Overall averages and top-end prices improved on last year’s sale at Caledonian marts’ annual premier show and sale of suckled calves which saw Brian Harper, Greenwells, Maddiston bag his third consecutive overall champion.

In all, 18 heifers averaged 480p per kg, up 56.92p on last year’s nine heifers sold while 15 bullocks levelled at 331p compared to the 13 cashed last year at 326.07p.

The supreme champion at pre-sale show, Brian’s Limousin heifer, Miss Hatty, went on to sell for the top price of £3600 to beat his two previous top prices and sold across the sea to Northern Ireland purchased by Andrew Morton, Lochend, Denny on behalf of JCB commercials.

This unshown four-month-old black Limousin, is a daughter of Huntershall Monsoon and out of a British Blue cross dam.

Another by the Monsoon sire from the same home was knocked down to J Mathers, Beechbank, Kelso at £2000. This March-born Limousin heifer, Wee Joe was second at the pre-show sale to the champion, and is out of another British Blue cross dam.

Reserve champion was another spring-born Limousin calf, this time a bullock from Thomas Laird, Sunnyside, Cumnock, brought out by his daughter, Shona Stevenson. Hot Shot, a four-month-old that was chapped down to Donald Morrison, Burnside, Sutherland for £2700, is sired by the 9000gns Kinniside MobyDick and out of a dam that was bought from Craig Malone last year for £3600.

His half-brother, the Autumn-born bullock calf, Haribo, by the same sire, went home to East Sussex with the judge, Jason Wareham, Little Tottingworth for £1650.

Third top price was £2200 paid for the Charolais champion, Keeping Faith, a six-month-old heifer from Tom Epps, Ardnave, Islay. Champion at his local Islay Show and a daughter of the 7000gns Irish sire, Fury Leader, out of a home-bred Charolais cross Simmental, she sold to mother and daughter duo, June Dowie and Jennifer Hyslop, Baluskie, Girvan.

Two from Colin, John and Alistair McCallum, Strathnafanaig, Tarbet, sold for £2000 each. First was the any other breed champion, a six-month-old British Blue cross heifer by the Belgian sire, Pheomine out of a bought in Limousin cross cow bred in Kintyre. The calf has lifted prize tickets at both Campbeltown and Mid Argyll Shows this year, and went home with Kirsty and Andrew Morton, Lochend, Denny for a potential Young Farmers rally calf.

Shamrock, a five-month-old heifer calf and the champion winner at Campbeltown and reserve from Mid Argyll made the same money. She sold to Jean Mackay, Harelaw, Barrhead and is by Defooz Langoureux.

The champion winner from Mid Argyll, Duncan Semple’s Charolais cross heifer from Dippen, Carradale made £1600 to regular buyer, Blair Duffton, Loanhead of Kinnoir, Huntly. The November-born calf took senior Charolais champion in the pre-sale show and is a daughter of Carradale Felix.

LEADING awards

Autumn-born – Bullock – Char – 1, DW Semple and Son, Dippen, Carradale, £1500 to A Paterson; 2, J McLaren, Murrayshall, Stirling, £1320 to Backmuir Livestock. Lim – T Laird and Son, Sunnyside, Cumnock, £1650 to J and S Wareham; 2, J Robertson and Son, Newton of Logierait, Ballinluig, £1250 to B Duffton; 3, J Robertson and Son, Newton of Logierait, Ballinluig; £1280 to Backmuir Livestock. Any other breed – 1, Messrs McBeath and Jessop, Lower Greenyards, Bannockburn, £1250 to Backmuir Livestock; 2, AJ and B Forrest, Hillend, Biggar, £1200 to B Duffton. Heifer – Char – 1, DW Semple and Son, Dippen, £1600 to B Duffton; Lim – 1, T Laird and Son, Sunnyside; 2, J Robertson and Son, Newton of Logierait, £1120 to Backmuir Livestock; 3, S Dick, Westerton, Cowie, £1100 to J and S Wareham

Spring-born – Bullock – Lim – 1, T Laird and Son, Sunnyside; 2 and 3, G Bell, Haasside, Lockerbie, £1250 and £900 to Backmuir Livestock. Any other breed – 1, B Harper, Greenwells. Heifer – Char – 1, T Epps, Ardnave, £2200 to J Dowie. Lim – 1, B Harper, Greenwells; 2, B Harper, Greenwells,, £2000 to J Mathers, Kelso; 3, G Bell, Haasside £1180 to C Malone. Any other breed – 1, JJ and C McCallum, Strathnafanaig, Tarbert, £2000 to K and A Morton; 2, B Harper, Greenwells, £1280 to H MacKinnon; 3, JJ and C McCallum, Strathnafanaig, £2000 to J MacKay