Longhorns break records at Stoneleigh

Longhorn breeders enjoyed a solid trade at Rugby Farmers Mart, Stoneleigh Park, at the weekend with the pre-sale show champion taking the top price of 4400gns.

This one was a junior heifer, Southfield Ice from David and Angela Blockley. By one of the breed’s noted sires, Blackbrook Lionheart, she sold to Elizabeth Vice and Mark O’Brien, Woolhope, Herefordshire.

And another from Southfield made the next best call of 3400gns when Southfield Innocent, the reserve junior heifer champion from the pre-sale show sold to Philip and Lisa Bell, Newark, for their Wheatholme herd. This one is by Blackbrook Plantagenet out of Southfield Elegance II.

It was the leading bull of the day that achieved the next best price of 3000gns when Bernard and Margaret Llewellyn’s 2007-born Carreg Hornblower sold to the Rowler Farming Partnership, Northants. This one had been breed champion at the Royal Welsh Show in 2008 and 2009 and is by Bulford Freddy.

Then it was back to the females for the next highest sale, with a 2700gns bid securing heifer Kirklan Hirta for E Boston and I Bayley, Rugeley, Staffordshire. This one was consigned by HMP Kirkham, Frekelton, Lancashire, and is by Southfield Renegrade and out of Kirklan Dulci II.

A 2500gns price tag was given for two lots, the first of which was the leading cow of the sale, Blackbrook Neb. Bred by the Stanley family and by Huntsham Lion, this one was consigned to the sale by the Blockleys and sold to HMP Kirkham with a heifer calf at foot.

The other to make this money was the second top priced bull of the sale, Dunstall Imperial. This Blackbrook Gallileo son is out of Dunstall Emerald and had been reserve overall champion in the pre-sale show for vendor Eileen Hallifield and sold to Sid Hollier.

Averages; two cows with calves at foot £2494, 10 senior heifers £1362, 14 junior heifers £1423, three senior bulls £2233, five junior bulls £1996 (McCartneys with Rugby Farmers Mart).