Stirling Bull Sales: Bumper trade for Aberdeen-Angus as Linton Gilbertines leads at 22,000gns

This average for the 61 bulls that changed hands is a rise of £674 on the year for 24 more sold, with females from the Moncur and Schivas dispersals proving equally as popular with top prices of 22,000gns and 18,000gns, respectively (see individual reports for both dispersals).

“There was a definite demand for top quality bulls that were well bred,” commented the society’s chief executive officer, Barrie Turner, after the sale, pointing out the 80% clearance rate. “There was also a chase for figures with calving ease figures mainly in focus. The dispersals went very well indeed and I was very taken with the number of young people buying.”

With several bulls having already hit the five-figure mark is wasn’t until the second prize winner from the trustees of the late Gordon Brooke entered the ring that trade hit 22,000gns. Making that price was Linton Gilbertines Powerhouse, a strapping 18-month-old that set the best price to date for the 100-cow herd at Upper Huntlywood, Earlston, that is managed by John Elliot jnr alongside stockman Iain Campbell. This son of Rawburn Dublin has already made his mark in the showring, standing native champion in the M and S Beefbreeder championship at the Royal Highland back in June as well as reserve male at the Great Yorkshire a month later. Bred from the Rawburn Lord Ross-sired Belhaven Pole Star, a private purchase which also bred the 17,000gns Linton Gilbertines President, Powerhouse has the highest terminal sire index of +64 and caught the attention of Chris and Janet Watmore who will take him to work on their Holystone herd at Farnham Park, Sharperton, Morpeth.

Earlier on in the sale, another second prize winner with a proven show record was in the money when Donald Rankin’s Kilmaluag Eriskay all the way from the Isle of Skye sold to Graeme Massie for his Blelack herd near Dinnet, Aboyne, for 14,000gns. Brought out by Richard and Carol Rettie – who were also on the end of the rope when the January, 2017-born Eriskay landed the supreme honours at the Summer National held at Westmorland Show after securing the reserve inter-breed ticket at Central and West Fife – this lad is by the privately purchased Retties JFK, whose first sons averaged £6000 before the Stirling sale. His mother in the herd of just 25 cows that was established less than a decade ago is Mosston Muir Etta, a Hallington Walter daughter bought at the Mosston Muir reduction.

It was certainly a Stirling debut to remember for mother and son team, Lorna and Hugh Thomson, as well as Hugh’s wife Cara, when they not only secured the junior and reserve supreme championships but saw their Tynet Pegasus go under the hammer for 13,000gns. The Thomsons run just 16 cows in their herd at Burnside Cottage, Burnside of Tynet, Clochan, which was founded just four years ago and it was one of these foundation females, Fearn Abbey Poppy, a Balaldie Brutus daughter, that bred their leader. What makes this sale all the sweeter for the trio is the fact this April, 2017-born son of Warrenho Dalmigavie will go for pedigree use in the Wedderlie herd for the Tilson family near Gordon, Berwickshire.

Another herd achieving its top price to date of 12,500gns was the Cairnton herd belonging to Ken and Margaret Howie, Cairnton, Lumphanan, Banchory, whose Cairnton Blackbeard was brought out by daughter Nicola and helper, Katie Meston. This similarly aged son of the 14,000gns Haymount Walarlo was shown on the North-east circuit all summer, with his best results including the male title at Banchory as well as a second in his class to the champion at the Summer National. Bred from a top family in the herd of 27 cows, being out of the Blelack Evangelist-sired Cairnton Blackbird, he was knocked down to David Lindsay, Baldovie, Kingoldrum, Kirriemuir.

See this week's issue of The Scottish Farmer for a full round-up and pictures from the Stirling Bull Sales.