Class BBs impress at Carlisle
Class BBs impress at Carlisle
MOBILITY and soundness were top selection criteria when Lancashire breeder Tom Ashton judged the Border Belgian Blue Clubs show and sale at Carlisle where prices reached 7500gns.
And it was another lucrative day for Steve Potter, Thirsk, N Yorks, with his Brookfield Monty, full brother to Brookfield Mario that made a record 10,000gns at the clubs fixture in May.
The all-white Monty, which was champion at Northumberland County Show and stood second in his class here, showed the typical stamp of his sire Galopeur des Hayons with his exceptional hindquarter width.
William McMiken, Castle Douglas, claimed him at 7500gns to use on a handful of pedigree females in his Clarebrand herd and also on Limousin cross sucklers. Mr McMiken regularly tops the trade for prime bulls at this venue with his Belgian Blue crosses.
Alan Barnes, Great Harwood, Blackburn, produced an impressive young bull in the blue-and-white Cowden Nutcracker.
Already with a string of wins at local shows he stood second in his class. He is by the Opticien sired Kramiek ET Ten Durme and out of the good breeding cow Walnut Tree Isobel. Buyers at 4500gns were M and P Dawes, Crewe.
Two of the leading bids came for buyers from the Scottish Islands. James Gouldings black-and-white Old Oxenhope Nugget, from his herd in West Yorkshire, made 3600gns to * R C McCulloch, Isle of Bute. And Ronnie Sabiston, a regular bull buyer at this venue, gave 3000gns for Doug Hazels almost all-black bull Hazelwood MLord to take back to Orkney.
Well-known south Cumbria stock farmers M Bindloss and Son paid 3500gns for the white bull Brookfield Neville, a class winner for Mr Potter.
Judge Mr Ashton poured praise on Carlisle breeder Stewart Bells stylish white bull Belldale Noble, a son of Agitateur de Somme. "A tremendous bull with length, excellent legs and movement and ample muscling." Buyer at 2600gns was D Ellis, St Ives, Cornwall.
Overall champion was Buckingham breeder Barry Braziers imported blue roan cow Beruriere DOchain, shown with a natural born heifer calf by Ecureuil De Biert.
Described by Mr Ashton as "a supreme example of the breed", she made 2200gns to T R Dickson, Steyning, West Sussex. The heifer calf went to R E Carruthers, Penrith, at 1400gns.
Top-priced female at 2600gns was Navac Jacaranda, also from Mr Brazier. She was shown with a bull calf at foot and bought by J Sheddon, Kilmarnock.
AVERAGES: 51 bulls £2260; nine heifers £1650; eight unserved heifers £1522; six cows £1470. (Harrison and Hetherington)n