The annual spring show and sale of Blonde cattle was held at Carlisle on Saturday where the Junior Male Champion and Reserve Supreme topped the sale at 7000gns.

This was Silverwood Nico from Norman McKnight’s Northern Ireland based herd. Sired by the 2017 Northern Ireland stock bull of the year, Ardmore Gargoyle and out of the Silverwood Joy, Nico had been shown once before at the NI Beef Expo where he won Junior Bull Champion. The successful bidder on this occasion was C Shenton from Wilmslow, Cheshire.

Two bulls sold for 3000gns, this first of these was Lucyland Mr Muscle consigned by Lucy Corner. This son of Hilltop Hector was out of Hallfield Gypsy II who previously won Reserve Breed Champion at the Great Yorkshire Show. Mr Muscle won Reserve Senior Male Champion at the pre-sale show and went on to be purchased by R Wood from Keighley, West Yorkshire.

Selling at the same money was the Supreme Champion Hallfield Mohawk. Consigned by P Weightman and Sons this bull was also sired by Hilltop Hector and was heading to Orkney after he was purchased by DD & JA Scott.

In the females, Hackleton Farms topped with 2015 born Hackleton Leena and her Harpon sired heifer calf at foot, Hackleton Olivia. Leena was sired by the noted Druk Elijah and out of Hackleton Delightful.  She was purchased by TP Atkinson from Ulverston for 2500gns.

Averages –Bulls £4550

The British Blonde Cattle Society’s Annual Spring Show and Sale at Worcester topped at a very creditable 4,200 gns for the First and Reserve Senior Male Champion, Anod Merlin a two year homebred bull from Phillip Parry’s Brecon based Herd, the successful purchasers being W D Bayliss & Co, Llandrindod Wells, Powys.

Prize winners were in demand from purchasers with the First, Male and Overall Champion Charbeck Mack from WH & D Wright & Son, Derbyshire finding favour at 3,400 gns to I Bosworth, Newark, Notts.

The first Bull to be sold Doncombe Lapidus a two and a half year old son of Freefield Gill from David & Sue Knight’s herd won First prize in the Senior Bull class and levelled at 3,100 gns to Messers Jones, Newtown, Powys. The same vendors recording 3,000 gns for the second prize winner Doncombe My Way taken by G Collins Farms, Gorse Cross, Wiltshire. The purchasers took a total of seven bulls at the sale including  Allacott Messi a first prize winner from David Skinners Devon based herd at 3,100 gns and a second prize winner Doncombe Methuselah at 2,950 gns.

Females enjoyed a close following with Paul Thomas’s Samoht herd taking Female and Reserve Female Championship. Topping the price was the Reserve Female Champion Samoht Mary, an in calf heifer by Doncombe First Eagle secured by J Trott, Arbowfield, Berkshire at 1,900 gns with the same purchaser taking the Female Champion Samoht Mermaid another in calf heifer by the same sire at 1,600 gns.

A small but select entry of maiden heifers sold briskly with two Doncombe heifers, Magnality by Doncombe Invictus selling at 1,520 gns and Mandolin by Radleigh Voyageur selling at 1,400 gns both to IJ Morgan, Neath

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Averages:

Bulls: £2200

Ballymacan Blondes had a day to remember at Dungannon Farmers Mart on Friday. Ballymacan Magnificent was judge Gareth Corrie's Champion and went on to make the top price of £2,300.
Reserve champion was NormanMcKnights Silverwood Nico with Pinehill Montgomery from Colin Todd in third place.

Champion heifer went to Classic Milly from Dermot mcCusker.
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The spring show and Sale was sponsored by ASC Farm Servces. 
Photos by Bo Davidson

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The annual Blonde Society Early Spring Show and Sale took place at Carlisle on Friday 23rd March after it had been rescheduled from earlier in the month due to the severe weather conditions.

 The Junior, Overall Male and Supreme Champion, Hilltop Manup from local breeders Andrew & Kelly Stott went for 3000gns to John Pridgeon from Louth, Lincolnshire. This son of Ark Diego is out of the Megray Senator sired Hilltop Champagne.

