Charolais Society Spring Show & Sale

The Charolais Spring sale season drew to a close with Harrison & Hetherington’s annual Spring Show & Sale at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, from 12^th-13^th May. The pre-sale show took place on Friday 12^th, judged by Avril Aitken of the Lourie herd in Perth, and shadow judged by Harry Stobart of the Carlisle-based Kirklinton herd. The event saw 49 bulls sold, with an average price of £6041.79 and a 65% clearance.

The day’s Overall and Junior Champion was 15-month-old Woodpark Thor from W Short in Omagh, Co. Tyrone. This impressive young lad was sired by the popular French AI bull Invictus, and his dam Woodpark Faith is a daughter of Rumsden Tsar. This wasn’t Thor’s first foray into the show ring, he had previously earned the title of Reserve Junior Male Champion at the Castlewellan Show in 2022.

Taking the top price of the day, at 15,000gns, was Caylers Spencer, a 16-month-old bred by the Barker family of Caylers Charolais in Hertfordshire. Spencer is out of Caylers Neeve, a daughter of the easy-calving Rosanna Jupiter, and his sire is Glenericht Pogba. After a furious round of bidding, it was Society President Gareth Roberts who emerged successful, and he will be taking Spencer home to his Montgomery herd in Powys.

16-month-old Trossacs Superman was the 2^nd highest priced lot of the day, reaching a final figure of 12,000gns. Superman was bred by J Rettie of Stirling, and part-owned by vendor R McNeill of Doune. Superman’s sire is the 14,000gns Thrunton Equity, and his dam Formakin Opal goes back to the French AI bull Hercule. The final bidder for this young bull was N A Wattie of the Tonley herd in Alford, Aberdeenshire.

Three bulls managed to secure the next top price of 10,000gns. The first of these was Intermediate Champion Goldies Scorpio from H Goldie of Dumfries. This 17-month-old is by Elrick Officer, and his dam Goldies Lora is a homebred daughter of Goldies Formidable. Scorpio will be joining the renowned Balthayock herd, under the care of winning bidder D F W H & N R Walter.

Also selling for 10,000gns was Reserve Intermediate Champion, 17-month-old Tweeddale Snowman. Snowman was bred by J Watson & Co of Northumberland, and was sired by the 23,000gns Goldies Jasper. His dam is Tweeddale Noleen, a Balthayock Darcy daughter. Snowman caught the eye of Messrs Mitchell, who was successful in the bidding and will be taking him back to their holding in Auchterarder, Perth.

The final bull to sell for 10,000gns was the day’s Reserve Overall Champion & Reserve Junior Champion, Silvermere Tsar – this 16-month-old was bred by M Hanson based near Keith, Banffshire. Tsar was sired by former Bath & West Champion Balbithan Napoleon, and his dam Silvermere Nectar is a daughter of the 10,000gns Goldies Icon. Tsar will be journeying all the way down to Truro, Cornwall, where he will join the Kurlycoat and Kerling herds under the joint ownership of J & R Gregory.

The next highest price was 9,000gns, and was secured by class winner Harestone Sniper, an 18-month-old bred by R & N Barclay of Insch, Aberdeenshire. This strapping young bull boasts an impressive pedigree: his sire is the 23,000gns Goldies Oasis, and his dam Harestone Lyres is by the 25,000gns Inverlochy Ferdie. Sniper will be making the trip over to Northern Ireland where he will join the Innisrush herd in Co. Antrim courtesy of winning bidder W Whyte.

Taking the next highest price of 7,500gns was 16-month-old Newhouse Tango from R M Adam & Son of Forfar, Angus. Tango was born to Newhouse Geisha, a daughter of the 28,000gns Brampton Nacodar, and his sire is the 16,000gns Ballinlare Phantom. At the fall of the hammer, the successful bidder was W F & H Logan of Girvan, Ayrshire.

Finally, a total of four bulls sold for the next highest price of 7,000gns. The first of these to sell was Reserve Senior Champion Elgin Simon from R A Milne of Elgin, Morayshire. This 19-month-old was sired by the 14,000gns Westcarse Houdini, and his dam Elgin Osprey is by the 11,000gns Woodpark Elgin. Simon caught the eye of W J B Cleasby, who won the bidding and will be introducing him to their local Cleaden herd in Penrith.

Next to reach 7,000gns was 17-month-old Harestone Sirloin, another from R & N Barclay. This young bull was sired by the French-born Harestone Jaquard, and his dam Harestone Light is a daughter of the 12,000gns Caylers Hustler. Sirloin will be journeying over to Kirkcowan, Wigtownshire, where he will join the herd of successful bidder A & J Baillie.

The third bull to sell for 7,000gns was 16-month-old Whitecliffe Stallone, bred by M & J Hayhurst of Malton, North Yorkshire. Stallone is out of the homebred Whitecliffe Othelia, a daughter of the 31,000gns Whitecliffe Highlight, and he was sired by Westcarse Houdini. The final bidder for this promising young bull was Fishwick Farms of Carnforth, Lancashire.

The final bull to reach the 7,000gns mark was Gretnahouse Snowman, a 16-month-old from L Houston’s Gretna Green based herd. Snowman was sired by the easy-calving Lochend Nighthawk, and his dam Gretnahouse Paris is a daughter of Westcarse Houdini. Snowman will soon be making his way down to Llanidloes, Powys, where he will join the Belan herd under the care of winning bidder J S Abel.