Ever increasing demand for Aberdeen-Angus beef ensured a buoyant demand for the breed at a show and sale at Carlisle, where overall bull averages improved on the year by almost £180 per head to level at £4331 and for two more sold.

It was winners from the pre-sale show, selected by judge John Gilmour, that followed through to attract the lead prices too, where the senior champion and supreme overall, Tonley Ernie from Neil and Mark Wattie, sold for the top price of 10,000gns.

The bull, a two-year-old from Mains of Tonley, Alford, Aberdeenshire, is by the former stockbull, Blelack Evor which since has been sold to Alec Davies of the Perkhill herd after seven breeding seasons. He is bred from one of best breeding cows in the herd, being a son of the Auldhouseburn Karlos daughter, Tonley Ester, which has already bred sons to 13,000gns and 6200gns. Ernie sold east to J Gray, Unthank, Whittingham, Alnwick, Northumberland.

There were more celebrations to come for the father and son duo when their first prize winner, Tonley King Giovanni, a June 2016-born son of the Rawburn Double OSeven-sired Tonely Essien, made 6800gns to John Weir, Cortleferry, Stow, Galashiels. His dam is the Catrionas Ellisland daughter, Tonley Kind Georgia.

Donald Graham’s Carruthers herd from Waterbeck, Lockerbie, also had a great day, producing the top two junior winners as well as the reserve overall which sold for the second top price of 8500gns to G Johnston and Son, Orton Hall, Carlisle. This was Carruthers Jon Eric, a December 2016-bornson of Morven Kilo Master, bred from the Rawburn Enigma daughter, Carruthers Janie Erica.

His herd mate, Carruthers Gilbert, a similarly aged bull by the same sire and bred from another Enigma daughter, was reserve junior and made 7600gns to T Hodge, Rulesmains, Duns, Berwickshire.

David Evans’ Tree Bridge Ensign, a 21-month-old bullby the Chapelton Dark Mahmoud son, Tree Bridge Pathfinder, all the way from Nunthorpe, Middlesborough, then made 6200gns selling to P Findlay, Stoop Rigg, Simonburn, Hexham. Reserve senior male champion, he is out of the Abberton Dazzle-sired cow, Tree Bridge Estella.

Three bulls came under the hammer for 6000gns with the first being the red ticket holder, Hallington Lord Hussar, a two-year-old son of the Nightingale Defiance son, Hallington Evolution, from Alan Lawson, Hallington, Newcastle On Tyne. Hussar is out of the Netherallan Peter Pershore son, Hallington Lady Heather and sold back down to Northumberland with J Leiper and Sons, Black Heddon, Ponteland, Newcastle on Tyne.

Roxburghshire producers, JC Hobday and Son, Todshawhaugh, Hawick, then went to the same money for Tom and Jack Arnott’s Haymount Warlord, a July 2016-born second prize winner from Haymount, Kelso. The breeding behind this transaction includes Blelack Prince Camelot onto the Lorabar Blackstar-sired Haymount Wastara.

The last of the 6000gns bids came for Duncanziemere Scorpion T237, an April 2017-born first prize bull from A Clark and Sons, Avisyard, Cumnock. Scorpion is by the show bull, Rawburn Jester Eric, out of Duncanziemere Schelda and sold back up to Aberdeenshire with Wendy Willox, Broadmyre, Clatt, Huntly. 

Just behind, on 5800gns, Gordon and David Gray, Sunnycroft, Selkirk, sold Ettrick Rockafella, a July 2016-born son of Ettrick Rockafella, a Rawburn Elmer-sired bull, to WS Davies and Son, Harwood on Teviot, Hawick. He is out of a home-bred cow by The Moss Mr Eshton.

* Top priced female at 1600gns was Richard and Carol Rettie’s Retties Annie, a 21-month-old heifer by Billinge Magic Jack Eric, which sold due in October to Gretnahouse Blackpot, to DW Clement and Son, Gatehouse Farm, Laurieston, Castle Douglas.

OTHERLEADINGprices

Bulls – 5200gns – G Gray’s Ettrick Lord Johnston, by Duncanziemere Edwin, to AS Hogg and Partners, Longyester, Earlston; NF Massie and Sons’ Blelack Topcat, by Blelack Prince Consul, to J Drinkall, Manor House, Anglezarke, Chorley, Lancs.

5000gns – J and W Arnott’s Haymount Gold Dust, by Blelack Blockbuster, to S Ramsey, Falside Hill, Kelso; NF Massie and Sons’ Blelack Topgrade, by Blelack Prince Consul, to A and A Kirkpatrick, Barr, Sanquhar; MV Guttery’s Oak Moor Wizard, by Duncanziemere Edwin, to RD and MA Spendlove, Belper, Derbyshire; C and E McCombie’s Auchincrieve Juanfran Eric, by Auchincrieve Lord Insidious, to RM Johnston, High Fotherley, Riding Mill, Northumberland.

Averages: 56 bulls, £4331.25 (+£177.92 for two more sold); three served or maiden heifers, £1043.00 (-£1197 for the same number). Shelau draft sale – Seven maiden heifers, £982.50.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.