averages: three Limousin bulls, £3360; three Charolais bulls, £2940

PEDIGREE bulls met a sticky trade at the annual sale held alongside the Christmas Classic, at Thainstone, on Tuesday, when only 12 bulls from the 29 forward sold to new homes.

Trade peaked at 4000gns on two occasions with the first seeing Inchcorsie Nugget, a Charolais bull from regular consignor Anna Robertson, Lower Inchcorsie, Rothiemay, Huntly, sell to Walter Leith, North Crannoch, Crossroads, Keith. This March, 2017-born bull is by Barbican Lancer, a bull which sired Inchcorsie Iceman, Anna’s overall champion here in 2014 that sold for 7000gns. Nugget is out of the Balbithan Vespasian-sired Inchcorsie Jewel.

Wendy Willox, who runs 20 pure Aberdeen-Angus females in her Strathinver herd, at Broadmyre, Clatt, Huntly, received the same money for the May, 2017-born bull, Strathinver Elmo. A son of Mountjoy Poldark, which Wendy purchased at Stirling for 5200gns, he is out of the heifer, Ladywell Erama, bought at Willie Yates’ dispersal. He heads out to work for WJ Milne, Backshalloch, Mulben, Keith.

Limousin bulls hit 3800gns for the reserve champion from relatively new breeders, Gordon Hendry and sons, Craig and Jack, from Heads of Auchinderran, Keith. Selling to Ballintomb Farms, Dulnain Bridge, Grantown-on-Spey, was the 22-month-old Aultmore Ninja, an AI son of Powerful Irish, out of Emslies Chacha.

Following on, at £3100, was Lagavaich Ironman, a Simmental bull from father and son team, Billy and Gary Wright, Lagavaich, Glenlivet, Ballindalloch. This March, 2017-born son of Williams Eddie, is bred out of the Derrycallaghan Tick-Tack daughter, Redhill Anita. The buyers were Messrs Innes and Aldri, Carlton House, Archiestown.

Aileen Ritchie’s Limousin champion, Ritchies Neverman, from Tamala, Whitecairns, made 3000gns to F and J Whyte, Nether Kirton, Barthol Chapel, Inverurie. Born in January, 2017, he is by the Haltcliffe Dancer son, Rahoney Isaac and out of Fodderletter Honeysuckle.

Auctioneers: Aberdeen and Northern Marts