BACARDI RODNEY REIGNS AT CASTLE DOUGLAS

The 31^st annual premier show and sale of pedigree and commercial Salers was held at Wallets Marts, Castle Douglas on Friday 4^th and Saturday 5^th November 2022 and was kindly sponsored by the Farmers Guardian.

Buyers were shrewd, taking the strategic decision to invest in the pedigree bloodlines which saw all pedigree sections increase their averages on the year. There was a strong demand for both the females and males with many finding new homes in pedigree herds. The junior champion, male champion and overall champion, Bacardi Rodney from Roy and Adam Crockett, a grandson of the successful show cow Bacardi Jessie Jay who was a Royal Highland Show and Great Yorkshire Show Champion, was purchased by Rusko Farms, Gatehouse of Fleet for 7,000gns. The Austin family, this time for Boreland of Girthon, Gatehouse of Fleet also purchased the sale leader at 9,000gns, reserve senior champion, Drumaglea Perseus, a Cantal sired October-2020 bull out of Drumaglea Bella from Judith and Patrick Boyd.

The show took place on Friday 4^th November 2022 and was judged by Mr Glen Welsh, farm manager at Garpel Farms. The farm extends to over 6,500 acres of mostly hill ground where they run 1500 Blackface ewes and 70 predominantly Salers cross Galloway cows.

In the haltered pedigree female section Glen found his female champion in the junior female champion, Gentons Renate a Murphy sired February-2021 daughter out of Orientale from first time exhibitor at the Premier show and sale, Mr Bertie Facon, she sold for 2,100gns. Standing reserve overall female was the reserve junior female champion, Lisnamaul Rascal from P J Maginn & Sons, Northern Ireland, a Herbin sired daughter out of Lisnamaul New Look, who sold to A & J Wright, Trayboyack Salers, Girvan for 2,500gns. In the senior female section Rigel Pedigree were champion with Rigel Pascelle, out of Rigel Pascal Poll, by Lascaux and sold in-calf to Rigel Pudsey Poll for 1,800gns to Messrs Armour, Borgue, Kirkcudbright.

There were three pedigree production drafts forward from Allison Devereux Farms, Harperley Salers, County Durham, Patrick and Judith Boyd, Drumaglea, Isle of Tiree and Gerald and Morag Smith, Drumsleed Salers, Laurencekirk.

Topping the production sale was Drumaglea who commanded the top price in the female section with Drumaglea Pearl, a September-2020 heifer by Baron, out of Drumaglea Yo-Yo, she sold in calf to Variegeois, to pedigree breeder M. Dumbreck, Skelton-on-Ure, North Yorkshire.  Drumaglea Prancer, a Hibou daughter born in October-2020 sold for 3,800gns to A & J Wright, Trayboyack Salers, Girvan and J & J Craig, West New House, Strathaven paid 3,500gns for a Baron daughter, Drumaglea Portia out of Drumaglea Marianne.

Harperley Salers sold Harperley May Mist 4 a Mistral daughter with an April born Harperley Onyx heifer calf at foot for 3,400gns to E James & Co, Henbant, Ceredigion and Harperley Trippy, a Rigel Pluto sired heifer out of Lagune with Harperley Suzanne at foot for 2,600gns to Messrs Armour, Borgue, Kirkcudbright.

Drumsleed’s production sale was led by, Drumsleed Rose, a June-2021 daughter by Cleuchhead Outlaw, at 2,600gns to Lewis Ralston, Jedforest Livestock, Jedburgh, and another Outlaw daughter, Drumsleed Rainbow, out of Cleuchhead Gentle, born in May-2021 sold for 2,000gns to J Dowds, Moorfields, Co. Antrim.

There was 90% clearance in the pedigree female section.
11 in calf heifers achieved a top price of 4,800gns and an average of £3035.45, (+£675.57 on 2021)
8 pedigree bulling heifers realised 2,800gns and an average of £2191.88, (+£433.14 on 2021)
8 Heifers with calves at foot topped at 3,400gns an averaged of £2572.50, (+£210 on 2021)

Sharing the second top price spot of 7,000gns with the overall champion, was the intermediate champion, reserve male champion and reserve overall champion, Cleuchhead Rocky a Nomad son from Livesey Farming who was purchased by Messrs Lawrence, Blackpots, Aberdeenshire. The Livesey family sold 4^th prize winner, Cleuchhead Red Rocker a Noble sired son out of Cleuchhead Mhairi for 6,500gns to H G & S G Pritchard, Llangybi, Gwynedd. Also at 6,500gns Judith & Patrick Boyd sold their Sancy sired son, Drumaglea Prince to A & J Wright, Trayboyack Salers, Girvan. The final bull forward from Livesey Farming, Cleuchhead Ranger, a March-2021 son by Bacardi Normandy was purchased by F C Robinson & Sons, for their Preenbank herd of Salers, Shropshire for 5,800gns. Angus and Kerry Gowthorpe, from Escrick York sold the reserve intermediate champion, Approach Farm Rocky a Seawell Lithium son for 4,800gns to R & L Howat, Kinnaird Farm, Dairsie.

