Dyke bulls prove the business

In turn, this helped to bolster the overall trade which saw the breed secure the lead clearance rate of the four breeds forward, with 59 bulls averaging £4730 – up £130 on the year for the exact same number sold and with an 81% clearance.

The only disappointment for a few breeders was the fact that 10 bulls failed the veterinary inspection, with five put out for locomotion, two for teeth and three for testicles.

It was, nevertheless, a cracking day for the father and son team from Dyke, who not only produced a herd best – 500gns above their previous record – but also went on to sell seven bulls to average just shy of £7500.

Dearest, brought out by stockman, John Duncan, was the reserve senior champion, Dyke Olympian, an April, 2018-born son of the 12,000gns Goldies Lordoftherings, purchased by Liz Galloway, Lochlyoch, Carmichael, Biggar.

Backed by the best of genetics on the female side, this natural born calf is out of the Haltcliffe President daughter, Dyke Amazon, that has bred sons to 8500gns, 7200gns and 6500gns. Olympian, which was described by the judge, Robert McNee as a ‘tall, long and very correct bull,’ sold with a double copy of the easy-calving F94L myostatin gene.

The MacGregors also produced two at 9000gns, including the supreme champion in the shape of Dyke Outlaw.

Similarly aged and weighing in at 1090kg, this double F94L bull is by Netherhall Gilbert, a 8500gns purchase that bred the family’s previous 13,000gns sale leader, while the dam Dyke Jemma, is a daughter of Goldies Comet and the best cow in the 50-cow herd.

Outlaw, which was producing a second breed title here for the Dyke, headed home with Andrew Kay and sons, Robert and Andrew, for commercial use at Gass, Straiton.

The second bull at 9000gns was the fifth prizewinner Dyke Ovation, purchased by John Renwick, Corsebank, Sanquhar, Dumfries, again for commercial use. Another by Goldies Lordoftherings, a former champion here, and carrying the double F94L gene, he is out of the Ryedale Paragon daughter, Dyke Viva, which is still going strong at 15 years of age having bred sons to 11,000gns.

The last of the big sellers from the MacGregors was Dyke Ozzie, which made 6000gns selling to Tiree producers, D and E Campbell, Benview, Kilmoluaig. The breeding behind this fifth prize winner includes Lordoftherings onto the Haltcliffe President-sired Dyke Dazzler.

The Adam family – Bob and Kay and sons, Andrew and James – from Newhouse, Glamis, had plenty to smile about, selling six bulls to a top of 10,000gns to average in excess of £6000.

Dearest was the reserve junior, Newhouse Oriental, a black bull which again, sold with the double F94L gene to Cloquhat Farms, Wester Cloquhat, Bridge of Cally, Blairgowrie. July, 2018-born, Oriental is by Westhall Jammy – a sire that bred last year’s top priced bull in Westhall Norris 11,500gns – and out of Newhouse Lazykay, by Greenhaugh Forester.

The 75-cow Limousin herd, which is split 50:50 between reds and blacks, also received 8200gns and 6800gns for black sons of Jammy. Dearest was the fourth prize Newhouse Ontop, an August, 2018-born bull bred from a home-bred Greenhaugh Forester daughter, purchased by Dunecht Estate, Westhill, Aberdeenshire.

The heterozygous black bull, Newhouse Omagh, out of Newhouse Luckykay, made 6800gns selling to Terry Coghill, Muce, Birsay, Orkney.

Peter Henshall and his daughter, Karen, who run 80 cows between the Ringway and Loganburn herds based at Sarkshields, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie, were also in the money, taking 9000gns for their blue ticket holder, Ringway Odeon.

An AI son of the Irish-bred Elite Icecream, by Ampertaine Elgin, and out of the Haltcliffe Vermount-sired dam, Ringway Fallon, this June, 2018-born bull was bought by Cobbleheugh Farms, Dinnet, carrying a double copy of the F94L gene.

At 8500gns was the red rosette-winning Goldies Orlando from Bruce Goldie, Townfoot, Mouswald, Dumfries, purchased by Huntlyhill Mains, Lanark. By the Ampertaine Gigolo son, Goldies Juggler which has bred sons to 16,000gns and 14,000gns and out of the Goldies Terence-sired cow, Goldies Dalmation, this heterozygous black bull sold with the double F94L gene.

