Judge calls for better back end on Simmentals
Judge calls for better back end on Simmentals
THE Perth ringside again pledged its support for the Simmental paying a top price of 12,000gns and lifting the average price over £700 to £2538.
But judge Mr Adrian Richardson urged breeders to concentrate on improving hindquarter shape: "We had great back ends 20 years ago and there is no reason why we cant have more of them today," said Mr Richardson who farms and runs a butchery business in Co Fermanagh.
Champion, Billy MacPhersons Blackford Harvester, looked like taking some beating as soon as he came into the show ring. He earned the judges praise for his "excellent shape and style with great power and length" and made the top price.
Harvester, from Mr MacPhersons 50-cow herd at Inverness, has a Beef Value of 23 and a 400-day weight of 805kg. He weighed 907kg on the day and is out of a Hockenhull Marvel dam and by Rosten Barney, a bull that has proved a tremendous asset to the Blackford herd.
Barney, by top sire Gretna House Supersonic, was bought at Perth in 1994 for 4200gns. Since 1996 Mr MacPherson has sold 20 sons to average £5007 including one at 13,000gns. Harvester heads for Cheshire to join Hugo Arnolds noted Hockenhull herd.
Brinkton bulls once again made an impact and sired many of the leading priced bulls and class prize winners. And it was Northants breeder Stephen Evans Astcote Half-Sovereign, by Brinkton Sovereign, that achieved the second highest bid making 6200gns to Dunecht Farms, Westhill, Aberdeenshire.
The reserve junior championship went to Northern Ireland breeders * and P Loughrins Mackney Hector, a grandson of Towerhill Winston through his home-bred sire Mackney Fergus and bred out of a Woodhall dam. Buyer at 6000gns was Roger Hodson-Walker, Burton-on-Trent.
And the Woodhall prefix of East Lothian breeder Hector MacAskill, responsible for a string of top bulls at Perth over many years, produced Woodhall Hosea, a stylish son of the Sacombe Wishfull Thinking-sired Greenside Courageous. Woodhall Hosea made 4600gns to A B Stevens, Hull.
Averages: 78 bulls £2538. *