A DISAPPOINTING trade for British Blue bulls saw averages slip more than £1300 on the year at breed show and sale at Carlisle, where a top price of 7500gns was achieved for Lanarkshire breeders, Blair and Shona Comrie's Stonebyres Memphis.

The bull, a rising two-year-old mainly black son of Kersey Geronimo, a bull that bred last year's 9000gns Stonebyres Levi sold here, is out of the Tamhorn Enterprising daughter, Stonebyres Izzy. He stood first in his class at the pre-sale show and was knocked down to Messrs Hartley, Holdgate, Much, Wenlock, Shropshire.

In an all Scottish transaction, Kevin Watret, sold the best from his Solway View herd from Annan, to Aberdeenshire producers Messrs Ogg, Buchaam, Strathdon, for 6000gns. This was Solway View Mustang, a similarly aged and coloured bull by the 7500gns Pendle Bruce, brought out by stockman Ali Jackson. A heifer's calf, he is out of the Solway View Firecracker daughter, Solway View Jezzabell, which in turn was out of the top breeding show cow, Broomfield Vivien.

Matching that last bid, Lancashire breeders, John and Richard Pedley, Barbon, Carnforth, sold their second prize entry, Oak Tree Limited Edition, a 29-month-old mainly black bull. He is by Colos Van Daisel, a bull that has bred sons to 10,000gns, out of the Balzer Faberge-sired Oak Tree Itsy Bitsy, and was knocked down to North Humberside producers, Messrs Atkinson, Eastrington, Goole.

Dumfriesshire producers, Messrs Ewart, Belridding, Lockerbie, purchased the male and overall champion at 5500gns, from Northern Ireland breeders, J and A Sloan, Ballygrange, Kilkeel. Their Ballygrange Legend, a November 2016-born bull by the Springbank Blackstar son, Ballygrange Ince, is out of the Empire D'Ochain-sired Ballygrange Grace.

Just behind on 5200gns was the second prize winner to the champion, Lukeroyal Logo, an all black senior bull from fellow Irish breeders, Mel and Diane Lucas, Seven Mile Straight, Co Antrim. Bred from the Baron Du Bois Bauloye daughter, Lukeroyal Florence, Logo is a son of Tweeddale Hebony, a bull that sired the 24,000gns Dragon Blues Kai sold at Carlisle in May 2017.

In another all Scottish sale, Robert and Maimie Paterson and son Robert, sold their Auchenlay Moray, a twin-born blue and white entry from Upper Auchenlay, Dunblane, to Walter Dandie, Learielaw, Broxburn, for 5000gns. For his money, he gets a 20-month-old son of Almeley Hazard out of Auchenlay Caroline, a Mountjoy Utopia-sired cow.

Similarly, Jean Mackay's sole entry from Harelaw, Barrhead, Glasgow – Harelaw Mastermind, a two-year-old ET made 4900gns to JD Simpson, Hillridge, Biggar. The breeding behind this transaction includes the former Highland Show champion, Solway View Firecracker and Herelaw Jalapeno, by Tweeddale Ebony.

The champion female continued on her winning ways to top the female trade at 5000gns. This was JC Walker and Son's Brennand Nightshade, a black yearling heifer from Poolside, Hunnington, West Midlands, that went on to lift the reserve overall championship at the pre-sale show. She is bred from the Cromwell Fendt daughter, Brennand Jenny and sired by Kubitus De Bray, a bull that bred the 7200gns Gregmaur Imperial.

Two heifers realised 4500gns including the reserve female from Richard Tiplady, Red House Farm, Langleydale, Barnard Castle. His Tiplady Mai Tai, an almost all black October 2017-born heifer is by Tweeddale Ironnman, and out of Tipladys Jorja, by Romancier De Charlevaux. West Yorkshire breeders, Messrs Crowther, Soyland, Sowerby Bridge, forked out the cash.

Later, Springhill Naughty Girl an ET from James and Sam Martin, of Springhill Blues, Newtonards, Co Down, Northern Ireland, made the same money, when selling Messrs Jewitt, Romaldkirk, Barnard Castle. This fourth prize winning nine-month-old heifer is the first calf sold out of the unbeaten show cow, Springhill Golden Girl, and sired by Empire D'Ochain.

Minutes later, her full ET sister, Springhill Night Owl, made 3200gns selling to Messrs Gill, Dacre, Harrogate.

Top price for Mark and Elaine Hartley's Pendle herd from Roughlee, Nelson, Lancs, was also 3200gns paid for the white yearling heifer, Pendle Naomi, a Stonebyres Hartley daughter out of Pendle Kiwi. The buyers were Messrs Sweeting, Haddinley Lane, Huddersfield.

Averages: 16 bulls, £4669.22 (-£1336.78 for one more sold); 15 females, £3188.50 (-£836.50 for 12 more).

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.