Auckvale Curly broke the European record for a horned Hereford female when selling for 10,000gns at the fifth Designer Genes sale, recently.

The sale was conducted in an online-only format and witnessed a 87% clearance rate.

Sale leader came from W and R Kemp and Sons, St Helens, Durham, and found a new home in Northumberland with Tom and Di Harrison, Mickley. The 23-month-old horned heifer is sired by Auckvale King-Maker and sold in calf to Ervie Classic.

The Kemp family also offered the March, 2018-born heifer, Auckvale 1 Janet, with her bull calf, Dendor 1 Mutley, at foot. This outfit left the ring at a 5900gns bid from P Martindale, Bolton, Lancashire.

Leading the poll female trade was 15-month-old Moorside 1 Jane 16, from G and MC Shepherd, Woodplumpton, Lancashire, which met a top call of 8000gns. She is a daughter of the 13,000gns Coley 1 Pilot and found a new home with Linda Mooney, Lancashire.

On the same money was a pick of the herd lot from Heather Whittaker’s Coley Herefords, which sold to George Morgan, Abergele, Conwy.

Another from the same home hit 6000gns. The 16-month-old heifer, Coley 1 Hasimara 504, was purchased by new breeder, Emma Hodge, Duns, Berwickshire. She is sired by Romany 1 Primetime.

Moralee 1 Kylie KS S10 from Tom and Di Harrison realised 6600gns when knocked down to T Vasami, Ffostrasol, Ceredigion. This March, 2019-born heifer is a daughter of SMH King Size and out of a Cornriggs 1 Knight Rider-sired daughter.

Anselm Fitzgerald, Co Westmeath, forked out 5600gns for Dendor 1 Greta 31 from DE, ED and AL Jones, Caersws, Powys. This October, 2018-born female, is by former Royal Welsh champion, Bakgard Keno and sold in-calf to Gouldingpoll 1 Moonshine.

At the same money was the final lot of the day, the nine-month-old heifer calf, Moorside 1 Julia 4, from G and MC Shepherd. Taking home this Coley 1 Pilot daughter was Ian Wilkinson, Inchture, Perthshire.

Making 5300gns was Rempstone 1 Curly from M Ludgate, Thame, Oxfordshire. This January, 2020-born heifer is by Gouldingpoll 1 Double Decker, and sold to Jimmy Hodge, Horndean, Berwickshire.

averages: 11 females, £6214.09