A good show of bulls coupled with increased demand ensured a record breaking trade for Beef Shorthorn bulls and a new average high of £7491 for 47.
Modern, shapey roan bulls with good locomotion and easy fleshing characteristics were so highly sought after that no fewer than 10 bulls attracted five-figure prices with the result being that averages soared by £1794 on the year albeit for 12 fewer sold. The clearance rate was the exact same as last year at 66%.
Pre-sale judge and vice president of the society, John Scott, Fearn, was the first to highlight the quality of bulls forward.
"It's a tremendous show of bulls all through with the top eight to 10 bulls being exceptional," he said.
Backing up those statements, breed secretary and marketing manager Clive Brown pointed out the growing interest in the breed, particularly south of the Border.
"We're seeing about 70 new members join the society every year, many of whom are looking to the Beef Shorthorn to breed replacement females. There is also a good demand from England and Wales due to environmental schemes and for the beef premium which was up to 15p per deadweight kg at the end of the year," he said.
It was nevertheless one of the youngest breeders – Grant Stephen, Hatton Farm Cottage, Dallas, Forres – who enjoyed the day most when he not only secured his first overall championship but also the top price with Glendual Sammy.
Mr Stephen who works at Brodies Hill Farm, runs a small herd of just 14 cows, and was exhibiting at his fourth sale. His show stopper is out of one of his first females – HW Gorgeous, a daughter of Quoiggs Freud, bought at the herd dispersal as a calf at foot alongside the dam, Knowehead Gorgeous Tessa.
Sammy, a 22-month-old roan son of the AI sire Fearn Godfather, first won the senior championship and then the supreme overall. A star performer from a young age, he was also reserve junior male champion at the Stars of the Future in 2022. Last year he stood third at the Royal Highland and champion at Nairn and reserve at Keith. He was knocked down to pedigree breeder, Iain Green, Corskie, Garmouth, Fochabers.
Alan Haigh and his daughters Alice and Lois of the Willingham herd now based at Balquhaldy, Brechin, enjoyed their best trade to date too with bulls at 20,000gns and 12,000gns.
Dearest was the third prize winner, Willingham Spitfire, a 20-month-old roan by the Tofts Wing Commander son, Willingham Lieutenant Commander – a bull retained for stock that has previously bred sons to 7800gns. The dam is Willingham Eva Broadhooks by Willingham Killarney. Junior champion, male champion and reserve overall at the Royal Highland in 2023, he sold over the ‘phone to pedigree breeder, Mary Cormack, Tambour Manor, Canterbury.
Minutes later, the family’s reserve junior champion, Willingham Salamander by the same sire, and from the same female family made 12,000gns selling in a two-way split to Derek and Cindy Steen of the Coxhill herd, Moffat and George Irving, Mountbenger, Yarrow. Another successful show winner in 2023, Salamander is out of Willingham Eva Broadhooks which is bred from a Glenisla female.
More than financing that half share, the Steens sold two April 2022-born bulls at five figures. Making 11,000gns to Whissendine Farms, Syston, was the mostly red bull, Coxhill Spartacus, an AI son of the Canadian sire Crooked Post Tobias, out of the Ballylinney Glenn-sired daughter Coxhill Lovely GP83.
Roger Nicolson and sons David, Robert and Richard of Cannonhall Farm TV fame, then went to 10,000gns for Coxhill Sultan, the first son sold by the 27,000gns record priced Meonside Nidavellir out of Coxhill Wheat, also by the home-bred Glenn.
The Nicolsons who were buying a bull for the first time at Stirling were also making their debut in the heifer ring with Shorthorns and aim to sell pedigree bulls here in future from their 15-cow herd which runs alongside a small Highland cattle fold and pedigree Dutch Spotted and Valais Blacknose.
New breeder, Natalie Hynd, a dog groomer to trade from Galston, also had a cracking day selling her first bull for 15,000gns to James Frame, Little Galla, Wiston, Biggar.
This was the intermediate and reserve overall champion, Westbroad Scotia, a March 2022-born roan bought privately as a calf from Duncan Welsh. Brought out by freelance stockman, Allan Jackson who has looked after Natalie’s five Shorthorns from the very start, Scotia boasts numerous show successes to include junior male champion and reserve junior overall at the Stars of the Future in 2022 and supreme ate Ayr Show. Scotia was also reserve male at the Royal Highland and reserve overall at the Great Yorkshire. His pedigree features the 12,000gns Shawhill Leroy and the Craigfaddock Finn McCool daughter, Westbroad Rusty 15.
The second prize winner in his class to him, Duncanziemere Saltire, matched the 15,000gns price for Alistair Clark and sons Brian and Alistair, Avisyard, Cumnock. They produced a personal best selling the first home-bred bull from the four-cow herd which is better known for its Aberdeen Angus. Saltire, a roan bull is out of their foundation female Knockenjig Margo that was bought at the herd dispersal with bull calf at foot and later made 6000gns for the Clarks. Sired by the AI bull, Glenisla Excalibur, he was knocked down to Glenrinnes Farms, Duffton, Huntly.
Sons of the retained bull Nelson of Upsall – by the Canadian AI sire, Crooked Post Drover – proved popular for Thirsk-based breeder Gerald Turton, when he received 11,000gns and 10,500gns.
The former, Sovereign of Upsall, the junior champion brought out by George and Maureen McCulloch, is bred from the Ex92-classified cow, Marigold of Upsall, a daughter of Eurosceptic of Upsall which is a half brother to the Dingo and Dakota of Upsall. Sovereign was knocked down to Jamie Biggar, Chapelton, Castle Douglas.
Squadron Leader of Upsall, a first prize April 2022-born roan bull out of the Ex91 Augusta of Upsall by Democrat of Upsall, made 10,500gns selling to David and Mairi Wyllie of the Burllie herd from The Gill, Cummertrees, Annan.
On the income side, the Wyllies sold their sole entry for 10,000gns to the Cursiter family of Laga Farms, Orkney. This was the red ticket holder, Burllie Saltire, a June 2022-born roan bull and the first entry sold from their seven cow herd. Champion at Dumfries and Moffat Show and a pairs winner at the Royal Highland Sho alongside his half sister, Saltire is out of – Oakleigh Linda, a Chapelton Bonanza daughter, purchased by Mairi’s parents, the Burgess’ from New Abbey as a wedding present for the couple in 2019. The sire was the AI bull, Napoleon of Upsall.
The second prize winner in that class, Cairnsmore Spaceman, a roan bull from Bill and Jane Landers and son Bobby, Bargaly, Newton Stewart, made 9000gns selling to D Soutar, Strathellie Cottage, Alyth. He is a son of Redhill Lord Thunder, a bull bought privately from Brenda Wear and out of Cairnsmore Darlene Averell from the Tessa family that has bred six bulls to date.
Matching that 9000gns bid was Glenisla Samson, a third prize winner from Major Gibb and his daughter Catriona's 75-cow herd from Glenisla. This March 2022-born roan is a son of Broughton Park Thunder and out of Glenisla Carnation Rouge VG87. Gerald and Morag Smith, Drumsleed, Fordoun, Laurencekirk, were the final bidders.
Just behind, on 8500gns the Mairs from Kinnermit, Turriff, sold Muiresk Sir Alex a May 2022-born son of Glenisla Excalibur to GH Stirling, Bow Farm, Stow, Galashiels. Bred to be easy calving, Sir Alex is a heifer's calf out of the Fearn Godfather daughter, Muiresk Augusta Poppy VG86, one of 35 breeding cows in the herd.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here