Sky High Herefords make history at Designer Genes sale
Record prices were broken at the second annual Designer Genes Sale of Hereford cattle at Shrewsbury Auction at the weekend (9 December), when 19 lots sold to average £5,062 – the highest averaging Hereford sale in UK history.

© John Eveson
The sale also broke the record twice for the highest-priced Hereford female ever to sell at auction in the UK at 11,000gns and 10,200gns, respectively.
See also: Why a growing dairy business turned to Hereford breed
Smashing the breed record was 16-month-old heifer Sky High 1 Lâncome Lucy from B Birch & G Brindley. Lâncome Lucy (pictured below) was supreme champion at the 2017 National Hereford Calf Show in Cirencester and also Intermediate Female Champion at the National Poll Show in September. She was also the first daughter of Dendor 1 Murdock to ever sell at auction. She was knocked down at 11,000gns to Gouldingpoll Herefords and Intelagri, Ireland.

© John Eveson
Another Sky High female was not far behind her. Sky High 1 Danish Dream (pictured below), another 16-month-old daughter of Dendor 1 Murdock, also breached the five-figure barrier when she sold for 10,200gns to Rachel Johnson as a Christmas present for her partner, Adam Bowen, to join their Bowendu herd.

© John Eveson
The third and final Sky High female offered at the event was Sky High 1 Dainty Duchess. This October 2015-born heifer sold in-calf to SMH Kingsize and was knocked down to the Spartan herd of SC Hartwright for 7,500gns.
Next best at 6,200gns was the only female offered from the famous Moralee herd of T & D Harrison, Moralee 1 Kate 2nd. Sired by Romany 1 Frisky A84 F57, she sold in-calf to Knightrider bull. Buyer was William Awan.
The Romany herd of JRB Wilson & Sons in the Scottish Borders made 6,000gns with their “pick of heifer calves lot”, which offered the successful bidder the chance to pick from any of the heifer calves born at Romany from August 2017 to March 2018. Snapping up the chance was Gouldingpoll Herefords and Intelagri, Ireland.
The highest-priced Horned female of the sale was Pulham Blossom 20th from PRJ and LR Vincent, Norfolk. She was knocked down to S Taylor & D Marsh, Lancashire, for 5,200gns.
The debut entry for the renowned Dendor herd of DE, ED & AL Jones was six-month-old heifer Dendor 1 Anna Mary 34th. Anna Mary was the first daughter of Dendor 1 Max to be offered for sale. She sold to LD & LL Powell for 4,800gns.
Altogether 19 lots grossed £96,185.
(Hall Auctioneers)