A STYLISH cow and bull calf outfit topped the major reduction of Simmental cattle from the Macaskill family’s Woodhall herd, when they sold for a combined price of 14,000gns.

Meeting strong support from many neighbours and friends, this follows a top of 16,000gns at the previous reduction in October, 2016, with four females retained by Fiona and daughter, Jenny, near Innerwick, Dunbar.

Hitting the high note was four-year-old Woodhall Flair, a solid dark coloured daughter of Curaheen Commanche bred from the Annick Talisker daughter, Woodhall Amber. It was her Islavale Frontier-sired bull calf, Woodhall Infamous, that really caught the eye of their purchasers, the late Hector’s daughter Maj McDiarmid, and husband Peter, who run a select number of females in their Balbeg herd at Shenlarich, Ben Lawers, and plan to use the September-born Infamous as a stock bull. The McDiarmids in fact get three lives for their money, as Amber had ran with the same sire prior to the sale.

Following on at 10,000gns was the dearest of the cow and heifer calf outfits in the shape of Woodhall Friday, another four-year-old by the Commanche bull but this time out of the Corrick Nebraska daughter, Woodhall Wishingwell. Her August-born heifer calf, the Frontier-sired Woodhall Inkberry, was another shapey little number, and this unit sold to Richard McCulloch for his Overhill House herd near Armadale having ran again with Islavale Frontier ahead of the sale.  

Two lots sold for 9000gns apiece with the first of these heading north to Corskie with the Green family near Garmouth, Fochabers. That was Woodhall Brandie, a 2010-born daughter of Annick Talisker bred from the Corrick Kentucky Kid-sired Woodhall Veanna. This fifth calver, which ran with the loaned Newbiemains Holy Smokes, changed hands with her Frontier-sired heifer calf, Woodhall Iona.

Matching that was Islavale Frontier himself, which heads home with Roy Weatherup to join the Roma herd at Romavale, near Hawick. This four-year-old, which was in fine fettle considering he was running with cows until the week before the sale, combines Curaheen Bandit on to the Popes Laird daughter, Islavale Briana.

Mr Weatherup went home with a few lots, including seven-year-old Woodhall Chelsea and her Frontier-sired heifer calf, Woodhall Imogen. Sired by the home-bred Woodhall Webster, himself by the Danish-bred Exodus, Chelsea is bred from a daughter of Corrick Nebraska, and was PD’d in-calf to Newbiemains Holy Smokes.

Hitting 8000gns when knocked down to Harte Farms, Leonards Island, Clones, Woodhall Elisha and her Frontier-sired heifer twins, Islavale Integrity and Islavale Innuendo. Five-year-old Elisha boasts some Irish genetics being by Raceview All-Star KK, while her dam is the Corrick Nebraska-sired Woodhall Autumn. She also ran with Frontier ahead of the sale.

Matching a previous bid of 7500gns when sold to society chief executive, Neil Shand, was Woodhall Fancy, a four-year-old offering some different Danish genetics being by Balu and out of Peregrina, by Egan. She was PD’d in-calf to Frontier and sold to Cairnorrie, Methlick, with her Frontier-sired bull calf, Woodhall Innerwick.

Keep posted for averages and photos of the sale leaders, as well as the main sale of Simmentals.