Charolais bulls met a flying trade selling to a top of 31,000gns in Perth on Thursday 23 October 2003. A total of 31 lots made 6,000gns or more and a new breed average of £4,684 was established for 128 bulls traded, the highest number of lots of any breed coming under the hammer sold during the week's autumn multi-breed sales.
"Trade indicated firmly that commercial producers are starting to gear up their systems for business post CAP Reform when from January 2005, they'll have that freedom to farm, commented British Charolais Cattle Society chief executive, David Benson. These farmers are realizing they'll then be able to fully exploit Charolais sired progeny with that superior weight for age and finish to target weight efficiency and on Thursday they demonstrated they were prepared to pay for big growthy bulls with fleshing ability."
Heading the trade at 31,000gns late in the day was Pedr Thumper CH28, a 16 month old who 24 hours earlier had been awarded junior and overall reserve championships for Peter Howells, who was making his debut 860 mile round trip to Perth from Llanybydder, Ceredigion. Thumper was no stranger to the ring having secured a string of awards at the Royal Welsh including reserve elite junior bull. He was by the 18,000gns Derryharney Outstanding who runs between Peter's five cow herd established with an 18th birthday present cow from his father, John and his 45 cow Gwenog herd. Thumper was sold in a joint split to Perthshire neighbouring breeders Adrian Ivory, Islabank, Meigle and Bill Bruce, Balmyle, Meigle who heralded Thumper as having 'all the saleable features'. "He has tremendous hindquarter muscling, size and bone," he said.
Peter's success didn't stop there. Minutes later he led out his father's Gwenog Tiger CH30, another Derryharney Outstanding son and Royal Welsh class winner, and he commanded the day's joint second highest 14,000gns bid from Thumper's under bidders, Boden and Davies to join their 100 cow herd at Mellor, Stockport. "Trade has been beyond our wildest dreams," said Peter. "I knew we had two good bulls, however I never dreamt they'd be in such demand. Dad has been coming to Perth for more than 30 years, however he's never before been in the money and this is only my second time out in the ring." Peter's first ever offering was another Outstanding son who took the reserve title in Carlisle earlier this year and made 12,000gns.
The second 14,000gns joint leading bid came from relative breed newcomers, Henry and Emma Vooght who returned back to Bovey Tracey, Devon with Balthayock Tomahawk who currently heads up the breed's latest list of promising young bulls with a Beef Value of CH49. A May 2002 born Dingle Hofmeister son from Major David Walter's Perth based herd, he is out of Balthayock Gelatin who bred the noted Balthayock Nougat. "He's a traditional British Charolais which we've invested in to maintain the height and growth in our 60 cow herd," explained Henry Vooght. "However it was his impressive EBVs that helped us make up our minds."
Overall, Balthayock enjoyed its best ever Perth average with three lots selling to level at 10,000gns. Next at 9,000gns was Balthayock Tarsus CH33, another 17 month old this time by Esgob Premier to WD Lyburn and Son, Blairgowrie. Following on at 7,000gns was Balthayock Tamarind CH44, an 18 month old by Hofmeister traded to R McNee, Armadale, West Lothian.
Next to go at 13,000gns was one of two much admired entries from Gelston Castle Farms, Castle Douglas. First off was Kelton Trident CH28, a March 2002 born Tillbrook Pluto son and out of a homebred cow by Balmyle Magnate. Standing in pole place in the junior section at the Royal Highland, he was secured by Colin Wight to work over his Carwood pedigree and commercial herds, totaling 230 cows based at Biggar. Trident's stable mate, Kelton Tribune CH35 (April 2002), another Magnate son went for 10,000gns to the Barker family's Caylers Charolais, Royston, Hertfordshire.
Brian McAllister and his son, William, of Kells, Ballymena experienced their best ever day in 20 years of traveling to Perth. They led the Northern Ireland trade with their Burnside Taz CH28 making 11,000gns in a two way split between Sussex breeders, Rupert Taylor, Fairwarp, Uckfield and Peter Foulger, Loxwood, Billinghurst. This 20 month old who had already amassed success in the showring was by the McAllister's 10,000gns Moorlough Palo, the highest price bull to come under the hammer in NI. Palo was also the sire behind Burnside Tornado (May 2002) who made 5,500gns to JH Davies, Abergavenny.
The day's second 11,000gns price tag went to the supreme and intermediate champion, Thrunton Toronto CH22, from the Campbell family, Ian and John and their father, Colin of Whittingham, Alnwick. Toronto who was almost identically bred to the family's Thrunton Socrates who claimed the supreme Perth championship exactly 12 months ago was pulled into pole position after a five hour stint of judging by Stuart Bothwell, Ballinamallard, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. He said: "Breeders turned out a tremendous quality of bulls, in particular suited to the commercial market, however the top award went to Toronto because he had the most size and power and was representative of today's Charolais."
Toronto was made up of impeccable bloodlines of no less than seven Perth or Royal champions including his sire, the 25,000gns Perth supremo, Mowbraypark Orlando. Toronto was knocked down sold in another joint venture, this time to Wales to auctioneer, Dai Lewis, Llandyssul and Kevin Thomas, Newcastle Emlyn.
Thrunton's successful string of Orlando sons included Thrunton Trademark CH24, a 19 month old making 7,000gns to Jim Goldie, Mouswald, Dumfries and at 6,500gns, Talent CH28 (April 2002) to LL MacVie, Duns, Berwickshire. Another 6,500gns bid secured Thrunton Trident CH34 (March 2002) by Mortimer Politician for D Ross and Sons, Tain, Rosshire.
Banchory based G and D Cruickshank, Torphins shelled out 10,500gns for the reserve senior champion, Wyvern Trooper, an 18 month old by Simpsons Gregg and our of a cow going back to Killadeas Jack. Trooper was from Somerset breeder, David Barker, Taunton who runs a herd of three pedigree cows and was making his debut to Perth with Charolais.
Mr and Mrs Andrew White, Swanage, Dorset invested 10,000gns in Inverlochy Topsire CH34, a first class prize winner and Perth Show junior champion from John Irvine and Son, Tomintoul, Ballindalloch, Banffshire. An Allanfauld Onenreve son, he was out of a homebred cow going back to Shamleys Locomotor.
Father and son team, James and John Jeffrey, Kelso were enjoying a real slice of the action for the first time since they sold the noted Kersknowe Festival in the 1970s for 10,000gns. On Thursday they offered Kersknowe Topcat CH22, an 18 month old bred from homebred sire and damlines and he commanded 9,500gns from JWB Anderson, Laurencekirk, Kincardineshire.
Cumbria breeder, Peter Vasey offered his highest lot at 9,000gns to Aberdeenshire beef producer, GT Wordie, Glass, Huntly. Edenhurst Triumph CH27 who was an April 2002 born second class prize winner by Knockane Orlando, had already collected the silverware on the regional show circuit. Next best at 6,500gns was the 16 month old Edenhurst Taipan CH27, a Baggrave Minstrel son and out of a Shamleys bred cow. He went to A Wilson, Whauphill, Newton Stewart.
Mortimers Farm, of Eastleigh, Hampshire made another worthwhile trip north, being in the money at 9,000gns with their 16 month old Mortimers Trustee CH26 selling to CG Greig (Farms) Gateside, Fife. He was by the homebred Mortimers Russia and out of a Burnaston bred cow.
Four lots shared an 8,000gns price tag. First to go was the reserve intermediate champion, Brampton Topanoora CH26 from breed society president, Billy Turner, of Ripon. This April 2
