Beautry herd smashes Skipton Shorthorn record
Stuart and Gail Currie’s Beautry herd topped the North of England Beef Shorthorn Club’s ninth annual show and sale at Skipton, with a centre record call of 11,000gns last week (7 November).
The price, which was for Beautry Shuna Liesl, smashed last year’s centre breed record of 6,500gns when knocking down to Thistledown Cowford Farms, Perth. This capped a day of show success for the Curries.
She is out of Croxtonpark Shuna Titania and by Poyntington Himself, a sire bought by the Curries for 8,000gns in 2016. The achievement thrilled the couple, who founded the herd in 2010.
Rebecca Braithwaite with Stuart and Gail Currie’s reserve supreme champion and record price 11,000gns heifer Beautry Shuna Liesl
Next from the Curries at 5,800gns was Beautry Rose Lolita, who was described as “truly outstanding” by Scottish show judge Gordon Irving, Mountbenger herd, Selkirk.
See also: Beef Shorthorns peak at 12,000gns at Stirling
She is another Poyntington Himself daughter, this time out of Bradshaw Classic Rose 2. She is half-sister to Kooky Rose, the 2016 Northern Calf Show champion and reserve champion at Skipton’s 2017 show.
Lolita was scanned in-calf to Stonehills Jackpot and, along with the trade topper, caught the eye of Thistledown Cowford Farms, with a view for both heifers to be put in an embryo transfer programme.
Stuart and Gail Currie’s supreme champion 5,800gns heifer Beautry Rose Lolita
Next best was a lot from the dispersal of Michael Abrahams’ 35-head Newfield herd from Mickley, Ripon. The sale featured some of the best and oldest UK bloodlines and ended more than 50 years of breeding after a decision by 78-year-old herdsman Ray Sanderson to reduce his workload on the estate.
Topping the dispersal at 5,200gns was a cow-calf outfit selling to Graham and Sam Hunt, Sowerby Parks herd, Thirsk. Newfield Ecstasy Foxglove, a seven-year old Holmeere Fraser cow, was bred from the Foxglove family at Newfield and sold with a February-born white heifer calf at foot: Newfield Magic Foxglove, a Sleightholme Start Thistle daughter.
The Newfield dispersal topped at 5,200gns, with an outfit from the Foxglove cow family
Next at 5,000gns was Podehole Gypsy Laura from Harry Horrell, Thorney, Peterborough, which was knocked down to Andre and Caroline Vrone, A&C Farms, Langham, Rutland. This high growth and calving ease heifer is out of Podehole Gypsy Diamond and the first calf sold by Knockenjig Hercules.
At 4,000gns was a senior heifer from the Upsall herd of Gerald Turton, Grange, Thirsk. This was the highest price that Britain’s oldest pedigree herd achieved on the day, with the winning bid coming from Loak Farm, Perthshire.
The roan heifer was an April 2016-born daughter of Tessa X1179 of Upsall, a Grenadier daughter bred from Tessa X914 of Upsall, a Democrat of Upsall daughter. She is diagnosed in calf to Lawyer of Upsall.
Averages: heifers with calves, £2,201.50; Beef Shorthorn heifers, £1,522.50 (Craven Cattle Marts)