THE rescheduled Blues at Beeston sale of pedigree British Blue cattle, saw reduced numbers, and a top price of just 4400gns.

Originally due to be staged on the first Saturday in March, but due to the bad weather, it was put back a week.

It was nevertheless, a good sale from commercial producers and first time consignors, Brian and Rob Taylor, Scholar Green, Stoke on Trent, when they topped the sale with Taylor’s Legend. This beefy boy is a May 2016-born, mostly black bull by Dragon Blues Factor, bred from the Bringlee Blackstar-sired Cowden Gold. He was knocked down to High Peak suckler man, Cliff Percival, Bakewell.

Later the duo sold the youngest bull in the catalogue, Taylor's Lancelot ET, a 21-month-old black and white son of Felicien De Courriaulx, bred from Burton Trudie, to Lincolnshire producer, JC Crust, Spilsby, for 4100gns.

The same buyer also went to 4000gns for the reserve champion, Rhymil Lion King, a May-2016-born son of the Wishmaster-sired Rhymil Iron Bru, from Rhys Millichap, South Wales. This 22-month-old dark blue roan is out of a home-bred cow by Astrics Supernatural.

Second top price was 4300gns paid for Graham Morgan's Almeley Linford, from Herefordshire, purchased by local producers, P Studley and Sons, Burton. A black bull, he is by Drybarrows Cawdale and out of the Ballygrange Dalton-sired Littlederry Isobel.

Mr Morgan topped the females at 2800gns, too, selling the rising two-year-old heifer, Almeley Libby, again by Cawdale. Local suckled calf producer, Jonathan Darlington, Scholar Green was the final bidder on this mostly black heifer bred from Preggy Frances.

While pedigree Blues were a far from flying trade, commercial entries were much more buoyant, peaking at £2800 for a 10-month-old pure-bred heifer from Matthew Jones, Telford, Shropshire, purchased by S Carpenter, Stourport on Severn.

Just behind, on £2100, Whyn Morgan, Newmills, Powys, sold a nine-month-old heifer to Mike Scott, Newark.

Auctioneers: Wright Marshall