An 18,000gns young bull from Michael Durno’s Auchorachan herd, saved the day amongst the Simmental breed which up until the final half hour of the sale, met a disappointing trade.

While the 57 bulls cashed in at £5961, up £372 on the year and for five more sold, the 18,000gns lot added £332 to the overall average. Clearance rates were also a disappointing 59% compared to 64% at the 2020 event.

Read more: Breeders of our Time – Michael Durno

Sale leader at 18,000gns was a second prize winner from the youngest class, Auchorachan Landmark, a May, 2020-born entry from Michael Durno’s 60-cow herd from Glenlivet.

Backed by home-bred genetics on both sides, he is by the Auchorachan ACDC son, Auchorachan Hercules, an ET which sired bulls to 9000gns in February. The dam is Auchorachan Holly, an Ex90-classified cow by Sterling Herkules which has bred a lot of progeny sold privately from the Ballindalloch-based herd which is also home to select herds of pedigree Aberdeen-Angus and Charolais.

Landmark sold for pedigree and commercial use to Brian Grant, Druid Temple, Inverness.

Another from Mr Durno, Auchorachan Lancelot, a March 2020-born polled son of the Ex90-classified Auchorachan Witch and dam of Farmer, that is doing so well at Corskie, made 8500gns. He is by the Roscommon purchase Auroch Hudson, and sold to TG Hamilton, Killumpha, Port Logan, Wigtownshire.

Only two other bulls sold at five figures, both of which were consigned by the Stronach family, Berryleys, Keith.

Dearest at 12,500gns, when purchased by Messrs Swanson, Quarryside, Castletown, Caithness, was the March, 2020-born Islavale Lachlan. He is a son of Ranfurly Confederate, an Ex94-classified bull bought at the Dirnanean dispersal that has bred sons to 24,000gns. The dam of this second prize winner, is the Atlow Dixon-sired heifer, Islavale Innocent VG85.

Read more: Auchorachan Landmark tops Simmentals at Stirling Bull Sales

The first prize winner from the same class that went on to stand intermediate champion then made 10,000gns to Inverdunning Farms, Dunning.

This was Islavale Lord, a similarly aged son of the Ex92 Corskie Highlander, a herd sire bought privately from Iain Green and the sire of several five-figure priced bulls. The dam, Islavale Honeypot, is a daughter of Ranfurly Confederate and one of 150 pedigree cows at Berryleys.

Islavale also sold bulls at 9000gns, 8500gns, 7800gns and 7000gns with the former, Islavale Loch Ness, another by similarly aged second prize bull by Highlander, being knocked down to pedigree breeder, Colin Inglis, Dalachy, Aberdour. His dam, Islavale Daisy 2 GP84, is another by Confederate.

Islavale Lionheart, an April 2020-born son of Curaheen Giant bred from the Woodhall Walker-sired Islavale Holly 4 Ex90, made 8500gns to Willie and John Brown, Hilton of Culsh, New Deer, Turriff.

Another by Giant, Islavale Loyal, headed in the same direction at 7800gns. Bred from the Curaheen Bandit daughter, Islavale Glee VG86, he was knocked down to J Milne and Son, Oldwhat Mains, New Deer.

The last of the big sellers from the Stronachs made 7000gns to Graham Allan, Glenturk, Newton Stewart. This was the junior champion and supreme overall, Islavale Lennon, a direct son of Giant, bred from the Confederate daughter, Islavale Harlequin VG87.

Northern Ireland breeders, Noel and Mae Kilpatrick, secured a personal best selling Ballymoney Larry for 9000gns to Delfur Farms, Rothes, Aberlour. A red ticket holder, this March 2020-born entry is a son of the 14,000gns Saltire Impressive and bred from Ballymoney Harriet – one of only 15-cows owned by the finance broker from Banbridge.

Fellow Irish breeders, Richard and Rhys Rodgers, Portglenone, received 8000gns for Hiltonstown Lorenzo, an unplaced bull by Dermotstown Delboy Ex92, out of the Ex91-classified Hiltonstown High Class.

He sold to Lancashire breeders, Michael Barlow and family, buying for their Denizes herd from Four Oaks, Leyland.

Having dispersed the Roma herd last month, Roy Weatherup, Romavale, Denholm, was back in the money with the last of his bulls selling to 8000gns for Roma Leader.

He is by Islavale Frontier out of a home-bred Dirnanean Apostle daughter headed home with J Coventry and Sons, Newbarns, Forfar.

