Outstanding Charolais notches up 24,000gns
Outstanding Charolais notches up 24,000gns
By Jeremy Hunt
LEADING Suffolk sheep breeder Jimmy Wilson, although a relative newcomer to the Charolais ranks, had a day to remember at Perth last week when he won the supreme championship.
He later sold the bull from his Ugie herd for the top price of 24,000gns, as well as collecting the female title with a 6000gns heifer.
Two other bulls from Mr Wilsons herd at Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire made 6500gns and 5200gns.
His champion, Ugie Legend, is by the Livermere Royal son Beauchamp Foreman who is bred out of the great 1980s show cow Lakeland Sagesse. Legend is out of a home-bred cow by Maerdy Director.
Mr Wilson, whose Bridgestone Suffolks are holders of the breeds national flock title, has 50 Charolais cows on his 400-acre farm.
His champion was described by judge Mr Terry Coghill from Orkney as "a truly outstanding bull and a clear winner of the championship".
Buyer was top Texel breeder Geoff Boden, Stockport, Cheshire.
Charolais trade was keen and intensified towards the later stages of the final day. The 209 bulls sold averaged £3789, up £222 on the year.
Two other Foreman sons sold well for Mr Wilson. Ugie Landmark made 6500gns to C Mitchell, Fife and Lomu of Ugie went to Prestonhall Farming, Midlothian at 5200gns.
The served heifer Ugie Jewel, also by the 6000gns sire Foreman, stood female champion and made 6000gns to prominent Eire Suffolk breeder Tom Bailey, Co Meath.
Sandy Innes, Nairn produced a great string of bulls by his 25,000gns privately-bought Maerdy Impeccable – the first by this sire to be offered at Perth.
His top call of 15,000gns came for Moyness Lincoln, a bull out of a Balmyle Champion dam and taken jointly by John Wight (Midlock), Wallace Brown (Newton Mearns) and Archie MacGregor (Allanfauld) who will use the bull for pedigree and commercial work.
A 12,000gns bid secured another Foreman son, Airdlin Loyalist, from Airdlin Partners, Aberdeenshire. Buyers were Neil Massie (Blelack) and N Barclay (Harestone).
Trefonnen Landmark, a son of Newthrums Utopia from Oswestry breeders Mr and Mrs Roy Hughes, also made 12,000gns to Baggrave Farms, Leics.
Other high prices included 11,000gns given by J Atkinson, Malton, North Yorks for Midlands breeder J Taberners Barleyfields Leonard; and 10,000gns for Co Londonderry vendor Cyril Millars Glenleary Laroche paid by Fiona Hopper, Stockton-on-Tees.n
Champion and top price Charolais at Perth, Ugie Legend.