Retiring from farming and pedigree breeding of any sort, is never easy, but it was made that bit sweeter for David and Christine Lucas, daughter Sian and son James, when the dispersal of their Cheeklaw Aberdeen-Angus herd, from Duns, met a flying trade.
With no fewer than six five-figure prices, including what is believed to be a record 20,000gns paid for a maiden heifer, the family, who have been breeding Aberdeen-Angus cattle for some 25 years, certainly bowed out in style.
With the ringside packed to the gunnels for the duration of the sale, there were also plenty of big four-figure prices and several new herds established.
Northern Ireland breeders purchased the top two highest priced lots at 20,000gns, with the first being Cheeklaw Pride, a four-year-old cow by Haymount Wavestar bred from the Polyanna of Cheeklaw show family. 
She is of the Easton Greys Joseph Eric-sired cow, Cheeklaw Petrina and changed hands with her second calf, the April-born heifer, Cheeklaw Paige, by Cardona Proud Punch, to Kevin McCoscar, buying for his Island Farm herd from Cookstown, Co Tyrone. Pride sold served to Balmachie Lord Jock.
It was her daughter that attracted what is believed to be a new record for a maiden, when Cheeklaw Pru, a January, 2016-born heifer by Cardona Proud Punch, made the same money selling to Albert De Cogan, buying for the Mogeely herd, at Castlemartyr, Co Cork, Eire.
Richard Hassell and Rachael Wyllie, of the Penfold and Brailes pedigree herds from Upper Brailes, Banbury, were also splashing the cash, forking out 11,000gns and 15,000gns for a pair of five-year-old twins, that go back to the prolific Blackbird P1 of Blelack, a cow which produced 15 calves of which 11 were females for the herd. These were bred out of Cheeklaw Black Bess, which is by the Canadian sire, HF Air-Walk, and sired by Easton Greys Joseph Eric. 
First off, at 11,000gns, was Cheeklaw Black Betsy, which sold with a May-born heifer calf at foot, Cheeklaw Black Beth, by Balmachie Lord Jock.
The latter, Cheeklaw Black Bitzy, changed hands with her May-born bull calf by the same sire, at 15,000gns. Both sold served again to Lord Jock.
Two other females made 12,000gns, including Cheeklaw Jenny Erica, a four-year-old by Easton Greys Joseph Eric, bred from the Tweedside Jewgal Eric daughter, Cheeklaw Jaye Erica – the dam of Cheeklaw Jake Eric which stood overall champion sold here in February. 
Jenny Erica, sold with her twin-born heifer calves, by Cardona Proud Punch, and served to Cardona Proud Punch or Cheeklaw Punch, to AW Neish, Rodmead, Maiden Bradley, Warminster.
The second 12,000gns female, Cheeklaw Pru, a January, 2016-born heifer by Cardona Proud Punch and bred from Cheeklaw Black Bethel, was knocked down to Caroline Orr, Halbeath, Dunfermline.
Cheeklaw Portia, a five-year-old by Bunlahy Bilty, was another to attract the big bucks, selling at 8000gns to R and G Barraclough, Westfield, Thurlstone, Sheffield. Bred from the Pollyanna show family, Portia is the dam of Cheeklaw Polly, the heifer champion at the Black Beauty Bonanza, in 2016.  She sold with an April-born heifer calf by Cardona Proud Punch and served to Lord Jock.
Just behind, on 7500gns, N and G Matchett, Birches, Portadown, bought Cheeklaw Emily, also by Bilty, but out of the HF Air-Walk-sired Cheeklaw Erin. Emily is the dam of the Matchetts’ privately purchased Cheeklaw Emlyn which was reserve overall champion at Balmoral Show and All Ireland champion, at Newry, in June. She sold with an April-born bull calf by Cardona Proud Punch and served to Cheeklaw Punch.

Averages: 28 cows with calves, £6330; nine in-calf cows, £3418; seven in-calf heifers, £4935; 17 maiden heifers, £4459; three bulls, £4025; two calves, £3780.