Taking Stock

Selling has got underway for the Blonde Society at Carlisle with a call of 3500gns for the champion from David Knight. Doncombe Bucephalus is by David's successful stock bull Druk Lance and out of Doncombe Umbria.

At 2000gns Hillhead Blondes' sold Hillhead Berty. Homebred on both sides Berty is by Victory and out of Trickle.

Just following that was a call of 2000gns for one from David Knight. Doncombe Balthasar is by Druk Thor and out of a homebred cow. He has a breed value of +15.

Hitting the 5000gns mark in the blonde selling ring is P Weightman and Sons with Hallfield Bonzo. This Easterton Tsar April 2006 son is out of a homebred cow - Stella and now heads to Messrs Scott, West Woodburn.

Just after that and all the way from Kent is Peter de' Giles who sold his first bull Bilsington Biarritz for 2400gns and Bilsington Brilliant for 3500gns. Both these bulls are out of Bilsington Snowdon.

Hillhead Blondes are leading Blonde trade at the moment selling Hillhead Brilliant for 5300gns. By the herd's new French sire Palace who is already leaving bulls with plenty of length and loin, this son is no exception.

Topping feamle trade with a call of 2000gns was John Langhorn's January 2006 daughter by Cromkill Sandy. Dalton Betty is out of Brownhill Uno and won first prize at the Great Yorkshire Show and 2nd prize at the Highland last year.

The British Blonde Cattle Society's Spring Show & Sale held for the first time at Worcester recorded a resounding success with a 90% clearance and a top price of 3600gns.

Top price went to the male and overall champion Hackleton Achiever, a Hadley Hank son whose EBV included him in the top 10% of the breed from Hackleton Farms' herd at Northampton. He levelled at 3600gns, selling to H J and B J Read and Sons, Bromyard, Herefordshire.

Hackleton Farms had a successful day with a younger bull Hackleton Blenheim having won first in his class levelling at 3500gns to A T Turner, Hahon, Derby.

Having taken the senior and overall championship under Northern Ireland breeder David Thompson, Richard Mowbray's Droit Boxer topped Blonde trade at Carlisle on Saturday at 5100gns.

By Ardmore Steakhouse and out of Droit Sally he heads to I Woodhead, Thirsk, North Yorks.

Next highest was a call of 4000gns to secure Ewan Burgess' Criffel Braveheart.

Having taken the female champion ticket, A J and C D Stott's Hilltop Cinderella sold to W H and M Hutchinson for 1000gns.

Outstanding success was seen at the sale of British Blonde cattle at Sedgemoor Auction Centre.

Top price of the day was £6300 for Stephen Potter's Whistley Bell, a bull with size, shape and good legs, weighing in at 860kg. Bell, who was placed first in the senior bull class and Champion was bought by Mr N C Roberts, Norfolk.

Stephen Potter also got reserve champion first prize junior bull for Whistley Caras Rose, who sold to £2730 and was bought by G M Boyer, North Newton.

A Scottish commercial beef producer has paid a record price for a pedigree Blonde bull.

Islay cattleman James Porter paid 10,000gns for the bull to Fife pedigree Blonde breeder Bill Laird in a private deal brokered through Carlisle-based Harrison & Hetherington pedigree auctioneer David Thomlinson.

The breed's previous UK record price was 8500gns paid by James Weightman, of Easington, Co Durham, at the March 2007 Blonde Society Carlisle sale for Blackwater Ainsley from I R Calderbank from Maldon, Essex.

The five year old Freefield Upaggie was bought by Mr Laird as stock bull for his 28-cow Lochhead Blonde herd at Lochhead Farm, East Wemyss, and after using him he has sold him on to Mr Porter who runs 90-plus suckler cows at Cragebus, Port Ellen, Islay, breaking the mould for the island's breeders who predominantly use the Limousin as a terminal sire.

Picture by Andrew Aitken

Bill Laird and his brother Donald have been breeding pedigree Blondes since buying their first bull in 1995 which gave them trouble-free calvings for three years on heifers from their flying herd of 70 milking cows.