Blondes top 6000gns at Carlisle

If ever a breed deserved more support it’s the British Blonde. Prices at last week’s breed society sale at Carlisle topped at 6,000gns for Shanvalley Fletcher from Savage Bros and Son’s herd in Co Down and there was another bull – Stubbswalden Endeavour – from the Jackson family’s herd at Doncaster that made 5,000gns.

But there were only eight bulls sold to average £3,766. There was a time when the Blonde was up there with the big three Continental breeds and sires such as the imported doubled muscled-bull Abricot looked set to secure the breed’s future. Even though the Blonde-cross cow has been a big success for many suckled calf producers, the Blonde still seems to be in an undeservedly sticky patch.