THE February bull sales held at United Auctions, Stirling, is known for being the premier Charolais sale of the year, both for numbers forward as well as the high quality of the animals on offer.
The sale on February 20 did not disappoint, with 107 bulls being sold to an average price of £8,197.85 with an 84 per cent clearance. Prices reached an incredible maximum of 30,000gns, up 6000gns from the previous year’s top price. The pre-sale show was judged under the discerning eye of Ian Goldie of the Solwayfirth herd, along with his shadow judge Kelly Stott of the Kellys herd.
Commenting on the sale, Society Chairman Allen Drysdale said: “It was a great show of commercial bulls expertly judged by Ian. The trade was electric from the very start, with commercial buyers showing great confidence in the breed backed up with the excellent trade of Charolais sired store calves. The sale did taper off at the later stages but overall this was another tremendous sale for the Charolais, with the highest average across all breeds again. Proving yet again Charolais is the number one terminal sire.”
Coming in at the top price of 30,000gns was one of the youngest bulls forward for sale: 15-month-old Harestone Sandiego from R & N Barclay’s renowned Harestone herd in Aberdeenshire. Sandiego has quite the pedigree behind him, with his sire Goldies Oasis selling for the top price on 23,000gns at Stirling back in 2019. Sandiego also introduces some sought-after French genetics; his dam Harestone Jean is a daughter of the French AI bull Vaillant. Securing the final bid for this promising young bull was H Goldie of the Goldies herd in Dumfriesshire.
Close behind Sandiego at the next highest price of 28,000gns was the day’s Reserve Senior Champion Balmyle Sandy, bred by W P Bruce Ltd of the Perthshire-based Balmyle herd. Sandy was sired by Maerdy Onedirection, and his dam Balmyle Nellie goes back to the French-born easy-calver Maerdy Gouverneur. Sandy will be journeying over to Northern Ireland, where he will be joining successful bidder W D & J A Connolly’s Brigadoon herd in County Down.
The next highest price was 18,000gns, secured by 18-month-old Harestone Spartacus, another from R & N Barclay’s Harestone herd. Born via embryo transfer, Spartacus is the result of some stellar French breeding. He was sired by the popular AI bull Major, and his biological dam Valeriane is a daughter of another popular French sire in PTI Prince. Spartacus caught the eye of Boden & Davies, who will be introducing him to their Sportsmans herd in Cheshire.
The hammer came down twice for the next highest price of 16,000gns, firstly for the day’s Reserve Overall Champion and Intermediate Champ-ion Inverlochy Supersemen. This impressive 19-month-old was bred by J Irvine & Son of Banffshire, and boasts some top sellers in his pedigree. Supersemen’s sire is the 12,000gns former Carlisle Reserve Supreme Champion, Cay-lers Napoleon. Meanwhile his dam Inverlochy Maple is by the 11,000gns Blelack Giggsey. Winning the bid for Supersemen was A J B Forrest of Biggar, Lanarkshire.
Also selling for 16,000gns was 18-month-old Ricnick Sargeant from R F McCornick’s Ricnick herd in Dumfriesshire. Sargeant is out of Ricnick Precious, a daughter of the well-known 30,000gns Dingle Hofmeister, and he was sired by Goldstar Gentleman. Sargeant is sure to go on to perform excellently in his new herd with Strathisla Farms under the watchful eye of A Ivory.
A trio of bulls managed to secure the next top price of 15,000gns. The first of these was Overall Champion and Senior Champion 21-month-old Marwood Smoky. Smoky is from R A & J Blyth’s Marwood herd in Hartlepool, and was sired by the 22,000gns Burradon Goldenballs. Smoky’s dam is Marwood Opium, a daughter of the 16,000gns Balthayock Lineup. This strapping bull made quite the impression on judge Ian Goldie, who went on to secure the final bid and will be taking him back to his Dumfriesshire-based Solwayfirth herd.
Next to sell for 15,000gns was 17-month-old Maerdy Superstud from D E Evans’ Maerdy herd. Superstud’s sire, Goldies Linford, previously took the title of Reserve Overall Champion at Stirling in 2016. On his dam Kilbreck Emily’s side, Superstud goes back to Killadeas Jack.
Winning the bid and taking this young lad home is I H Stewart of Wick, Caithness.
The final bull to reach 15,000gns was Solwayfirth Spartacus, a 16-month-old bred by judge I Goldie. This young bull is out of Solwayfirth Ingrid, a daughter of the easy-calving Blackford Samson, and his sire is the 11,500gns Glenericht Majestic.
Spartacus will also be heading over to Wick, Caithness, where he will join Superstud in the herd of successful bidder I H Stewart.
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