Charolais bulls proved the star attraction at Harrison and Hetherington’s multi-breed, timed on-line auction sale, securing three of the top four prices and the lead averages.

From a £10,000 ceiling, a further 10 sold at or above the £5000 bracket, with quality very much in demand.

“Top end, quality bulls with a good photograph and video sold well, with the bottom end more difficult to cash,” said Harrison and Hetherington auctioneer, Grant Anderson.

“Good commercial and pedigree bulls were easy to sell between the £4500 and £10,000 mark with most buying purely on what they saw on line. Some people phoned the breeder prior to the sale for additional information and some producers also asked us as auctioneers to value animals.

“There is no way on-line sales will ever take over from the live ring, but it has worked well in the situation we find ourselves in at present,” Grant added.

The sale, which included pedigree entries of Aberdeen-Angus, Beef Shorthorn, Blondes, Charolais and Simmentals, was topped at £10,000 by Ian and Dot Goldie’s Solwayfirth Oneal, an 18-month-old bull from Greenfield, Cummertrees, Dumfries.

This cracker is a son of the 11,500gns Glenericht Majestic, whose full brother stood champion and made 25,000gns at Stirling in February this year. The dam is the Blackford Samson daughter, Solwayfirth Ingrid.

Oneal changed hands carrying a single copy of the F94L easy calving gene to Lanarkshire breeders, John Wight and Sons, Midlock, Crawford, Biggar.

Second top price was £9000 paid for the March 2019-born Mornity Pedro from Jack Nicol Farms’ Mornity herd from Alyth.

A son of the 14,000gns Westcarse Houdini, out of the Falleninch Hamzoraj-sired cow, Guthrie Laura, he was bought by Messrs Story Livestock, Canonbie, Dumfriesshire.

Tyne and Wear producers, Messrs Hodgson, Gateshead, went to £7400 for Hamish Goldie’s Charolais bull, Goldies Orchard, a 19-month-old from South Bowerhouses, Dumfries.

More top breeding is behind this entry which boasts two copies of the F94L gene, with the sire being the show winning, Tweeddale Matador onto Goldies Lottie, a heifer by Gretnahouse Heman.

Bob and Kay Adam’s Newhouse herd from Newhouse of Glamis, Glamis, Forfar, again came up with the goods too selling Newhouse Olympus for £6800 to Welsh breeders, Messrs Thomas, Caernarfon, Gwynedd. The breeding behind this 17-month-old includes Brampton Nacodar onto the Maerdy Hearthrob daughter, Newhouse Lass

The Charolais breed also topped the females at £5600 when Brailes Livestock, Oxfordshire, sold the reserve junior champion female from the 2019 Royal Welsh Show, Bassett Oakleaf, a January 2018-born heifer to Messrs Hall and Son, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.

The heifer which has been attended to by Perthshire’s freelance stockmen, Richard and Carol Rettie, is by Harestone Domino and was served in April to Westcarse Houdini.

Aberdeenshire-based Angus breeders, Neil and Mark Wattie, Mains of Tonley, Alford, produced the lead priced all black in Tonley Juno, a 22-month-old son of Blelack Evor. A full brother to their top show cow, Evor is bred from the Hurdcott Elixir daughter, Tonley Julie Erica, and heads home to Stow, Galashiels with Messrs Weir at £8000.

Just behind, on £7000, local breeder, Alasdair Houston, Gretna, sold his Gretnahouse Florian, a 17-month-old son of Haymount Precursor to Messrs Gardiner, Lyne of Skene, Westhill, Aberdeenshire.

Two Aberdeen-Angus realised £5400 to include Angus Neish’s Rodmead Lord Haka, a 22-month-old son of Gretnahouse Blacksmith, from West Balkello, Tealing Road, Dundee, purchased by Messrs Proctor, Grange of Sands, Cumbria. He is out of the Netherallan Peter Pershore daughter, Blelack Lady Heather.

Matching that bid when selling to Messrs Cheesebrough and Son, Newcastle upon Tyne, was Ross Farm’s Roscoe Easy Rider, from Wester Middleton, Gorebridge. He is by the Hallington Evo son, Roscoe Mount Everest and out of Roscoe Equidora.

Blondes were topped at £5000 for James Weightman’s Hallfield Orvil, an Aargon Jaigo son from Easington, Co Durham, purchased by Messrs Lord, Horsham, West Sussex.

A disappointing trade for Beef Shorthorn and Simmentals saw them peak at £3600 twice and £3400, respectively.

Beef Shorthorns were topped by Lucinda Townsend’s Coxhill Monty, from Moffat, purchased by Faughhill Farming, Melrose, with Gerald Turton’s Monopoly of Upsall, from Thirsk, making the same money, selling to Messrs Crawley, Arundel, West Sussex.

Hepplewhite Jupiter led the Simmentals at £3400 for J and OJ Trafford, Greysouthern, Carlisle, selling to Messrs Davison, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear.

OTHERLEADING prices

Charolais bulls – £5000 – R and C Rettie’s Retties Oasis, by Davally Illusion to Messrs Rennie and Son, Kintore, Inverurie; AG Houston’s Gretnahouse Onside, to Messrs Stannard, Bethersden, Kent; WK and P Drysdale’s Glenericht Oger, by Caylers Gladiator, to Messrs Nelson, Parton, Castle Douglas; M McGahan’s Chunal Primeminister, by Whitecliffe James, to Messrs Wilson, Whauphill, Newton Stewart.

Aberdeen-Angus – £5000 – J and W Arnott’s Haymount Empire, by Blelack Prince Camelot, to Messrs Smyth and Son, Crocketford, Dumfries.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

averages: Aberdeen-Angus – 18 bulls, £3944.38; Beef Shorthorn – seven bulls, £3086.00; three females, £1667.00; Blonde – six bulls, £3100.00; Charolais: 19 bulls, £5021.05; four females, £3362.00; Simmental – Four bulls, £2850.00.