Charolais bulls met a solid trade peaking at 25,000gns in Perth on Thursday 26 October, with a new UK all beef breeds average of £5,049 established for 140 lots traded. Those figures represented the highest number of bulls of any breed coming under the hammer sold during the week’s autumn multi-breed sales and a 72% clearance.

Sale leader at 25,000gns was Garracloon Vidame

“Trade was underpinned throughout by commercial producers who in the last few weeks have reaped the rewards from their Charolais cross calves which have attracted premium prices from finishers at the autumn store sales,” commented British Charolais Cattle Society chief executive, David Benson. “These suckler men are beginning to realize that as the new payments recede and modulation begins to bite, the one way they can improve their returns is by investing in a Charolais bull to produce fast growing calves that achieve that weight for age, together with good conformation and quiet temperament.”

Sale leader at 25,000gns was Garracloon Vidame, a rising two year old who had collected the senior and overall supreme championships the previous day for Sean McGovern and his 11 year old daughter, Eimear, of Clogher, County Tyrone. “Vidame has length and scale, he is a very correct bull with immense power,” commented Kevin Thomas after the five hour judging stint. 

Sean McGovern, who established his 12 cow Ratory herd of pedigree Charolais five years ago and has since sold to 15,000gns, commented: “Winning the Perth title was among our goals and we feel very incredibly lucky in that we haven’t had to wait as long as many others.”

Vidame was bred in County Mayo by Susan MacHale and offered at an official breed society sale at Carrick-on-Shannon earlier this year where he was identified by Sean McGovern to have that Perth potential. Irish breeders were out in force in Perth keen to return him home, however they lost out to a telephone bid from Scottish purchaser, Gordon Cameron, Acharacle, Argyll. Sired by the Paris Show champion, Jupiter, he was out of a Garracloon bred cow by Doonally New. Vidame who weighed in at 1,040kgs, made his inaugural trip across the water in June to the Royal Highland where he secured the Marks & Spencer Beefbreeder interbreed championship, and since then has taken the breed and interbreed championship titles at Clogher Valley show.

The event’s second highest call of 19,000gns came late in the day from Eleanor Short, Beragh, County Tyrone for the reserve junior champion, Corrie Alan CH34 bred and exhibited by Duncan MacGregor, Kilsyth, Glasgow. This much admired 17 month old was by Oldstone Egbert and out of a home bred dam going back to Corrie Highlander. He was no stranger to the ring having collected the junior male and overall reserve champion titles at the Scottish and Northern National Charolais Show. For Duncan, it was the highest price ever he had secured since establishing his herd, now amounting to 40 cows, in 1992. 

Minutes later Brynffanigl Arwr CH31, who had stood below Corrie Alan in his class, was sold for 18,000gs to John McKenzie and his son, Rory, to run with their 15 cow pedigree Charolais herd and 130 commercial cows based at Fortrose, Inverness. “This bull is tremendous. He is very correct with a good back end and has the potential to grow in to a big able bull,” commented Rory. For his breeders, father and son team, Bob and Rheon Roberts who have made the 600 mile round trip to Perth from Uchu, Abergele on a regular basis for the last 20 years, Arwr by far surpassed their previous best of 8,000gns. Both his sire and dam lines were sired by Oldstone Egbert; he was a Derryharney Outstanding son and out of a homebred cow by the Northern Irish bred sire. Arwr was no stranger to the ring having secured the reserve junior male title at the Royal Welsh, and also the Welsh National Charolais Show’s male championship.

At 14,000gns, Thrunton Athos who is in the breed’s top 1% with a Beef Value of CH35 sold to CE Smith, Keelby, South Humberside. Bred by the Campbell family, Ian, John and their father, Colin of Thrunton, Alnwick this March 2005 born entry offered a superb blend of genetics. Athos was by the 15,000gns Carlisle champion, Burradon Talisman who sired Thrunton Voldemort, the record 55,000gns and February 2006 Perth intermediate champion, and he was out of a homebred dam from their 120 cow herd, going back to the 25,000gns Maerdy Location.

Athos led a string of Talisman sired bulls bred and exhibited by the Campbells, each of which consistently demonstrated length, scale and quality conformation backed by top performance data. Their next best at 10,000gns was 18 month old Thrunton Aramis CH34 who was out of a homebred cow by the 25,000gns Perth supremo, Mowbraypark Orlando. The buyer was David Grant, farm manager to Gelston Castle Farms, Boreland of Kelton, Castle Douglas.