Top price for Richard McCulloch’s Overhill House herd from Armadale was 7500gns paid for one of the first sons of the 24,000gns Islavale Heston. Lindsay Currie, Pinclanty, Pinmore, Girvan was the final bidder on this May 2020-born bull out of a home-bred cow by Corbally Extreme.

Just behind, on 7200gns, Adrian Ivory, Strathisla Farms, Meigle, sold Strathisla Lynx, by Dirnanean Grafter Ex93, to John McIntosh, Genoch Mains, Stranraer. The dam is the Ex90 Strathisla S Erin’s Mira.

The senior champion and reserve overall made 7000gns for Jimmy and Vicki Wood’s Popes herd from Lancashire, selling to A Nicolson, Relugas Mains, Dunphail, Forres.

Popes Lockhart, a son of the 12,000gns Camus Harold, is bred from the Popes Laird family being out of the Swingletree Emporor-sired Popes Trixies Isa.

Matching that price, WD and JD Hazelton, Dungannon, sold Ranfurly Leader, up to Orkney with Maesquoy Farms.

His pedigree features Anatrim Bodybuilder onto Ranfurly Weikel 20 VG85.

Simmental females peaked at 6000gns for Corskie Kashing, a Kilbride Farm Haka-sired in-calf heifer from Iain Green, Corskie, Fochabers. A daughter of the Kilbride Farm Tarrant daughter, Corskie Dashing 12 Ex92, she sold due to Drumagarner Hughes, to EM Smith and Sons, Towiemore, Drummuir, Keith.

PRIZE list:

Heifers born after Sept 13, 2020 – 1 and female champion, WJ and J Green’s Corskie Kashing, by Kilbride Farm Haka, 4500gns to Crudie Farming, Arbroath, Angus; 2 and reserve female champion, T Hill’s Scotland Hill Wisteria Krystal, by Popes Fent, 3000gns to Inverdunning, Perthshire; 3, T Hill’s Scotland Hill Hermione Keira, by Popes Fendt, 2500gns to Inverdunning, Perthshire; 4, WJ and J Green’s Corskie Kaylee, by Kilbride Farm Haka, 6000gns to EM Smith and Sons, Towiemore, Drummuir, Keith.

Bulls born between Nov 4, 2019 to Jan 28, 2020 – 1, MA Barlow’s Denizes Kingsley, by Blackford Galaxy, 6000gns to A Whiteford, Moulandale, Inverurie; 2, WJ and J Green’s Corskie Lumber, by Drumagarnew Huges; 3, J and P Goldie’s Newbiemains Lexus, by Woodhall Fantastic, 5000gns to S Shell and Son, Priestfield, Ladybank, Fife; 4, N and N Gwynne’s Chestermann Krackerjack, by Chestermann Gibble; 5, GW Smith’s Drumsleed Khyber, by Drumsleed Icecap.

Bulls born between Jan 29 to Jan 23, 2020 – 1, JH and VG Wood’s Popes Lockhart, by Camus Harold, 7000gns to A Nicolson, Relugas Mains, Dunphail, Moray; 2, L Green’s Garmouth Loon, by Kilbride Farm Haka, 6200gns to MJ and A Mill, Shawsmaill, Cardenden, Fife; 3, D and R Durno and Sons’ Auchorachan Larry, by Auchorachan Impeccable; 4, J and P Goldie’s Newbiemains Lorenzo, by Moorglen Hillbilly; 5, A Wilson’s Bannhill Farm Lord, by Saltire Impressive.

Bulls born between Feb 24 and Mar 11, 2020 – 1, MH Kilpatrick’s Ballmoney Larry, by Saltire Impressive, 9000gns to Delfur Farms, Dundurcas, Rothes, Aberlour; 2, D and R Durno and Sons’ Auchorachan Landrover, by Auroch Hudson, 4500gns to Genoch Mains Farms, Dunragit, Stranraer; 3, JH and VG Wood’s Popes Ludo, by Denizes Impressive, 4000gns to Easter Tulloch, Laurencekirk, Kincardineshire; 4, R and A Simmers’ Backmuir Lewis, by Islavale Imperial; 5, WJ and J Green’s Corskie Lupin, by Dirnanean Geldof, 5800gns to F McGowan, Incheoch Farms, Blairgowrie.

Bulls born between Mar 12 and 17, 2020 – 1, WS Stronach’s Islavale Lord, by Corskie Highlander, 10,000gns to Inverdunning, Dunning, Perthshire; 2, WS Stronach’s Islavale Lachlan, by Ranfurly Confederate, 12,500gns to Messrs Swanson, Quarryshire, Caithness; 3, WH Robson and Sons’ Kilbride Farm Luther, by Sneumgaard Imperator, 4500gns to AS Leedham, Rowan, Pickering; 4, WG Macpherson’s Blackford Lindor, by Ranfurly Confederate; 5, R and A Simmers’ Backmuir Livewire, by Islavale Imperial.