Also selling for 3000gns was the Reserve Junior Male Champion Hallfield Mario. Consigned by P Weightman and Sons from Peterlee, Co Durham this bull sired by Ardmore Fugitive and out of Hallfield Isabel was purchased by Ian Woodhead from Thirsk, North Yorkshire

The Blonde Society’s Autumn Show and Sale held at Carlisle saw steady trade with the majority of stock forwarded finding new homes. Top price of 3800gns for the Senior, Male and Overall Champion Hallfield Major from P Weightman & Sons. This February 2016 born bull is a son of Blackwater Ainsley and out of the homebred Hallfield Uproar. He was purchased by TT & GE Hodgson from Maryport.

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The Junior Male and Reserve Overall Champion from KA & RJ Stott went for the next best price of 3700gns. This son of Ark Diego is out of the Shapfell Bongo daughter, Hilltop Ellie. He was purchased by Messrs Mitchell from Hutton in the Forest, Penrith.

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G & A Hamilton’s bull Ramrig McJagger sold for the next best price of 3000gns. Sired by Hallfield Falcon and out of Ramrig Geisha the successful bidder on this occasion was WR & C Nelson from Cantsfield, Lancashire.

Two bulls sold for 2800gns, this first of these was another Ark Diego son, Hilltop Master, from Andrew Stott. He was purchased by D Robson & Sons from Capheaton, Northumberland. The Reserve Junior Champion from the same home was the other bull to go for 2800gns when he was purchased by the judge Peter Rogerson. Robert Stott of the Cairneden herd was also awarded the Andrew Murray perpetual challenge trophy for the best turned out animal on the day.

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Picking up the Female championship was TM & J Hope with lot 116, Brownhill Molly, born, April 2016 and sired by Hallfield Homer. 

Special thanks must go to Judge Peter Rodgerson of the Castleview herd, and to the Sponsor H&H Insurance Brokers

​The Supreme Champion Drumraymond Mr Mole secured the top price of 5,500gns at the Blonde Society’s spring show and sale held at Carlisle.

Mr Mole, a son Ballygowan Noble and out of a Blackwater Ainsley bred mother, is no stranger to the show ring as he won the Supreme Blonde Champion title at the NI Beef Expo Calf Fair in November 2016. He was purchased by local Cumbrian breeder Mike Harrison for his Shapfell herd.

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The next best bull also came from Northern Ireland when Norman McKnight’s Silverwood Luke sold for 3000gns. This October 2015 born son of Ardmore Gargoyle had won 2nd prize in his class at the pre-sale show and went on to be purchased by local breeders D & SM Bradley for their Banks herd based near Brampton.

Selling for 2700gns was Hallfield Manuel from P Weightman & Sons. Sired by Blackwater Ainsley and out of a homebred Doncombe Ayers Rock daughter this January 2016 born bull was bought by WCG Holding Settlement from Cleator, Cumbria.

The second entry from the Silverwood stable went for 2600gns. Silverwood Murry, the young bull entry in the sale, is another son of Ardmore Gargoyle and out of the homebred cow, Irish. Murry collected the 2nd prize rosette in his class and was purchased by JF Bowe & Sons, Calvo, Silloth.

The Reserve Supreme award went to the Female Champion of the day, Shapfell La Kinkyboots, shown by Mike Harrison of Shap, Penrith. The 22 month old maiden heifer is sired by Applecroft Earl and is out of Barningham Delilah. She was sold to Messrs Scott of Orkney.

Mike Harrison was responsible for the top 3 females all of which were maiden heifers. The next best at 2500gns was Shapfell La Kit-Kat who was also sired by Applecroft Earl and this time out of the Ark Diego daughter Shapfell Hi-Ho. She was purchased by Alison Ellwood for her Ulverston based Harmony herd.The Reserve Female Champion, Shapfell Lady Karrie-Ann, was sold for 2400gns to BT Atkinson also from Ulverston, Cumbria. Lady Karrie-Ann was sired by Hilltop Giles and out of a Hallfield Roly Poly sired dam.

