Age no bar when quality is this good

A Simmental cow from Hugh Arnold’s Hockenhull herd in Cheshire made the top price of 5500gns as trading opened for the second week of Perth’s pedigree beef sales.

Hockenhull Snow Queen 8th’s nine years of age did not deter breeders keen to secure a cow of her quality.

By Ravensworth Carefree, who carries the great Revelex breeding, she is out of a dam by Overhall Laurel.

Snow Queen 8th has already produced a son that made 4000gns in the Perth ring.

She was offered with an August-born bull calf by Blackford Harvester at foot and was in-calf to the Kojac son Hockenhull Red Ruler.

Buyer was J Tallentire, Appleby, Cumbria.

Michael Durno, Ballindalloch, Banffshire, found his champion in David Mairs’ in-calf heifer Denizes Melody 3rd, consigned from his Croftburn herd at Ballyclare, Northern Ireland. Bred by Michael Barlow in Lancashire, Melody 3rd is by Freighduff Brendan and out of the Brinkton Melody 10th, whose dam is the legendary Stuartslaw Melody.

Melody 3rd realised 3000gns to Scottish buyer Mr Wilkie, Westhill, who also gave 3000gns for Wishful Regal Whisper.

Brought up from Somerset by David Mills, this in-calf heifer is by Blackford Harvester.

Other leading bids included 2800gns for G Smith’s in-calf heifer Drumsleed Rhoda, a Salisbury Challenger daughter taken by Colin Inglis, Fife.

(United Auctions)