Thrunton Apollo CH34, another March 2005 born Talisman son and this time out of a homebred cow by the 20,000gns Moncur General, made 8,500gns to A and H Sim and Son, Monymusk, Inverurie. Thrunton Alamo CH28, a June 2005 born entry whose dam was by Blelack Jaguar, went for 7,200gns to Conon Brae Farms, Dingwall, Ross-shire. Finally, the Border Union and Berwickshire show champion, Thrunton Aristocrat CH34 (January 2005), who goes back to Blanerne Fearless was knocked down sold for 6,500gns to breed newcomer, John Rix, Colchester, Essex.

Farm worker, Kevin Mallarkey, Hatton, Peterhead made a highly memorable debut trip to Perth with his homebred 16 month old, Strathys Ace selling for 13,000gns to father and son team, Neil and Graeme Massie, Dinnet, Aboyne who selected him to join their 140 pedigree Charolais cow Blelack herd for his ‘power and scale’. Sired by the 28,000gns Farleycopse Turbo, Ace was out of Airdlin Stella, Ian Thomson’s engagement present to Mr Mallarkey and just one of two cows in his Strathys herd which he plans to build to six breeding females.

Contributing towards the Massie’s investment was the 8,500gns bid which their Blelack Appollon CH35 had attracted earlier in the day from AH Fisher, Portpatrick, Stranraer. This 17 month old was by Bassingbourn Ralph who goes back to Balthayock Nougat. The Massies also offered at 6,500gns Blelack Auk CH33, an 18 month old Thrunton Socrates son. He qualified for the Welsh
Beef Quality Improvement Scheme and sold to C Douch, Llanwrda, Dyfed. 

Billy Turner, Skelton-on-Ure, Ripon was again in the limelight when a couple of Brampton bulls were placed in the final judging line up. Securing the reserve intermediate championship was Brampton Albert CH41 who sold for 12,000gns to Jim Muirhead, Letham Grange, Arbroath, Angus. This 18 month old was by Brampton Ronaldo, who has bred several class winners, and his grand dam was the noted 17 year old Brampton Hairbell, who remains an active breeding female within the North Yorkshire based herd.  

The reserve senior title went to Brampton Venetian CH21, a rising two year old by the home bred Brampton Temperature and out of a homebred cow whose sons include the record 5,000gns Welshpool holder. Venetian sold for 6,000gns to join Peter and Sheilagh Donger’s 280 pedigree cow Seawell herd, based at Foxley, Towcester.

David Walker, Cawdor, Nairn went to 11,000gns for Balthayock Adonis CH45, a 17 month old which he described to have ‘tremendous growth potential’ added to which was the attraction of an exceptional EBV muscle depth score of 10.4. Bred by Major David Walter, Perth, Adonis was by the 8,000gns Balmyle Thunderbird, and out of Balthayock Peach, a show ring champion from the unit’s 85 cow herd.

The next highest call of 10,000gns was paid for Coolnaslee Advocate CH27, a class winner from Gilbert Crawford, Maghera, County Londonderry. This May 2005 born entry who was by Allanfauld Superscot and out of a Wildrose bred dam was knocked down sold to the Blyth family, Roy, Jean. Neil and Kirsty to join their Elwick, Hartlepool based Marwood herd. At 6,500gs, Mr Crawford offered another 17 month old Superscot son, this time Coolnaslee Atlantic CH27 to the Reaney Brothers, Plumbridge, County Tyrone.

Four entries shared a bid of 9,000gns. First to go was the Oldstone Egbert sired Glenbridge Andrew from Harold and Violet Stubbs, Lisnaskea, County Fermanagh to John Jeffrey, Kersknowe, Kelso. Andrew caught the Stubbs’ eye as a youngster having been bred by the couple’s next door neighbours, Charles Chartres and David Farrell.

Next at 9,000gns was Edenhurst Athos CH32, the highest entry from Peter Vasey, Wetheral, Carlisle. The 19 month old Athos was among the first crop of calves by Edenhurst Titus, a Knockane Pilot son, and whose dam goes back to Mountpleasant Arizona, one of the 50 cow herd’s foundation females. He continued his journey further north with George Wordie, one of the north east of Scotland’s largest suckled calf producers based at Glass, Huntly.

Another Titus son, this time the July 2005 born Edenhurst Aramis CH40 was among the last, but not least entries to come under the hammer sold when he made 7,500gns to SW Mather and Sons, Fern, Brechin, Angus.

