BRITISH Blues kissed goodbye to their last sale at Chelford before the mart's impending closure and move to Beeston, with a sale top of 5000gns amongst the bulls and 3800gns for the females.

The event, which was the 63rd National Show and sale for the breed, saw bulls meet an inconsistent trade with the majority of potential purchasers looking for strong entries fit to work with the younger bulls of undoubted potential and maturity struggling to sell. It was also noticeable that younger bulls from one year bovine TB testing areas met limited demand.

Sale leader at 5000gns, was AS Phillips and Sons' Drift Kojak, a black and white two-year-old ET bred from the Empire D'Ochain daughter, Drift Flass, and sired by Drift Domino out of the Empire sired Drift Fliss. This first prize senior bull from The Shooting Lodge, Ashampstead, Reading, Berkshire, went home with CA.Howe, Hazelhead, Sheffield.

Dylan Rees, Llwynhirion, Brynberian, was well rewarded for his long journey from Pembrokeshire with bull sales at 4600gns and 4400gns. Dearest was the November 2014-born black bull, Bluestone Jason, by Colos Van Daisel. He is out of a home-bred

cow and sold to Messrs Tustian, Banbury, Oxfordshire, also also bought the 4400gns bull, Bluestone Jinx, an October 2014-born bull by Empire D'Ochain.

Young bulls peaked at 4000gns, when Ian Cook, Biddulph, bought the 18-month-old Dragon Blues Krug, a black son of the Cromwell Fendt son, Dragon Blues Ian, from GW and K Williams, Tynllyn, Llanwnnen, Lampeter.

The champion in the females, topped the section at 3800gns when Tanat Kira ET, from Wyn Jones' herd from Oswestry, was purchased by J Crowther, Sowerby Bridge. This 17-month-old black and white heifer is by Phenomene De Martinpre, and out of the Bringlee Blackstar-sired Boomer Fendi.

Just behind, on 3600gns, Steven Hough, Pontefract, bought the two-year-old Norbreck Hunter-sired heifer, Dean House Kalmia ET, from Bradford breeders Leslie Driver and Son, Oakenshaw. This blue and white is bred from the Ballygrange Alex daughter, Tamhorn Fern.

Aldridge breeder, Adam Neachell, Shrubbery Farm, then received 3400gns for Cromwell Lass, a seven-month-old black and white heifer that sold at the foot of her Angus cross recipient dam. The breeding behind this ET includes the Solway View Firecracker-sired dam, Cromwell Impulse, and sired by Tweeddaale Hebony. Andrew Haste, Shebbear, Devon – whose father, Ted, purchased the first Blue to be sold at Chelford almost 36 years ago to the day – was the last man in on this lot.

A solid trade for commercials saw an almost 100% clearance which sold to £2000 for the champion, a steer from Andrew Bishop, Eldersfield, Glos, purchased by Ed Layton, Leominster.

The reserve, a heifer from Gail Ellis' Trencom stable, made £1850 to West Country producers, White House Farm Partners, Henley, Somerset.

Bull semen sold to 155gns per straw for Affute, with semen from Valdes, Gitan, Tamhorn Sumo and Dafydd to 100gns and 95gns. Embryos by Bringlee Carlos out of Justiciere sold for 240gns each.

Auctioneers: Wright Marshall.