British Blues peak at 6,900gns at Chelford
The British Blue Society’s 60th national show and sale at Chelford last Saturday (7 March), saw a packed ringside bid to a top of 6,900gns.
Sale stopper was the supreme champion Trencrom Icarus, who had been tapped out by the judge, John Laight of the Witham Bank Herd, Lincolnshire, earlier in the day. He was exhibited by his breeder Gail Ellis, of St Ives, Cornwall. Sired by New Close Colonel and out of the homebred cow Trencrom Ellie Ellis, this powerful, predominantly black bull, had generated plenty of pre-sale interest, and eventually sold to H Hitchcock, Belper, Derbyshire.
Fred and Dean Saunders travelled from their home in Ulverston, Cumbria, and were well rewarded, when their, second prize-winner Maidenlands Hercules was purachsed for 6,100gns by S Horsfield, Hebden Bridge, Lancashire.
Born in December 2012 this son of Imperial De L’Ecluse, is out of the Empire D’Ochain sired Solway View Entertainer.
Another long distance traveller was Dymond Blue Isambard, from Nigel and Candy Jenkinson, Shebbear, Devon. Having had a successful 2014 show season, he stood second to the champion and sold for 5,400gns to D McLaren, Kinross, Perthshire. Sired by the great multi prize-winning bull Drift Domino, he is out of the Dafydd sired Springfield Crystal.
Derbyshire breeder Mark Hambleton is fast establishing a reputation for breeding fit, powerful bulls and his black and white bull, Clayfields Ike, was no exception. Sired by Lotto VD Vloeikenshoeve and out of the Empire sired Clayfields Flossie, he stood reserve male champion, and, went home for 5,100 gns with T Roberts, Tycroes, Anglesey.
The Hartley family, Nelson, Lancashire, received a bid of 4,900gns for their third prize-winner, Pendle Inxs, shown by their daughter Issy. Sired by their old stock bull, Newton Blues Chico, and out of Pendle Witch, he found a new home with B Jones, Belper, Derbyshire.
Females
Meanwhile, there was strong demand for smart replacement females, with prices peaking at 3,600gns twice.
First at this money was the female champion, the February 2013 born heifer, Pendle Indigo from the Hartley family, again, by their stock bull Newton Blues Chico and out of the Greystone Bonzer sired Pendle Fruity Tutti. This eye catching blue roan heifer sold to David Heath, Tarvin, Cheshire.
Second at 3,600gns was the first heifer to be sold from the Barleyclose herd of Messrs Wells and Sons, Monyash, Bakewell. Barleyclose Icebun, by the prolific Bluegrass Cyclone and out of the Hazelwood Freshman sired Gregmaur Empress, stood first in her class and went home with D Wright, Parwich, Derbyshire.
Next best at 2,500gns was first female through the ring, Norton Gem, from Nigel Pritchard. This second calver sold in calf to the Dafydd sired Brown Clee Fraser. Out of the homebred cow, Norton Arrow, and herself a daughter of Bannister Naïve, she found a new home with Richard Driver, Bradford, West Yorks, for his Dean House herd.
The junior heifer section was led by Tanat Iona, from the Oswestry based herd of Wyn Jones and family. Placed reserve female champion, this heifer, by Bringlee Waldo out of the Serum sired Burton Ulrika, made 2,300 gns when selling to Ted and Andrew Haste, Shebbear, Devon, to join their long-established Stoneleigh Herd.
Emryos peaked at 300gns for an embryo by Dafydd D’Ochain and out of the outstanding cow Immediate ET 2840 De Mehogne, put forward by the family of the late John Mawer. Straws of semen, now in very limited supply, from the proven bull Tweeddale Ebony, made up to 200gns each, with straws of Mountjoy Utopia to 100 gns.
Averages: 24 bulls, £4,278; 13 heifers, £2,453.
(Wright Marshall)