Top breeding was also behind Mr Goldie’s 8000gns bull, Goldies Overture, a fourth prize ET-bred bull out of the Wilodge Vantastic daughter, Goldies Fragrance, which is also the dam of the 25,000gns Goldies Neymar. Overture, which sold in a three-way split to P and T Michie, Tomchulan; R MacIntosh, shepherd at Glenfernate; and DH Amory, Glenfernate, all at Enochdhu, Blairgowrie, is bred from a flush whose full brothers have sold to 10,000gns twice and 9500gns.

The junior champion and reserve overall, Spittalton Overland, from local breeder, Andrew Burnett, Upper Spittalton, Blairdrummond, made 8000gns. Overland is by Burnbank Judge, out of the Sympa daughter, Spittalton Harriet, and headed home with Croy Cunningham, Gartness Farm, Balfron Glasgow.

Top price for Neil and Stuart Barclay’s Harestone herd, from Insch, was 7000gns paid for the May, 2018-born, Harestone Oklahoma, brought out by stockman, Robert Marshall. By the Jacot grandson, Lodge Hamlet, and out of the Nenuphar daughter, Harestone Ladybog, he sold to Wilson Peters, Monzie Farms, Gilmerton, Crieff.

LEADING awards:

Bulls born Feb 17 to March 31, 2018 – 1, J Nimmo’s Maraiscote Otis, by Goldies Comet, 3000gns to W Steel and Co, Cumberhead, Lanark; 2, A Campbell’s Strawfrank Osaka, by Fairywater Haig, 3000gns to GT and S Coghill, Muce, Orkney; 3, A Campbell’s Strawfrank Oriel, by Lodge Hamlet, 3800gns to WSL Muir, Upper Onston, Stromness, Orkney; 4, A Campbell’s Strawfrank Orlando, by Fairywater Haig, 3000gns to RP Cowe and Co, Old Castles Farm, Berwickshire; 5, A Campbell’s Strawfrank Otto, by Plumtree Fantastic, 4200gns to RP Cowe and Co.

Bulls born April 1 to 18, 2018 – 1, senior and overall champion, JR MacGregor’s Dyke Outlaw, by Netherhall Gilbert, 9000gns to JW Kay and Co, Gass, Straiton, Ayr; 2 and senior reserve, JR MacGregor’s Dyke Olympian, by Goldies Lordoftherings, 13,500gns to J and A Galloway, Lochlyoch Farm, Biggar, Lanarkshire; 3, MJ Massie’s Elrick Obama, by Elrick Jethro, 3800gns to J and J Findlay, Kilbride, Isle of Islay; 4, W and A Callion’s Lodge Olaf, by Lodge Hydro, 3000gns to Osborne Farms, Mains of Balmadies, Forfar; 5, JR MacGregor’s Dyke Ozzie, by Goldies Lordoftherings, 6000gns to D and E Campbell, Benview, Isle of Tiree, Argyll.

Bulls born April 19 to May 1, 2018 – 1, BT Goldie’s Goldies Orlando, by Goldies Juggler, 8500gns to Huntlyhill Farms, Lanark; 2, R Dick’s Ronick Orio, by Rathconville Eugene, 2800gns to WSL Muir, Upper Onston, Stromness, Orkney; 3, R Dick’s Ronick Olly, by Lynderg James, unsold; 4, A Campbell’s Strawfrank Onfroi, by Millington Ferrari, 3000gns to J Stell and Sons, Wynton Farms, Dundee; 5, JR MacGregor’s Dyke Ovation, by Goldies Lordoftherings, 9000gns to Renwick Bros, Corsebank, Dumfries.

Bulls born May 2 to 10, 2018 – 1, J Burnett’s Spittalton Oxford, by Burnbank Judge, 3500gns to J and S Barr, Leyden Farm, West Lothian; 2, MJ Massie’s Elrick Olympus, by Rahoney Geoffrey, 3500gns to D Barbour and Co, Aucharua, Campbeltown, Argyll; 3, J Burnett’s Spittalton Online, by Dinmore Jeanpierre, 3200gns to Scottish Government Bull Stud, Inverness; 4, J Nimmo’s Maraiscote Ofira, by Goldies Comet, unsold; 5, J Nimmo’s Maraiscote Orbit, by Virginia Andy, unsold.

