Gass Okay hits 30,00gns a new British Blue record

Setting the trade alight was Gass Okay, from Andrew Kay and sons Robert and Andrew, who run 1400 Blackface ewes alongside 170 Limousin cross cows and just six pure British Blue bulls.

Their 25-month-old black bull, by the 10,000gns Almeley Kwasimodo, is out of the Mountjoy Utopia daughter, Gass India. Buying back some of his own genetics, Okay, which was brought out by Andrew junior, was knocked down to Graham Morgan, buying for his Almeley herd from Tillington, Hereford.

Gass Orbit from the Kay family sold for 18,000gns Ref:RH150521099 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

His stable mate, Gass Orbit, a similarly aged black bull by same sire made 18,000gns selling to Messrs Whiting, Colchester, Essex. His dam is Gass Krystal, which goes back to Springhill Geronimo.

Solway View Odin, the runner up senior to the champion and reserve overall, selected by Aberdeenshire-based judge, Harry Emslie, bagged the second top price of 27,000gns for Kevin Watret, Northfield Park, Annan, who not only sold four bulls to average a whopping £12,679, but also nine heifers at £7390.

Kevin Watret sold Solway View Odin for 27,000gns Ref:RH150521118 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

His lead male, a 26-month-old is by the AI sire, Bedgebury Flat Out, which stood champion here in 2012 before selling for 15,000gns. The dam, Solway View Kesha, is one of the most consistent breeding cows in the herd having bred bulls to 15,000gns and females to 8500gns. Kesha also goes back to Solway View Firecracker.

Odin was brought out by stockman, Ali Jackson and stood first at the English Winter Fair, Agri-Expo and junior male champion at Stars of the Future, as a calf. He sold to the Coul Estate Partnership, Laggan, Perthshire.

Solway View Oliver from Kevin Watret sold for 10,000gns Ref:RH150521103 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Solway View Oliver from the same home, made 10,000gns to Messrs Holroyd and Sons, Wadsworth, Hebden Bridge. This August 2019-born ET is the result of another flush from Solway View Kesha, but sired by Rocco De La-Hasse.

Homilton Ozzy from Roly Carr sold for 18,000gns Ref:RH150521105 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Roly Carr, Little Bavington, Capheaton, sold his best, Homilton Ozzy, for 18,000gns to Messrs Parkinson, Dunsop Bridge, Clitheroe, Lancashire. This ET-bred 20-month-old bull is by the AI sire, Heros Du Peroy and bred from the Blue Stone Volcano daughter, Homilton Iris.

Pendle Orbit from AM and E Hartley sold for 16,000gns Ref:RH150521107 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Just behind on 16,000gns and achieving a personal best for Mark and Elaine Hartley, Pendle Valley, Roughlee, Nelson, was Pendle Orbital. He is by the 10,000gns Jalon De Martinpre and bred from the show heifer, Pendle Knock Em Out, a Heros Du Peroy-sired female that won numerous breed and inter-breed championships as a yearling and a two-year-old. Orbital, an August 2019 born entry heads down to Wales with Messrs Owen and Son, Tywyn, Gwynedd.

Ben Haigh sold Brownview Nelson for 15,000gns Ref:RH150521104 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Also heading down to Wales, this time with Messrs Pennie and Sons, Llandyssil, Montgomery, Powys, on 15,000gns was the junior champion, Brownview Nelson, from Ben Haigh, Breckenhill, Low Gate, Hexham. This 20-month-old is an Empire D’Ochain son, bred from Ballinakill Holly, a Harisson De Platte daughter.

Rhys Millichap sold Rhymil Orlando for 12,500gns Ref:RH150521102 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

In an all Welsh transaction, Rhymil Orlando hit 12,500gns for Rhys Millichap, Rhiwgarn Fach, Tonyrefail, Rhondda Cynon, selling to Messrs Owens, Aberhafesp, Newton, Powys. This 21-month-old son of Tauro D’Ochain, out of the Almor Umph daughter, Rhymil Beauty, is a maternal brother to Rhymil Hugo Boss that stood supreme at Chelford in March 2014.