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Blondes Peak at Over 4,000gns at Worcester but Females Steal the Show

The British Blonde Cattle Society’s Annual Spring Show and Sale at Worcester again attracted a strong entry well complimented by a capacity crowd of buyers and onlookers.

Brisk bidding culminated in a top price of 4,050gns for the First, Male and Overall Supreme Champion “Hackleton Legend” a 22 month old ET son of ‘Hackleton Vixen’, a twice winner of the Society’s National Show and winner of the Interbreed Championship at the Royal Three Counties Show, consigned by Hackleton Farms Ltd., Northants and secured by G. Collins Farms, Gore Cross, Wiltshire.  The successful purchasers were strong bidders at the sale taking a total of 9 bulls for use on their Blonde suckler herd that run on Salisbury Plain.  Amongst those purchases were ‘Kinaston Lustful’ a 2 year old homebred son of ‘Kinaston Idris’ from Roy Kinnish’s Shropshire based herd at 3,550gns and the Second and Reserve Senior Male Champion ‘Fronfedw Luther’ a son of Eilean Fergus at 3,000gns from RG Davies, Lampeter, Ceredigion.  Messrs Davies enjoyed a keen following for all their bulls, the consignment peaking at 3,600gns also for an ‘Eilean Fergus’ son taken by G. Williams, Newport, Gwent and another Fergus son ‘Fronfedw Lightning’ a third prize winner at 3,400gns to T Beckingham, Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

A single entry from Stephen Pegington, Usk, provided a worthwhile trip when his second prize winner ‘Nantygelli Leonardo’ levelled at 3,200gns to P Kingdon & Sons, Newquay, Cornwall.

First time Vendor at the sale Philip Parry, Brecon enjoyed success in the pre-sale show taking First and Senior Male Champion for this ‘Anod Lloyd’ bull by the Royal Welsh Champion ‘Fronfedw Darius’ and secured at 3,150gns by WJ Hicks, Padstow, Cornwall.

A strong Female entry in terms of quality was suitably rewarded by a keen and competitive following of spirited buyers peaking at 2,450gns for ‘Merryhill Laura’, an in calf heifer from Mervyn Thomas, Abbeydore, Hereford she had won First, Female and Reserve Overall Supreme Champion being knocked down to M Reynolds, Chesham, Bucks, the same vendor recording 2,100gns for another in calf heifer to K. Jones, Abergavenny, Gwent.

A superb consignment of maiden heifers from David and Sue Knight’s Doncombe herd enjoyed a close following throughout topping at a very creditable 2,000gns for ‘Doncombe Meissa’, a First prize winner taken by DR Arnold, Crediton, Devon.  A Second prize heifer from the same herd levelled at 1900gns to WJ Jordan, Inkberrow, Worcester who took a total of 4 Doncombe heifers at 1,650gns (x2) and 1,450gns respectively.

The overall champion Blonde bull headed the breed society sale at Carlisle, selling for 8,000gns.

May 2015-born Hallfield Lincoln from P. Weightman and Sons, Co Durham, was tapped out as junior champion before being awarded the supreme sash. By Hilltop Hector and out of Hallfield Dizzy, it was bought by Keith Eunson, Orkney.

The reserve junior champion came from the same vendor and was second top price at 5,800gns. A son of Blackwater Ainsley and Hallfield Rhona, Hallfield Lewis was born in May 2015 and is full brother to the 6,500gn Hallfield Destiny. It went home with J. and K. Metcalfe and Son, Richmond.

The July 2015-born heifer Shanvalley Latoya from Savage Bros and Son, Co Down, led the female trade at £3,800. By Abricot and out of Shanvalley Hoshi, it went to W. Hall, Wigtownshire, who also paid £3,600 for another heifer from the same herd. Shanvalley Lacey is by Shanvalley Gonso and is the first daughter of the multi-junior champion Shanvalley Holla to be offered for sale.