Ridgefield Storm Ghost 2 grandaughter sells for 4,700gns at reduction sale

A good crowd of buyers attended the second home sale from the Holgate family’s Aliann dairy herd at Rathmell, Settle, North Yorkshire. The herd was founded twelve years ago following the foot and mouth outbreak with purchases from some of the country’s leading herds.

Biggest volume buyer was Ben Llewellin who secured a dozen cows for his family’s Clarby herd at Clarbeston Road, Pembrokeshire.

The farm was heavily overstocked and a major reduction needed to be made before winter and many of the herd’s best cows were on offer. Seven animals made over 4,000 guineas with top price of 4,700gs for Aliann Damion Ghost (VG-86 2yr), a first calf heifer due again in January to Bertaiola Mincio. She is a granddaughter of the noted brood and show cow Ridgefield Storm Ghost 2, many of whose progeny have commanded high prices at auction over the last decade. Peter Waring made the final bid to take her to the family’s well known Winton herd at Beverley.

Roger Morse made the long journey from Carmarthen and acquired two of the choicest lots, setting the tone for the sale by buying the first animal in the ring, Aliann Shottle Alison for 4,600gs and later giving the same money for the Excellent third calver Aliann Empire Isis. Heifers from the Kite and Lila Z families both made 4,400gs and Keith Pattinson took a much admired member of the Ghost family for his Ellengrove herd near Carlisle for 4,200gs.

At the same price local breeder Angus Dean acquired the second calver Aliann Outside Lola (VG-88) for his Threshfield herd near Skipton. With a further dozen animals making over 3,000 guineas and an average of well over £2,000 per head the sale displayed the merits of quality pedigree breeding.

AVERAGES 88 cows and calved heifers, £ 2,490.52 (incl 9 heifer calves @ £1,041.83); 13 served heifers, £2,164.62; nine maiden heifers, £ 1,569.17; one bull, 1,050.00

(Norton and Brooksbank)