Bulls born May 11 to 22, 2018 – 1 and intermediate champion, A Campbell’s Strawfrank Opus, by Millington Ferrari, 3200gns to RW Walker, Eastoun Farm, Bathgate, West Lothian; 2, R Dick’s Ronick Ohlordy, by Lynderg James, 4000gns to G Stewart and Sons, Strathmore, Aberdeenshire; 3, A and V Brown and Sons’ Hollyberry Orkney, by Goldies James, 4500gns to Messrs MacTier and Son, Boghouse, Newton Stewart; 4, PA Walker’s Walkers Oluminate, by Allanfauld Gazza, 5000gns to Tulloch Farms, Upper Coullie Cottage, Laurencekirk; 5, R Dick’s Ronick Ordeal, by Lynderg James, 3000gns to CR Fawcett, Well House Farm, Morpeth.

Bulls born May 23 to June 11, 2018 – 1, BT Goldie’s Goldies Ocelot, by Rachels Ferrari, 3000gns to D Henderson, Mains of Wardhouse, Aberdeenshire; 2, BT Goldie’s Goldies Olaf, by Rachels Ferrari, 3000gns to GT and S Coghill; 3, NR Barclay’s Harestone Oklahoma, by Lodge Hamlet, 7000gns to Monzie Farms, Cuilt Farmhouse, Crieff; 4, PA Walker’s Walkers Osmium, by Millington Inspire, 3500gns to Scottish Government Bull Stud, Inverness; 5, J Burnett’s Spittalton Oslo, by Burnbank Judge, 5000gns to Scottish Government Bull Stud.

Bulls born June 12 to July 15, 2018 – 1, junior champion and reserve overall, J Burnett’s Spittalton Overland, by Burnbank Judge, 8000gns to Croy Cunningham Farms, Gartness Farm, Balfron, Glasgow; 2, PJ Henshall’s Ringway Odeon, by Elite Icecream, 9000gns to Cobbleheugh Farms, Cobbleheugh, Dinnet; 3, RM Adam and Son’s Newhouse Omagh, by Westhall Jammy, 6800gns to GT and S Coghill; 4, BT Goldie’s Goldies Overture, by Ampertaine Foreman, 1500gns to DH Amory, Glenfernate, Blairgowrie; 5, Mr and Mrs J Penny’s Shannas Olympia, by Dinmore Hirman, unsold.

Bulls born July 16 to Sept 3, 2018 – 1 and reserve junior, RM Adam and Son’s Newhouse Oriental, by Westhall Jammy, 10,000gns to Cloquhat Farms, Wester Cloquhat, Blairgowrie, Perthshire; 2, DE Evans’ Esmors Ocean, by Knock Glencoe, unsold; 3, A Renton and HSB Redden Partners’ Meadowrig Oddjob, by Loosebeare Fantastic, 4000gns to S Dick, Westerton, Cowie, Stirling; 4, RM Adam and Son’s Newhouse Ontop, by Westhall Jammy, 8200gns to Dunecht Home Farms, Estate Office, Westhill, Aberdeenshire; 5, Mr and Mrs J Penny’s Shannas Outstanding, by Dinmore Hitman, 2800gns to J Dalrymple-Hamilton, Bargany Farms, Girvin, Ayrshire.

Bulls born after Sept 4, 2018 – 1, Messrs Jenkinson’s Whinfellpark Octavius, by Wilodge Cerberus, 3000gns to G Stephen, Upper Towie, Glenkindie, Alford; 2, RM Adam and Son’s Newhouse Outlook, by Cloughhead Jerry, 3500gns to R Orr, Heights Farm, Buchlyvie, Stirling; 3, G Harvey’s Harveys Otis, by Lodge Hamlet, 3000gns to C and E Ogg, Bucaam Farm, Strathdon; 4, RM Adam and Son’s Newhouse Octane, by Cloughhead Jerry, 4000gns to S Graham, Parkhouse, Crieff.