Bulls born between Mar 18 and 27, 2020 – 1, D and R Durno and Sons’ Auchorachan Lancelot, by Auroch Hudson, 8500gns to TG Hamilton, Killumpha, Port Logan, Wigtonshire; 2, WG Macpherson’s Blackford Lindt, by Hockenhull Waterloo; 3, GL Clark’s Broombrae Lance, by Lisglass Goldstar, 4000gns to A and B Braes, West Bradieston, Montrose; 4, WS Stronach’s Islavale Leon, by Ranfurly Confederate, 6500gns to CA Smith, Wester Coull, Tarland, Aboyne, Aberdeenshire; 5, AS and YA Leedham’s Grangewood Lynx, by Ranfurly Impeccable, 3500gns to R Orr, Heights Farm, Buchlyvie, Stirling.

Bulls born between Mar 28 and Apr 3, 2020 – 1, Strathisla’s Strathisla Lynx, by Dirnanean Grafter, 7200gns to Genoch Mains, Stranraer; 2, WS Stronach’s Islavale Loch Ness, by Corskie Highlander, 9000gns to C Inglis, Craegorry, Dalachy, Aberdour; 3, GW Smith’s Drumsleed Landmark, by Wolfstar Gordy, 12,000gns to UA, Stirling and Genoch Mains, Stranraer; 4, LD Quarm’s Annick Liberty, by Corskie Callum; 5, H Duff’s Pitmudie Lockerbie, by Overhill House Eragon.

Bulls born between Apr 4 and 7, 2020 – 1, D and R Durno and Sons’ Auchorachan Lockdown, by Auroch Hudson, 6500gns to W Young, Skerrington Mains, Hurlford, Kilmarnock; 2, WD and JD Hazelton’s Ranfurly Leader, by Antrim Bodybuilder, 7000gns to Maesquoy Farm, Orkney; 3, JH and VG Wood’s Popes Lightning Rod, by Raceview King, 5000gns to A Jack, Kilcoy Mains, Muir of Ord’ 4, Strathisla Landward, by Vale Royal Hamish, to 3500gns to R Elliott, Lordsview, High Moor, Tadcaster; 5, H Duff’s Pitmudie Lomond, by Overhill House Eragon, 3000gns to A Petrucci, Outer Blair, Stranraer.

Bulls born between Apr 8 and 23, 2020 – 1, WS Stronach’s Islavale Lennon, by Curaheen Giant, 7000gns to Glenturk Farming, Newton Stewart; 2, Strathisla Farms’ Strathisla Lumberjack, by Vale Royal Hamish, 6000gns to Stewart Farms, Balglass, Glasgow; 3, R and L Storer Smith’s Storersmith Lucky Dip, by Storersmith Lucky Dip, 5200gns to CA Smith, Wester Coull, Tarland, Aberdeenshire; 4, C Inglis’ Greencap Legend, by Wolfstar Humdinger; 5, H Duff’s Pitmudie Legacy, by Overhill House Eragon, 4500gns to G and A Milne, Staningstones, Banchory.

Bulls born between Apr 24 and May 20, 2020 – 1, G Brown’s Springfield Legacy, by Shiloh Freedom, 6500gns to J Duff and Son’s Broomknowe, Brechin; 2, R McCulloch’s Overhill House Link, by Islavale Heston, 7500gns to DL and S Currie, Pinclanty, Pinmore, Girvan; 3, GW Smith’s Drumsleed Lely, by Wolfstar Gordy; 4, G Brown’s Springfield Lethal Weapon, by Shiloh Freedom, 5000gns to J Barclay and Son, Ardiecow, Banff; 5, RS and ME Weatherup’s Roma Laddie, by Islavale Frontier, 3000gns to Millburn Farm, Harray, Orkney.

Bulls born after May 21, 2020 – 1, JH and VG Wood’s Popes Laertes, by Camus Harold, 6000gns to Greasley Estate, Peter Muir, Eastwood, Nottingham; 2, D and R Durno and Sons’ Auchorachan Landmark, by Auchorachan Hercules, 18,000gns to B Grant, Druid Temple, Inverness; 3, R and L Storer Smith’s Storersmith Lionheart, by Ballinalare Farm Galaxy; 4, AS and YA Leedham’s Grangewood Logan, by Ranfurly Impeccable; 5, DC Houldey’s Manor Park Leon, by Ranfurly Highflier.