Ridgefield Hosltein dispersal – full report
The Ridgefield Holstein herd made a sparkling departure from the world of Holstein breeding this week. And just as it was established 12 years ago with a bevy of headline purchases, its dispersal to a top price of 26,000gns and an average of £4643 for 116 head ensured a fitting and final tribute to the achievements of John and Valerie Barker.
“A tremendous sale of cattle bred from some of the very best black-and-white genetics you will find anywhere in the world,” commented Norton and Brooksbank auctioneer Tom Brooksbank.
But while the sale of this top-ranking herd, managed in a breathtaking dairy complex at Groby Farm, Loughborough, might not have achieved the new breed records that were being predicted, the top price of 26,000gns underpinned by two 20,000gns bids and another at 17,000gns – and the average of £6325 for 47 maiden heifers – reflected buyers’ determination to tap into the Ridgefield gems.
Founded on an array of genetics from many of the world’s most successful black-and-white cow families, it was difficult to pin point the likely star of the sale but there was always one nine-month-old heifer that calf stood out in the catalogue – Ridgefield Fortune Ash Angel.
This daughter of To-Mar D-Fortune is out of the Stormatic cow EO-Siemers Ashlyns Angel (Ex) who was All-America winter yearling 2005 and Res All-America two tear old 2006 and who gave 12,165kg as a heifer. With a feast of top liners behind her – including the big winning Tri-Day Ashlyn as second-dam – this was the one they all wanted.
David Jones dug in deep on behalf of Sheikha Noora Bint Isa Alkhalifa and he claimed her at 26,000gns for the Sheikha’s Sahara herd in Monmouthshire.
Minutes later Cheshire breeders Mark and Sue Nutsford, who recently sold their Riverdane herd to Wills Bros in Cornwall, were back in action to snap up one of the day’s delights with a 20,000gns call for Ridgefield Gold Atlee.
This July 2007-bred Goldwyn daughter is full sister to Allyndale-1 Goldwyn Avery that made $87,000 at this year’s National Convention sale. Gold Atlee is out of the Ex-92 15,286kg cow MD-Delight Durham Atlee who was Res Intermediate champion at World Dairy Expo.
No sale of this stature would have been missed by Cornwall farmer Anthony Wills, one of the biggest investors in Holstein genetics in recent times as he continues to establish one of the most valuable collections of black-and-white cattle in Europe on the family farm run by the Wills Brothers.
Today his catalogue was marked firmly with two of the most fancied lots and he paid 20,000gns and 17,000gns to take both. His 20,000gns purchase was Ridgefield Gold Lust – a July 2007-bred Goldwyn daughter out of another world-calibre cow Idee Lustre who was sold for $175,000 and has given over 70 tonnes of milk to date.
The Wills family had made their mark early in the sale with the 17,000gns call to secure Ridgefield Licorice Dundee – a nine-month-old heifer out of the big winner Savage-Leigh Licorice Ex-92.
Alistair Laird from West Linton, Peebleshire gave 14,000gns for one of the sale’s last female to be offered – the June-born calf Ridgefield Added Pledge who is by KHW Kite Advent Red and out of the top winning American cow Windy-Knoll-View Pledge. This calf is maternal sister to Smiddiehill Goldwyn Pledge who made 50,000gns earlier this year.
Somerset-based Bryn Davies, who runs the Davlea herd at Ilminster, also gave 14,000gns for the ET-bred full sister Ridgefield Pledge.
The March-born heifer calf Ridgefield Durham Brosia, out of the Reserve All-American Junior 2yo 2005 winner EK-Oseeana Ambrosia, made 9500gns in a joint sale to north west breeders Stephen Bell of the Holmland herd and Graham Kirby of the Medlar herd.
Heading for Northumberland with Cameron Baty at 9000gns is Ridgefield Stormatic Eileen who is yet another to boast a dam with an enviable show record in America – the 17,486kg Budjon-JK Linjet Eileen.
European buyers were also in action and took 10 lots for Dutch and German herds. Averages: 28 cows and heifers £4772; 19 served heifers £4028; 47 maiden heifers £6325 and 22 bulls and bull calves £1415 (Norton and Brooksbank).