Report: Friday, January 21st, 2022, saw the inaugural ‘White Gold’ Charolais sale at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, set a new centre record for a Charolais heifer at sale.
Northumberland breeders, Jonathan & Jayne Watson, put Tweeddale Rosemary (ET) under the hammer at the 18,000gns, respectively.
They described the April-2020-born entry as a “heifer full of breeding” out of the famous Paradise family, with brothers selling to 18,000gns.
Winning the bid and taking 21-month-old Rosemary home was C D Timm of Pickering, North Yorkshire.
The sale catalogue states that she is by Woodpark Elgin, whilst her dam is Gretnahouse Baywatch (ET).
Whitegold Charolais sale report
On Rosemary’s heels at 9,000gns was Messrs Curry’s Burradon Roxy, a May-2020-born daughter of Clenagh Lyle (ET), a bull that Michael Quinn from Co Clare bred.
This Charolais bull is the first that Seamus Nagle – a renowned suckler farmer and bovine breeding specialist – marketed semen from through his bovine genetics company, BullBank.
The breeder described 20-month-old Roxy as a “lovely, soft-fleshed heifer” and suggested that her dam is “probably the herd’s best cow with size, shape and style”.
Roxy will be making the journey over to Northern Ireland, to the herd of winning bidders Slievemore Holding Ltd of Omagh, Co. Tyrone.
Her stablemate, Burradon Rebecca, another Clenagh Lyle (ET) daughter, born in May-2020 and carrying one copy of the Q204X-1 gene, went under the hammer at the same price tag.
The breeder described her as a “typical Clenagh Lyle heifer with a beautiful head, great conformation and bags of style” and show potential.
She will be joining her sister in the herd of new owners, Slievemore Holding Ltd of Omagh, Co. Tyrone.
Two heifers reached the next highest price of 5,000gns, the first of which was 21-month-old Tweeddale Royalty.
Royalty is another from the herd of J Watson & Co of Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, and was sired by the 28,000gns Maerdy Jerusalem. Her dam is Tweeddale Justso, a daughter of Blelack Blackberet.
Royalty also caught the eye of Slievemore Holding Ltd, and will join Roxy and Rebecca in Omagh, Co. Tyrone.
Next to reach 5,000gns was Elgin Eobin, a 14-month-old bred by R A Milne of Elgin, Morayshire.
Robin was one of the first calves for sale from Harestone Oscar, an easy calving French-born bull.
Robin’s dam is Elgin Isobella, a daughter of the 12,000gns Caylers Gladiator. Winning the bid this time was A Anderson of Arbroath, Angus.
4,500gns
The next highest price of the day was 4,500gns, and was also secured by two heifers.
First to reach this price was another from Messrs Curry – Burradon Roberta.
Roberta is another Clenagh Lyle daughter, and her dam is Burradon Jeanette, another daughter of Puntabrava Federico.
Taking Roberta home is winning bidder Messrs Wright of Girvan, South Ayrshire.
Also reaching a final price of 4,500gns was the youngest heifer for sale: 12-month-old Elgin Spice.
She was bred by R A Milne of Elgin, Morayshire and was born to Elgin Ginger, a daughter of Esgob Deano and is sired by Westcarse Houdini. She will be heading to Georgetown, Dumfries, to the herd of winning bidders Radley Pedigree Livestock.
4,200gns
Selling for the next highest price of 4,200gns was 21-month-old Mornity Rena from Jack Nicoll Farms Ltd of Blairgowrie, Perthshire.
Rena was also sired by the 14,000gns easy-calver Westcarse Houdini.
Her dam is Mornity Molly, a daughter of the 15,000gns Maerdy Hwre, who won multiple championships in 2014. Taking Rena home is G E & R Harrington of Kirkandrews-on-Eden, Carlisle.
Summary
According to organisers, the sale attracted 31 entries from “some of the best Charolais” genetics from across the UK.
Organisers confirmed that the sale average for 25 females sold was £4779.60, representing an 80% clearance.
This was the first dedicated Harrison and Hetherington collective sale of Charolais females on behalf of the British Charolais Cattle Society for many years.
Allen Drysdale, society chairman, views the sale as a “resounding success”. He said it was “clear” to see a “huge” demand for top quality Charolais females.
“I must compliment the breeders for putting forward such a great show of heifers.”
“What pleased me the most was to see heifers selling to all parts of the country, including into Northern Ireland. Many went to newly established herds. This reaffirms the ever-growing demand for Charolais cattle,” he added.
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