The junior and overall reserve championships went to Tullygarley Alibaba CH28 who was making his showring debut for John Currie, Ballymena, County Antrim. Sired by the homebred Tullygarley Rollerball who goes back to Bassett Judge, and out of a Blakestown sired homebred cow, Alibaba was sifted out by judge, Kevin Thomas as a bull that was ‘very correct, with an excellent carcase’ before attracting a 9,000gns price tag and returning to Northern Ireland with Nelson Alexander, Randalstown, County Antrim.

The final 9,000gns call came late in the day from Peter Mallaber, Drakelow, Burton-on-Trent for Gretnahouse Archangel CH38, a 16 month old from Alasdair Houston, Gretna Green. Another entry by Oldstone Egbert, he was out of Balmyle Paradise, one of Gretnahouse’s females carefully selected for restocking purposes and who has also bred the 25,000gns Carlisle topper, Gretnahouse Ubeauty. Archangel, who impressed Mr Mallaber with his growth potential and strong damline, is destined as herd sire for the family’s newly established Newroddige herd now amounting to 15 cows.

The Goosnargh, Preston based Kelsall and Marsden partnership enjoyed their best ever day in Perth in more than 15 years of trading, this time with their April 2005 born Bleasdale Alpha changing hands for 7,800gns to James Herdman, Edlingham Newton, Alnwick. A son of the 14,000gns Rumsden Samurai, his homebred dam goes back to Chartley Frisk.

Highest entry at 7,500gns for Murray Lyle, Mid Cambushinnie, Dunblane was Loganbar Alberta CH27, a 19 month old Caithness Torpedo son and out of a homebred cow by Ugie Ransome. The buyers were Fawdon Farms, Powburn, Alnwick.

Father and son team, Drew and Bob Adam, Newhouse of Glamis, Glamis, Angus offered their highest entry, Newhouse Astrix CH41 at 7,000gns. This 20 month old was by the 26,000gns Mowbraypark Torpedo and paternal brother to Newhouse Voodoo, the 16,000gns overall reserve champion in Perth eight months ago. Determined for a slice of the action was race course owner, Simon Clark, Burton on Trent, Stafford who secured Astrix to introduce to his pedigree Charolais herd which is currently in the process of being rebuilt to 30 cows.

At 6,800gns, Michael Massie, Ellon, Aberdeenshire sold his 18 month old Elrick Ambassador CH22 sired by Blelack Roger. He returned to his home county with Kincraigie Farms, Banchory.

Lanarkshire based SA Provan, Douglas, forked out 6,500gns for the event’s intermediate champion, Govals Aristotle CH24, a 19 month old from David Cooper, Kincaldrum, Forfar. Sired by the 11,000gns junior Perth champion, Lochend Pirate, Aristotle was no stranger to the ring having secured several accolades on this season’s show circuit, including junior male championship and first in the junior Marks & Spencer elite class at the Royal Highland.

Stobarts Arnie CH36 commanded a 6,500gns price tag from RH Gladstone, Thornhill, Dumfries. This 19 month old from David and Marjorie Stobart, Brampton, was by Thrunton Scania, a Mowbraypark Orlando son, and out of a Maerdy sired homebred cow.

Charolais females commanded a much improved trade the previous day, Wednesday 25 October underpinned by the stronger base price for Charolias cows, combined with recent results from SAC trials, which have confirmed the underestimated role of Charolais as an added value functional suckler cow. Bidding peaked at 6,000gns for a cow and calf pair selling to Peter Mallaber, Drakelow, Burton-on-Trent. Advie Rapunzel, a six year old Moyness Lincoln daughter was accompanied by her June born bull, Advie Bishop, by Derryharney Outstanding. They were part of a draft to come under the hammer from Jimmy McConachie, Grantown on Spey, Morayshire.

Her stablemate, Advie Tina, a four year old heifer by Gretnahouse Perfect and scanned in calf to the Doonally New sired Advie Victor, attracted the next highest bid of 5,000gns from the Cheshire based Boden and Davies Partnership, Mellor, Stockport. Alastair Lyle, Mid Cambushinne, Dublane invested 3,200gns in Advie Sheila, a five year old Reddivallen Oneman daughter sold with Advie Brigadier, her March born bull by Doonally New. Sheila was sold scanned in calf to Doonally New.

Ballathie Estates, Slanley, Perth offered Ballathie Rosehip, a six year old Balthayock Lombardo daughter, at 4,500gns to Jim Innes and Sons, Huntly, Aberdeenshire.

Averages:
140 bulls £5,049; females: 49 lots, £1,821.43; Morton Mains dispersal: 17 lots £1,047.53.

Pure Charolais prove performance consistency: SAC trial findings
British Charolais makes breed debut in Romania
Charolais cream off the top slots at Cally calf sale