Blue Stone Obama from TD Rees sold for 11,500gns Ref:RH150521106 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Making 11,500gns was Blue Stone Obama from Dylan Rees and family, Llwynihiron, Brynberian, Crymych, who were selling their highest priced bull to date. He is by Dragon Blues Factor, and bred from the herd’s show cow, Blue Stone Goddess, by Blue Stone Edward. Messrs Ridley, Hesket Newmarket, Wigton, were the final bidders.

Thistle Orlando from Gavin Scott sold for 10,000gns Ref:RH150521098 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Gavin Scott, Gateside, Linlithgow, produced Thistle Orlando for his first society sale which went on to sell for 10,000gns. This 27-month-old from the four-cow herd is by the AI sire Solway View Firecracker, and bred from the Twyning Ash Vaughan daughter, Drumlone Lindsey. He also sold down to Wales with Messrs Rees and Son, Brecon, Powys.

the Williams family sold Dragon Blues Omigo for 16,000gns Ref:RH150521116 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

The last of the five-figure sales, also at 10,000gns, came for Dragon Blues Omigo from GW and K Williams, Tynllyn, Llanwnnen, Lampeter. Messrs Lloyd and Co, Trefeglwys, Caerslis, were the final bidders on this 23-month-old son of Dragon Blues Kai out of the Boherard Cantona daughter, Droit Indigo.

Clifftown Peaches from DS Townend sold for 12,000gns Ref:RH150521120 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Females hit a top of 12,000gns for the section champion, Clifftown Peaches, a 10-month-old heifer from Dylan Townend and Nicky Midgley, Quarry Farm, Broughton, Malton, who run just three Blue females alongside 40 suckler cows. Midgley Jones, Lampeter, Ceredigion, forked out the cash for this daughter of Dodou De St Remacle, out of the Tweeddale Ebony-sired, Clifftown Ladyluck, a multi-champion show winner.

Kevin Watret sold Solway View Olisha for 11,000gns Ref:RH150521122 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Top price for Kevin Watret’s Annan-based Solway View herd was 11,000gns. First was the 21-month-old Solway View Olisha, a natural-born daughter of Solway View Kesha, sired by Rocco De La Hasse. She was knocked down to an undisclosed buyer.

Solway View Olla realised 10,500gns when purchased by Messrs Jones, Tregynon, Newton, Powys. This Solway View Dynamite-sired two-year-old, is out of Solway View Elegance, a Gitan Du Pti’t Mayeur daughter.

Solway View Olla from Kevin Watret sold for 10,500gns Ref:RH150521121 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Two others from Mr Watret made their mark with sales at 8000gns and 7500gns. The former, a two-year-old daughter of Rocco De La Hasse, out of Solway View Luly, which again goes back to Gitan Du Pti’t Mayeur, again sold to an undisclosed buyer

Tom and Alison Cockburn, Leadburn, West Linton, bought the 7500gns heifer Solway View Oh My, an 18-month-old by Dodou De St Remacle, bred from Solway View Limelight, another boasting Solway View Firecracker genetics.

OTHERLEADING prices

Bulls – 9500gns – R and M Paterson’s Auchenlay Oasis, by Sandyvale Jagerbomb, to Messrs Wood and Sons, Ratlinghope, Shrewsbury.

9000gns – JA Parsons’ Trent Valley Neo, by Ballygrange Dudley, to Messrs Milburn, Greenhead, Brampton, Cumbria; R and M Paterson’s Auchenlay Oor Wullie, by Sandyvale Jagerbomb, to Messrs Wareham, Broad Oak, Heathfield, East Sussex.

Females – 7200gns – GL Morgan’s Almeley Ottie, by Pinnacle Hero, to Messrs Lewis, Pumpsaint, Llanwrda, Dyfed.

7000gns – K Watret’s Solway View Pepper, by Sandyvale Jagerbomb, to Messrs Neill, Downpatrick, Country Down.

6500gns – K Watret’s Solway View Petal, by Dodou De St Remacle , to Messrs Crooper, Long Preston, North Yorkshire.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

averages: 19 senior bulls, £9698.68; 44 junior bulls, £6646.02; overall, 63 bulls, £7566.66 (+£2625.59 for 35 more in 2020; +£1628.10 for 11 more in 2019); 39 females, £4668.46 (+£735.13 for 30 more in 2020; +£1814.02 for 12 less in 2019).