Blistering "Blue" Trade at Carlisle with 90% Clearance

The first British Blue Cattle Society sale of 2017, took place at Borderway Mart, Carlisle on Friday 27th January. With a packed ringside and electric atmosphere, this confidence boosting sale saw a total of 16 bulls selling for 5,000gns or more and there was a 90% clearance of the bulls forward for sale, with many prospective purchasers, going home empty handed.

Greystone Kellogs - 11,000gns

Greystone Kellogs - 11,000gns

Top price was 11,000gns for the last bull into the ring from long standing breeders, J & E Coates, Rainscar Farm, Settle, for their junior entry, lot 39, Greystone Kellogs. This dark blue son of Almeley Ginola, who was purchased for 20,000 gns and out of the 12-year old cow, Greystone Weetabix, sold to fellow breeder, Richard Mowbray for his Droit herd based in Northern Ireland.

Greystone King - 9,500gns

Greystone King - 9,500gns

Also from the same home, at 9,500gns, was lot 32, Greystone King, again sired by Almeley Ginola but this time, out of Greystone Emeralde. The successful purchaser was J Lee, Morley Hill Farm, Hexham.

Pendle Jager Meister

Pendle Jager Meister - 9,500gns

Also selling at 9,500 gns was lot 3, Pendle Jager Meister from the Hartley family. Sired by Newton Blues Chico and out of Pendle Hocus Pocus, he was placed 2nd in his class at the pre-sale show and found a new home in Grantown-on-Spey, with H MacDonald.

Top Side Joey - 8,500gns

Top Side Joey - 8,500gns

The winner of class one Male and Overall Champion, lot 7, Top Side Joey, from Ross and Elaine Pattinson sold for 8,500gns. Joey, was Male Champion at the Great Yorkshire Show and was sired by Fleuron De Maffe and out of Rathlyon Dinah. This striking black bull caught the eye of William McLaren from Kirriemuir, Angus. Joey boasts some top EBV figures and comes in as a "Superior Carcase Sire"

Stonebyres Krona - 8,500gns

Stonebyres Krona - 8,500gns

Another "Superior Carcase Sire", at 8,500gns was the winner of class three and Reserve Male Champion, Stonebyres Krona from Blair and Shona Comrie, Lanark. A son of Kelowna Ferdinand, he has been successfully shown since he was a calf. The winning bidder on this occasion was JL Hartley from Holdgate, Shropshire, who also purchased his father back in 2011.

Crackley Bank Kent - 7,500gns

Crackley Bank Kent - 7,500gns

Crackley Bank Kent, (lot 21) from Paul Walker caught the eye of GR & G Brass, Soulby, Kirkby Stephen. A black son of Crackley Bank Fanfare and out of Paul’s homebred cow, Crackley Bank Fatal Fancypants, he sold for 7,500gns.

Bordley Kilnsey King - 7,500gns

Bordley Kilnsey King - 7,500gns

Also selling at 7,500gns was John Stephenson’s class winner, lot 37, Bordley Kilnsey King. This dark blue roan son of Tanat Harlequin and out of Hawksbridge Fantasia was purchased by JM Townsend from Laneshawbridge, Lancashire.

Two bulls sold for 7,000gns, the first from the Droit Herd of Richard Mowbray was lot 10, Droit Jimmy. This almost black bull was a son of Auchenlay Coll and out of the Baron sired cow, Droit Emma. He finds a new home with T M Hill, Riding Mill, Northumberland.

Also at 7,000gns, the Bellas family from Appleby, Cumbria, sold their black and white bull, Croftends Kingston. Out of Croftends Becky and sired by Imperial De L’ Ecluse, Kingston sold to Aucheneck Estates, Killearn, Stirling.

Next at 6,500 gns was lot 31, Brownridge Blues Kingpin from Danny Spours. This son of Mountjoy Utopia was out of College Valley Fifi and boasts growth figures in the top 10% of the breed. Successful purchasers were, again, Aucheneck Estates, who purchased a total of four bulls at the sale.

