THIRTY EIGHTH NATIONAL SHOW & SALE
Chelford Agricultural Centre
Saturday 6th September 2003
(Judging Friday 5th September)

SIZE MATTERS AT CHELFORD BLUE SALE
with MASSIVE COW TO 3200 GNS

Size mattered in both the Male and Female sections of the annual British Blue Cattle Society’s Show and Sale at Chelford last Saturday.

158 Pedigree and Crossbred Blues catalogued for the 38th Blue event at Chelford, and attracted a huge crowd of vendors and buyers from Cornwall to Banffshire, and from Kent to Northern Ireland.

The sale contained an excellent selection of top quality young breeding stock, but it is fair to say that many potential purchasers attending were seeking bulls, in particular, to work immediately and therefore required stronger bulls than the majority of those on offer.

Black Moor Upper - Class 3000gns

Tamhorn Uno ET - 2800gns.

The Show Champion and Champion Male - Tamhorn Uno, came from Jane and Danny Wyllie of Tamworth, Staffordshire, who are selling the female portion of their outstanding show winning, Tamhorn Herd at Chelford on 8th November. The Judge, Michael Read of Lincolnshire, placed Uno first in a very strong class and his judgement was vindicated when W J Brick and Son paid 2,800 gns to take him home to Ludlow, Shropshire.

Messrs Brick also paid 2800 gns for the black and white Dunstall Tycoon, a grandson of the great Philliper de Remichampagne from Abbots Bromley, Lichfield breeder Ian Froggatt, whilst another powerful bull, Chestnuts Topaz from Boston, Lincolnshire based B E Newton made 2750 gns to another Cheshire dairy producer. Ian Froggatt saw another bull, the blue and white Dunstall Texas, make 2650 gns to J & D Horn, Teeside).

The majority of bulls were under 18 months, however, and apart from the leading price, they made up to 2200 gns for Henlli Ulysses, a June 2002 born son of Express from Anglesey breeder Geraint Williams, who went to J A Quick’s Coldridge herd in Devon.

Bonerbo Orchid - 3200 gns

Demand for powerful breeding stock was also evident in the female section, where Stockport breeder Tom Galligan saw his April 1997 born Cow Bonerbo Orchid, due shortly to Oxcroft Lionheart, the Female Champion, make 3200 gns to Mike Scott, buying for his Besthorpe herd, Newark, Notts.

With a flying trade throughout for Pedigree Females, Geraint Williams saw his heifer, Astbury Tania, due in January to a Limousin, make 3,000 gns to Miss D Whiteley of Thirsk, Yorkshire, whilst N Gill, of Huddersfield, went to 2300 gns to secure Lawns Organdie sold with her May born heifer calf from Messrs Maguire, Rishton, and also taking the leading Maiden heifer, the May 2002 born Afonwen Ussie from Jim Hollingsworth, for 2200 gns.

Champion Crossbred animal was this 9 month old heifer from JL & DA Davies.

In the Crossbred section for the second successive sale Messrs J L & D A Davies took Championship honours with a Blue x Limousin Heifer of 62% Belgian Blue Blood.

Crossbred Judge David Hancock of Sandbach, Cheshire had no hesitation in placing the 8 month heifer first in a class of exceptional heifers. At the same time frenetic bidding took the heifer to £1850 and she makes her new home in Shepton Mallett with Mrs Willow Smith. Local breeder Bruce Wardlaw (Burton Herd) of Congleton, Cheshire received the accolade of best commercial steer and Reserve Champion crossbred with a blue steer out of a blonde cow. This 6 month old bullock peaked at £980 and travels to Norfolk with Paul Barwood.

11 month old Limousin X Belgian Blue heifer from TP Gallion, which made £1900.

The days top price went to local cattle breeder Tom Galligan (Bramhall Herd) with a very nice 11 month old black heifer which attracted a great deal of pre-sale interest. Anita Padfield and son Sam from Norfolk beat off strong competition to take the heifer home at £1900 …. No pocket money for Sam for at least a year!!

Some very nice commercial cow and calf outfits attracted strong enquiries, with top call of £2200 coming from Jim Merritt of Camelford, Cornwall for a tidy unit from S Hall of Marchington near Uttoxeter.

Auctioneers Gwyn Williams and Jonathan Farrall were pleased with the day’s trading overall and commenting that “the apparent shortage of quality breeding stock has encouraged buyers to travel greater distances to secure the goods with nearly every country in the country being represented taking advantage of Chelford’s central location”.

Leading prices:

Show results:

Best Crossbred Steer – lot 65 BBX - BBx Blonde from Mr B Wardlaw

Best Crossbred Heifer and crossbred Champion – lot 144 BBX – BBx Limousin from GL & DA Davies

Champion Pedigree Female – Lot 38 Bonerbo Orchid ET

Champion Pedigree Male & Supreme Champion – Lot 12 Tamhorn Uno ET

The Clive Godden Perpetual Trophy (Best homebred pedigree Belgian Blue from the Central region) was won by J & K Webb – the “Kingscote Herd” Kent.

The Society’s annual “Premier Breeder Award”, traditionall y presented at this sale, was won by the “Tamhorn Herd” of Jane and Danny Wyllie.