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The oldest registered herd of Red Ruby Devons attracted both old and new breeders to the first production sale to take place at Home Farm Kingston Lacy Wimborne, Dorset since the herd was established in 1894.

The herd originally formed by the Bankes family was left to the National Trust with the property in 1981 with the provision that they had to be kept with their horns on.

The in-calf cows were keenly sought after, due in the spring and with deep pedigrees, prices soared above those seen all year. The most attractive lots were those cows by the modern type bull Thorndale Assirati EX92 EBV 30 and out of dams sired by Bywood Classic 3rd. Mrs Ruth Armashaw, Shaftsbury, Dorset made her entrance into the breed in true style taking 12 of the 41 females on offer including the two leading priced animals, Kingston Lacy Actress 12th and Ambrosia 13th (2005 & 2006 born) both out of dams classified VG, who were Assirati x Classic 3rd daughters selling at £2730 and £2625.

Mrs Armashaw also took the top priced heifer calf Kingston Lacy Vanity 13th a March born daughter of Kingston Lacy Henry(son of Assirati) at £800. This heifer's dam Vanity 8th had not long passed through the ring selling at £2310 to J and R Hooper, Salisbury Wilts for their Essesborne herd. The same buyer also took Kingston Lacy Wildcat 13th a March 2004 daughter of Assirati PD'd in-calf to Whitefield Gullabull at £1732.

Andrew Lane of Iddesleigh Devon conducted the sale on behalf of the National Trust. Mr Lane commented that the sale had attracted a lot of interest with buyers keen to secure modern classified cattle out of traditionally bred cows getting the best of both worlds. Both type classification and performance recording had played an important role in attracting new breeders to the sale.

Round bale silage sold at £12 per bale.

Averages: 21 cows £1270; 7 2010 heifers £736; 13 2011 heifers £651;10 2011 steers £447

The Ruby Red Devon champion from the breed's national show here at Devon County Show has taken the interbreed beef championship under judge Angus Stovold.

This was Yeomandan Ferdinand, a four year old bull from the Benneworth family's 25 cow herd. Sired by Glebe Universe 3 and out of Glebe Flirt 2, this one was repeating his breed and interbreed wins of last year here at Devon. He also picked up a rack of other awards last year, including interbreed champion at Bath and West and reserve interbreed at Royal Cornwall.Taking the reserve overall was the Charolais champion Balbithan Enya from Andrew White and brought out by Jane Hoare. This one is by Trophee and out of Balbithan Anya. This two-year old heifer is in-calf to Chunnel Dougie and is one of 30 cows run in the Balbithan herd.Reserve champion native was the Hereford champion Eldersfield 1 Roma, a September 2009-born heifer from Marsh Court Farm, while the reserve Continental was the Simmental leader Penny Lally's bull Chyanhal Amos.

Full beef results

Interbreed A and J Bennworth's Devon bull Yeomadon Ferdinand; res, A White's Charolais heifer Balbithan Enya

Aberdeen-Angus E A and M C Jones and D and K Russell's heifer Rull Pam J101; res, G Bersey's bull Lynher Valley
Beef Shorthorn T C and A J Ruby's bull Llanarth Dafydd; res, T C and A J Ruby's bull Ashwater Diesel.
Blonde P J Holman and P M Williams' heifer Cosdon Empress; res, J Harvey's cow Bovey Biscuit
British Blue J N and L P Dunn's bull Drift Domino; res, N Jenkinson's cow Springfield Crystal.
Charolais A White's heifer Balbithan Enya; res, R S Hopper's bull Burradon Talisman
Limousin C Williams' bull Wilodge Fastrac; res, D K Wheeler's cow Brickhill Carol
Simmental P Lally's bull Chyanhal Amos; res, J and V Hall's cow Chegwidden Tilly
Devon A and J Benneworth's bull Yeomadon Ferdinand; res,M and D Cowell's cow Barton Camelia 206
Dexter W G Attwell and T and S Rendall's bull Withybrook Commander; res, Park Family's cow Charlmoor Guinevere
Hereford Marsh Court Farm's heifer Eldersfield 1 Roma; res, Marsh Court Farm's heifer Eldersfield 1 Laurel
South Devon W H D Scott's bull Grove Wellington 56; res, R K Rundle's heifer Kestle Dorothy 161
AOB Beef D J Ashton's Longhorn bull Ashton Jethro; res. M J Light's North Rew Tourmalaine

Top call at the Ruby Red Devon breeders spring show and sale at Sedgemoor was a 4000gns bid for Tillbrook Trophy from G M Hunter, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. This long distance bull is by Kiwi and is January 2009-born out of Cash Tiller 9, a prolific show winner. After a frantic bidding battle he was knocked down to Messrs Edwards and Rooke, Devizes, for the Cheverell herd.Selling at 3500gns was the pre-sale champion, Knowestone Charmer, from J R Stanbury. This one, picked out by show judge Mike Yeandle, was the Society's bull of the year in 2010 and sold to Hannah Green for the Rockhill herd, Craven Arms, Shropshire. He is by Thorndale Fitzroy 4 and out of Orswell Gertude.Leading the females on offer was a 1500gns sale for the female champion from the pre-sale show Yeomandon Florence 5 from Julie and Tony Benneworth. She is a daughter of the couple's outstanding bull Yeomandan Ferdinand and sold to Jim Willsmore for the Hazelhlt herd, Bath.

