The British Charolais Cattle Society returned to Thainstone for the Aberdeen and Northern Marts’ spring sale of pedigree bulls on Wednesday 1 March. Charolais bulls had a strong showing, with 16 bulls selling to an average price of £6,779 and a phenomenal 94% clearance, showing a marked increase all-round on the previous year’s sale.
The British Charolais Cattle Society returned to Thainstone for the Aberdeen and Northern Marts’ spring sale of pedigree bulls on Wednesday 1 March.
Charolais bulls had a strong showing, with 16 bulls selling to an average price of £6,779 and a phenomenal 94% clearance, showing a marked increase all-round on the previous year’s sale.
Kicking off the sale with a bang was Tonley Swagger from N Wattie’s Tonley herd in Alford, selling for the top price of £13,000 (€14,772). Swagger has some notable bulls in his pedigree, having been sired by Whitecliffe Highlight, and his dam Balthayock Morag going back to the former Royal Highland interbreed champion Balthayock Imp.
Securing the final bid and taking the 25-month-old home was A & A Blackhall of Banchory, Aberdeenshire.
Reserve champion
Reaching the next-highest price of £8,500 (€9,659) was the day’s reserve Charolais champion - 24-month-old Harestone Sexyboy from R & N Barclay’s well-known Harestone herd.
Sexyboy was sired by Goldies Oasis, which previously sold for the top price of £23,000 (€26,136) at Stirling in 2019.
Meanwhile, his dam Harestone Linda is by the £25,000 (€28,409) Thrunton Socrates. Sexyboy is away to his new herd in Newtonhill, under the care of the Elsick Estate.
Taking the next-highest price was class winner Bonnykelly Spectacular, which sold for £7,200 (€8,181).
Spectacular was bred by R Leggat in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, and was sired by the £10,000 (€11,363) Gretnahouse Ivory.
His dam is Bonnykelly Erin, a daughter of the £10,000 (€11,363) Maerdy Rumbull. This 20-month-old caught the attention of A & H Sim, who won the bid and will be taking him home to their herd in Inverurie.
Other prices
Selling for a final price of £7,000 (€7,954) was 22-month-old Elrick Solomon from M Massie’s Ellon-based Elrick herd.
Solomon is out of Elrick Isidore, a daughter of the £11,000 (€12,500) Maerdy Dublin, and he was sired by Maerdy Ignition. Solomon will be making the journey over to Dores, Inverness, where he will be introduced to the herd of final bidders K & J Matheson.
23-month-old Roebank Sandy was the next-highest seller, reaching a final bid of £6,800 (€7,727).
Sandy is from the Roebank herd of S & L Robertson of Keith, Banffshire, and was sired by Balthayock Lancer.
Sandy’s dam is Roebank Nora, a daughter of the ever-popular AI bull Whitecliffe James. This young bull will be heading back to Keith, where he will join the herd of successful bidder W & V Leith.
Overall champion
The day’s interbreed champion and overall Charolais champion Inverlochy Superscot sold for a final price of £6,000 (€6,818).
Superscot had made the trip over from J Irvine’s Ballindalloch-based Inverlochy herd and has some well-known names in his pedigree.
He was sired by the easy-calving Nuthampstead Judas and his dam Westcarse Margaret goes back to Mortimers Highlandfling.
Securing the winning bid for this young 21-month-old was W & A Strachan of Turriff, Aberdeenshire.
Society chair Allen Drysdale said: “The sale was a resounding success for the breed and its local breeders.
"ANM is week in, week out, being topped by Charolais-sired suckled calves and it was great to see the commercial buyers showing their commitment to the breed by reinvesting in another bull.
"For the second week in succession, the Charolais breed is topping the sale averages at another bull sale in a different part of the country.”
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