Taking Stock: Beef Shorthorn at Skipton set 5,900gns centre record

The Shawhill herd of Beef Shorthorns, secured a championship and reserve championship double and led prices with a pair of heifers at the annual show and sale of Beef Shorthorn at Skipton last week (9 November).

The Scottish breeders Thomson, Roddick and Laurie, who run the herd at Eaglesfield, Lockerbie, led trade at 5,900gns, setting a new centre record price for the breed.

See also: More sale news

Sale leader was the 20-month-old roan maiden heifer, Shawhill Lovely Jade.

By Burnside Elite, and out of Outrawcliffe Emilly, she sold to Scottish breeder Scott Taylor, Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire.

The Scottish breeders Thomson, Roddick and Laurie, topped trade at 5,900gns and set a new centre record with Shawhill Lovely Jade © Adrian Legge

They also took the reserve title with their first-prize senior heifer and reserve female champion, Shawhill Tulip Heather, a 2014 fully home-bred roan daughter of their own Shawhill Frosty and granddaughter of Vortrekker of Upsall.

Carrying a service to the all-Canadian bull, Winalot Rodney X, she too fell at 3,800gns to Mr Taylor. 

Sandwick herd

Second top price of the day at 5,000gns fell to a heifer from the Sandwick herd of Cumbrian breeders, Andrew and Caroline Ivinson, Townhead, Ousby.

Their April-2015 light roan heifer, Sandwick Floss Jitterbug, is a daughter of Stonehills White Warrior, bred from the EX90 Sandwick Classical.

Buyers were Irwel and Jane Evans, Llanillar, Aberystwyth. 

The Ivinsons also sold a second pedigree heifer, the May, 2015, Sandwick Jane Austin Rose, by Stoneyroyd Gallagher, at 2,300gns to Perth’s DS McFadzean.

Upsall herd

The Upsall herd run by Gerald Turton at The Grange, Upsall, near Thirsk, this year consigned a total of 22 lots in the sale, topping at 4,000gns with a well-used cow, Tessa X302 of Upsall, fast approaching 13 years of age, with her 10th calf at foot – a heifer, Tessa X1149 of Upsall.

The dam, who is in calf again, is by Uppermill Recto joined the herd of Tom O’Fee, of Cleater in Cumbria.

Another Upsall mother and daughter outfit made 3,700gns – this for the 2012-born Comet of Upsall daughter, Clipper X864 of Upsall, and her heifer calf, the January-born Clipper X1125 of Upsall, out of Grenadier of Upsall.

This one sold to RJ Baudains, of Nunnington, York.

A further two cows with calves from the same home sold at 2,200gns and 1,700gns.

Averages Heifers in-calf or with calves, £2,303 (up from £1,575); heifers, £2,091 (up from £1,930); in-calf heifers averaged £2,051, while the one bull sold made 1,380gns.