Averages; 19 bulls £1752, 16 females £1098 (Greenslade Taylor Hunt)

Pedigree breeders and commercial beef farmers flocked to Sedgemoor Market to secure cattle at the Devon Cattle Breeders' Society Autumn Show & Sale. There are many farmers realising the benefits of this outstanding native breed in a grass based quality beef producing system. RD Borough & Son of Chard Somerset are such with a new farm shop at Snowden Hill Wambrook buying 18 cows & calves to provide naturally reared grass fed beef for their customers who demand the very best quality.

 

Breed enthusiasts ensured that the best cattle met with a fierce trade across all sections. The presale Champion bull sold by Mike and Liz Yeandle (of Moynton Charolais fame) at £3360 to long standing breeder Robin Grey Staffordshire for his Riverside herd. Judge Richard Dorrell (Stonegrove) remarked that "this young bull exhibits tremendous growth and will bring size and quality to his progeny". The ring of buyers warmed to a well bred deep richly coloured ruby red bull which oozed breed characteristics from the Bywood herd of Ken and Olive Farmer from Honiton whose home bred May 08 son of Champson Jasper a previous DCBS sale champion (2007), he met with a bidding battle between new blood verse an established breeder, with the newly established herd taking the bull at £7875. Buyers were David and Jan Beak, Bude, Cornwall.

 

Top priced female went to Mike and Sue Lanz ,Exford, Somerset who having had a very successful summer show season sold an in calf heifer, Wellshead Honeysuckle 5^th (by Champson Hurcules and in calf to the EX91 classified homebred Wellshead Charlie), at £2205 to Hooper Farms Ltd Salisbury (Ebbesbourne Herd). The same buyer then went on to secure 2 Wellshead maiden heifers by Charlie at £1785 and £1470. The May Farming Partnership sold another maiden heifer at £1680 to join the show team at the Eastyard herd of Mike and Danielle Cowell, Winkleigh Devon.

Averages

Bulls to £7875 ave £3244

Cows & Calves to £1029 ave £798

In calf cows to £1260 ave £831

In calf heifers to £1260 ave £821

Maiden heifers to £2205 ave £724

Top honours in the beef interbreed here at Devon County today have gone to the Bennetworth family with their Ruby Red Devon bull, Yeomadon Ferdinand, this homebred Glebe Universe 3 son is senior herd sire to the family's 25 cow herd. March 2006-born Ferdinand was praised by interbreed judge Ian Campbell, Thrunton, for his excellent breed character and locomotion.

Reserve interbreed was the Charolais champion from Henry Vooght. This was Little Bovey Vogue, a Maerdy Osborne son out of Moyness Okra. She ws shown with her calf at foot. 

Standing reserve in the native championship was the South Devon bull Goffe Cave Marius from the Harvey family, while the reserve Continental was the Limousin champion, Brickhill Carol from David and Anne Wheeler.

Top honours in the beef interbreed here at Devon County today have gone to the Bennetworth family with their Ruby Red Devon bull, Yeomadon Ferdinand, this homebred Glebe Universe 3 son is senior herd sire to the family's 25 cow herd. March 2006-born Ferdinand was praised by interbreed judge Ian Campbell, Thrunton, for his excellent breed character and locomotion.

Reserve interbreed was the Charolais champion from Henry Vooght. This was Little Bovey Vogue, a Maerdy Osborne son out of Moyness Okra. She ws shown with her calf at foot.

Standing reserve in the native championship was the South Devon bull Goffe Cave Marius from the Harvey family, while the reserve Continental was the Limousin champion, Brickhill Carol from David and Anne Wheeler.

Topping last week's sale of Ruby Red Devons at Sedgemoor at 4100gns was autumn 2007-born Tilbrook Triumphant from his Huntingdon-based herd. This son of Tilbrook Kiwi and out of his show cow Tilbrook Cash Tiller 9 sold to Richard Jeanes, for his Perton herd, Somerset, having stood third in a class of 35 bulls in the pre-sale show.

Next best price of 3800gns was paid twice, the first time for the reserve champion from the pre-sale show, Colleton Harvester from Grania and Simon Phillips, Chulmleigh. This one is by Efford Down Billy Wizz and sold with an EBV of +42 to Oliver Burge, Dorset for his Paradise herd. He was half brother to 10,000gns bull Colleton Felix.

The second at this money was Yeomadon Hector from Tony and Julie Beneworth. This February 2008-born bull sold to Andrew Broggio, South Molton.

And then making 3000gns was the pre-sale champion, Colleton Halycon, also from the Phillips. This is a son of Dandy Lion and has an EBV of +51, the highest recorded in the breed. He sold to the pre-sale judge Phillip Huxtable.

 

Average; bulls £2546 (Greenslade Taylor Hunt).