Aberdeen Angus bulls led trade at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, on Friday (27 May), selling to a top price of 8,000gns.
Overall, 51 of the 55 on offer averaged £4,372.94, an increase of £666.62 on last year, with bulls realising a 93% clearance rate.
Alasdair Houston of the Gretnahouse herd, Gretna, Dumfries and Galloway, celebrated a fantastic day in both show and sale rings, taking the senior and overall championship honours and top price of the day.
His sale leader at 8,000gns was Gretnahouse KP P710, a June 2014-born son of the 2013 Winter National Show yearling champion, Gretnahouse Lord Hefty M549, and out of the Blelack Evor H929 daughter Gretnahouse Kay Pride M546.
He sold in a two-way partnership to John Fleming for his Stairhaven herd, Newton Stewart, and Ian Watson for the Kersquarter herd, Kelso, Roxburghshire.
The second-highest price of the day, 7,800gns, went for the reserve overall and reserve senior champion, Carruthers Eric Thestar P569, from Waterbeck, Lockerbie-based Messrs Graham.
This Rawburn Enigma G653 son is out of the Maplejacks Foggarty B022 daughter Wall Erica Star F500, which was purchased at the Wall dispersal for 3,800gns. He sold to T Chalmers and Co, Canonbie, Dumfriesshire.
Alasdair Houston was back in the action selling Gretnahouse Kind Lad P741, the pre-sale junior champion, for 7,000gns. By the home-bred Gretnahouse Blacksmith L500, he is out of Blelack Equity J127 daughter Blelack Karama Lady L752 and carries a self-replacing index of +63. The buyer was AR Bell, Hawick, Roxburghshire.
David and Penny Evans, Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough, took 6,700gns with their second-placed Tree Bridge Plymouth P513. Home-bred on both sides, this one is by Tree Bridge Pathfinder L336 and is out of Tree Bridge Polly Perkins J241, a Chapelton Dark Mahmoud E826 daughter. This one sold to JL Gledson, Hexham.
BEEF SHORTHORNS
On the same day Beef Shorthorns peaked at 4,800gns. The sale leader was Hurricane of Ballyvaddy TI +19, SRI +17, a 20-month-old by Chapelton Typhoon from T and K Madden, Glencloy, Ballymena. The buyer was RF Leach, Warmington, Banbury.
Next, at 4,400gns, was the two-year-old Balgay Halbarad TI +32, SRI +29, a Chapelton Winsome son from Balgay Farm, Inchture, Perth. He sold to Cnewr Estate, Sennybridge, Brecon.
HEREFORD
Hereford bulls sold to a top price of 2,500gns with the reserve overall champion, Panmure 1 Midge from JM Cant and Partners, Arbroath, leading trade. Out of Panmure 1 Plum B5 and sired by Hawkesbury 1 Volcano, the March 2015-born bull sold to Colby Farms, Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria.
Selling at 2,400gns was overall champion Salton 1 Lexus from G Bulmer, Salton, York. Out of Salton 1 Millie and sired by Normanton 1 Jupiter, the June 2014-born bull went to RC and S Cleasby, Broughton in Furness, Cumbria.
At the same money was the Romany 1 Mikado H12 M14. The September 2014-born bull, sired by Romany 1 Heavyduty and out of Romany 1 Milk, went to JS and IM Wilson, Millom, Cumbria.
(Harrison & Hetherington)
‣ For averages and more top prices from Carlisle visit www.fwi.co.uk/livestock/taking-stock
MONEY MAKERS
7,800gns
MACGREGOR PHOTOGRAPHY
4,800gns
WAYNE HUTCHINSON