BLUE LADIES CLASSIC

Topping the Blue Ladies Classic section at 4,200gns was the 1st prize winning and Reserve Female Champion. Lot 47, Abington Liquorice from Lanarkshire breeder Ian McGarva. This 8 month old heifer sired by Lennie Van Het Caloenhof and out of Lukeroyal Guess, won Reserve Junior Female at Stars of the Future 2016. She now joins the Fletcher Hill herd for new breeder, Andrew Bentham of Bishop Auckland. Liquorice also stood Female Champion and Reserve Overall Champion in the Border Club Calf Show earlier in the day.

Tiplady’s Lexi - 4,000gns

Tiplady's Lexi - 4,000gns

Selling at 4,000gns was the youngest in the sale, lot 48, the striking Tiplady’s Lexi from Richard Tiplady, Langleydale, Barnard Castle. This June born heifer out of Bedgebury Glamourous and sired by Tweeddale Ironman, who Richard purchased for 14,000gns in May 2015 had been 2nd in her class to the top price Abington Liquorice at the pre-sale show. She was purchased by SG Benson to join his son, Matthew's Mewstone herd based near Ulverston.

Drumlone Lindsey

Drumlone Lindsey - 3,900gns

The Blue Ladies Classic Champion was lot 44, Drumlone Lindsey, from Kenneth Veitch from Lisbellaw, Northern Ireland. Sired by Twyning Ash Vaughan and out of the Argan De L’Ecluse daughter Tweeddale Ilapa, her showing success includes winning Junior Calf Champion at Balmoral Calf Fair last year. She sold for 3,900gns to Gavin Scott from Linlithgow, the start of a new herd of "Blues".

Brennand Lizzie

Brennand Lizzie - 3,900gns

Also selling at 3,900gns, was lot 45, Brennand Lizzie from JC Walker & Son. Out of the multi show-winning cow Brennand Candy and sired by Blak Du Baty D’Eprave, she found a new home with Messrs. Thompson, East Unthank, Haltwhistle.

Commenting after the sale, British Blue Society Secretary, Andy Ryder, said;
"This sale proves that buyers are looking for quality blue genetics, to breed top quality carcases to supply what the market demands. There is also a big demand for "Blue" bulls for breeding replacement females."

Averages – 28 bulls £5955, 8 heifers £3629

Leading Prices

Lot Price  Purchaser

Bulls

39  11000gns  RJ Mowbray, 34 Droit Road, Newtownstewart, Omagh, Co.Tyrone, N.Ireland

3  9500gns  H MacDonald, Mains of Dalvey, Cromdale, Grantown-on-Spey, Morayshire

  2nd prize class 1

32  9500gns  J Lee, Morley Hill Farm, Whitfield, Hexham, Northumberland

7  8500gns  William McLaren, Muirhouses Farm, Cortachy, Kirriemuir, Angus

  1st prize class 1 & Male Champion

15  8500gns  JL Hartley, Holdgate Hall, Holdgate, Much Wenlock, Shropshire

  1st prize class 3 & Reserve Male Champion

21  7500gns  GR & G Brass, Bridge End House, Soulby, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria

  2nd prize class 4

37  7500gns  JM Townsend, Barnside Hall Farm, Keighley Road, Laneshawbridge, Lancashire

  1st prize class 6

10  7000gns  TM Hill, Lingey Field, Riding Mill, Northumberland

  3rd prize class 2

20  7000gns  Auchenneck Estates, Killearn Stirlingshire

  1st prize class 4

31  6500gns  Auchenneck Estates, Killearn Stirlingshire

  2nd prize class 5

Females

47  4200gns  AC Bentham, Fletcher Hill Farm, Lambs Bank, Cockfield, Bishop Auckland

  1st prize class 8 & Blue Ladies Classic Reserve Champion

48  4000gns  SG Benson, Horrace Farm, Pennington, Ulverston, Cumbria

  2nd prize class 8

44  3900gns  Gavin Scott, Gateside Farm, Linlithgow, West Lothian

  1st prize class 7 & Blue Ladies Classic Champion

45  3900gns  A Thompson, East Unthank, Haltwhistle, Northumberland

  3rd prize class 8

41  3750gns  Ben Hardcastle, Owl Croft, Heathfield, Pateley Bridge, Harrogate

  2nd prize class 7

Auctioneers: Harrison & Hetherington