The final Border and Lakeland show and sale of 2019 took place at Borderway, Carlisle, which attracted buyers from the five home nations taking part with buyers recorded from 16 counties.

Topping the sale at 2800gns was Kepculloch Messiah August Red, from Robert and Jane Steel, Glasgow. This red and white show heifer is by Apina Messiah Red and was bred from ten generations of Ex or VG dams. She went home to Wigton with the Taylor family, High Whinnow.

Judge, James Sloan, from the Dormieston Holstein herd, Ayrshire, awarded his overall champion to the winning Jersey cow, from Craig and Judy Brough, Buckabank, Dalston. Caldervalley Griffens Evita is a daughter of Griffens Governor and bred from the Evita cow family. Evita had recently calved in November and left the ring at a 2600gns bid from the Jackson family, Guillyhill, Dumfries.

The winning junior heifer in milk, Evening Dewars Silverwings, from the Wilson family of Evening Holsteins, Thursby, Carlisle, went on to sell for 2600gns to BW Holsteins, from Glasgow. She is by Dewars and bred from five generations of EX or VG dams and is producing 38kg.

Balcurive Holsteins sold several heifers topping at 2400gns to average £2030. Balcurvie Jareb Metje, sired by Hartline Jareb, went under the hammer at 2300gns, she was giving close to 40kg and was bred from a line of top producing dams.

The Brewster family, Boclair, Glasgow, also had a great day after taking third prize in the senior heifer in milk class before going on to sell for 2300gns to Stewart Wilson, from Barrhead.

Boclair Beemer Barbara 3 is a daughter of Bemmer and bred from their successful Barbara cow family, full sister to dam of this heifer was the winning All Britain, Goldwyn Barbra.

Stephen Boow’s Dunnerdale herd sold three heifers all with very shapely udders to average £1967. Topping this group was a Beemer giving 34kg which went under the hammer at 2200gns to BW Holsteins.

The reserve champion was Espland Euclid Agatha from Alan Cannon, from Appleby, and was knocked down to James Sloan, Dormieston, Ayrshire, for 2100gns. Agatha is sired by Silverridge V Euclid and bred from a Talent dam with lactations more than 12,000kg.

averages: 11 cows in milk, £1512.00; 62 heifers in milk, £1891.09