21,000gns climax to Ballybeeny HF dispersal at Ulster
21,000gns climax to Ballybeeny HF dispersal at Ulster
By Jeremy Hunt
By Jeremy Hunt
A TOP price of 21,000gns was a fitting climax to a remarkable day in Ulster last week when the Mathers family dispersed their noted Ballybeeny Holstein Friesian herd.
The move came in readiness to move 3000 miles to Canada. James and Iris Mathers and their three sons have bought the famous Hanoverhill Farm in Ontario, home of so many of the legends of international Holstein breeding.
Last weeks dispersal at Strabane, Co Tyrone attracted a huge crowd including many mainland breeders who competed feverishly over seven hours to level 90 cows and calved heifers at £3341.
And it was a cow that had been bought last year for 16,000gns that made a handsome profit to leave the ring at 21,000gns.
Joylan Inspiration Sweetness 4th was purchased at the 1996 Avondale dispersal having given 11,513kg.
She sent bidding into top gear. Despite a telephone tussle with a bidder in action from the side of his swimming pool while on holidayin France, she was finally claimed by Clive Hawkswood for hisHawks-dale herd at Coventry.
A young cow with a great show career in front of her made 15,000gns. Doubleagle Juniper Blackstar was sold giving 52kg a day and predicted to top 14,500kg. Buyer was James Oliver for his Aughadulla herd in Northern Ireland.
Hanoverhill breeding through the famous Lulu family put an edge to the bidding for Quality Astre Lulu, a young cow giving 44kg a day and bred from four generations of Excellents. She goes to Mervyn Johnstons Mullakippen herd at 8500gns.
Considered to be one of the best buys of the day was Honeypond Lindy Jessica, a stylish show-type production cow joining the successful Relough herd of Malcolm Maclean who paid 6500gns for her.
Leading the youngstock was the in-calf heifer Ballybeeny Jogger R Baby taken at 6200gns by W Paul. The 45 heifer calves sold at foot levelled at £1248.
AVERAGES: 90 cows and calved heifers £3341; 20 served heifers £2273; 28 recently served and empty heifers £1731 and nine bulls £1806. (R A Noble and Co with Norton and Brooksbank)