489 and sold in calf to Seagull-Bay Jo Dancer.
Top priced in-calf heifer at 4800gns, was Sahara Mardi Gras Jessie ET, another member of the Jessica family, out of a full sister to the 7800gns Jamaica. She sold due this month to Jedi to Brian O’Connor of Kanturk, Co. Cork.
The sale which arose following Sheikha Noora Al Khalifa’s decision to reduce herd numbers, included the dispersal of all young stock carrying the Sahara prefix.
A flying trade throughout saw more than £165,000 change hands with 16 cows and heifers in milk to include three bull calves at £962.50, average £4597.03; four served heifers levelled at £2992.50; 21 maiden heifers averaged £2280.00 and 14 heifer calves cashed in at £2310.00.

Auctioneers: Wright Marshall