Fifteen bulls sold with a clearance rate of 79% and a top price of 9,000gns to an average of £5,185.33, (+£296.27 on 2021)

Leading the overall commercial trade was A R Lee, Lumbylaw at £2750 for three in-calf heifers to I Stark, South Ballo, Abernyte. Lumbylaw also sold three 22 month in-calf heifers at £2500 and three 18-month-old in-calf heifers at £2300 to Messrs Armour, Ingleston Farm, Borgue. Messrs Armour also purchased the top priced consignments from J Martin & Son, Swinlees paying £2200 for three in-calf heifers. R. A. Austin, Boreland of Girthon, Gatehouse of Fleet sold two in-calf heifers at £1950 to I Stark, South Ballo, Abernyte and Rusko Farms trade peaked in the in-calf section at £1800 for three 19-month-old females to J & A Dunlop, Ashfield, Maybole.

The best pen of commercial Salers won the Willie Davidson trophy and came from Livesey Farming who sold the five bulling heifers for the top price in that section at £2000 apiece to R & M Dunlop, Pinvalley Farm, Barr. The reserve pen of commercial Salers was awarded to the McClymont family of the Cuil. Cleuchhead also realised £1700 for four bulling heifers to G W Woolhouse, Ravenfield, South Yorkshire and £1550 for eight bulling heifers to W D Stephen, Meikle Geddes Farm, Nairn.

The Firm of Andrew M Brown, Drumhumphry, Corsock, led the heifer stirk trade at £1250 for two and Boreland of Girthon sold six at £1150.

228 commercial females were forward and sold with 99% clearance
137 Bulling heifers sold to a top of £2,000 and an average of £1,287.23 (-£52.77 on 2021)
29 heifer stirks sold to a top of £1250 and an average of £998.28 (-£195.05 on 2021)
62 In-Calf Heifers sold to a top of £2,750 and an average of £1,773.39 (-£175.14 on 2021)

Show Results

Class 1 – Senior Females
1^st & Senior Female Champion – Rigel Pascelle, Rigel Pedigree

Class 2 – Junior Females
1^st & Junior Female Champion (Maxwell Cup) – Gentons Renate, Bertie Facon
2^nd & Reserve Junior Female Champion – Lisnamaul Rascal, P J Maginn & Sons
3^rd – Gentons Royale, Bertie Facon
4^th – Gentons Rosette, Bertie Facon

Female Champion
Gentons Renate, Bertie Facon

Reserve Female Champion
Lisnamaul Rascal, P J Maginn & Sons

Class 3 – Senior Bulls
1^st & Senior Male Champion – Strathallan President, D. Murray Lyle
2^nd & Reserve Male Champion – Drumaglea Perseus, J & P Boyd
3^rd – Drumaglea Pinky, J & P Boyd
4^th – Drumaglea Prince, J & P Boyd

Class 4 – Intermediate Bulls
1^st – Approach Farm Rocky, A & K Gowthorpe
2^nd – Rednock Rodney Poll, Rednock Estate
3^rd – Approach Farm R2-D2, A & K Gowthorpe
4^th – Kaimburn Ronaldo, Edgerston Tradining (2006) Ltd

Class 5 – Intermediate Bulls
1^st – Cleuchhead Rocky, Livesey Farming
2^nd – Cleuchhead Ranger, Livesey Farming
3^rd – Rigel Radagaste Poll, Rigel Pedigree
4^th – Whitebog Roger Polled, A MacKenzie

Intermediate Champion
Cleuchhead Rocky, Livesey Farming

Reserve Intermediate Champion
Approach Farm Rocky, A & K Gowthorpe

Class 6 – Junior Bulls
1^st & Junior Champion – Bacardi Rodney, Roy & Adam Crockett
2^nd & Reserve Junior Champion – Lisnamaul Rebel, P J Maginn & Sons
3^rd – Bacardi Rocky, Roy & Adam Crockett
4^th – Cleuchhead Red Rocker, Livesey Farming

Male Champion
Bacardi Rodney, Roy & Adam Crockett

Reserve Male Champion
Cleuchhead Rocky, Livesey Farming

Overall Show Champion
Bacardi Rodney, Roy & Adam Crockett

Reserve Overall Show Champion
Cleuchhead Rocky, Livesey Farming

Best Polled Animal
Rednock Rodney Poll, Rednock Estate

Pedigree Sale Results

Lot	Animal Name	Price (gns)	Price (£)	Buyer
2	Rigel Pascelle	1800	1890	Messrs Armour, Borgue, Kirkcudbright
4	Gentons ROYALE	2800	2940	J E & E A Elliott, Drumlegagh, Northern Ireland
5	Gentons RENATE	2100	2205	Eugene Gallagher,
6	Lisnamaul Rascal	2500	2625	A & J Wright, Trayboyack, Girvan
9	Harperley Trippy	2600	2730	Messrs Armour, Borgue, Kirkcudbright
10	Harperley May	2200	2310	A. Orr & L Wight, Carlaw, Tarbrax, West Calder
11	Harperley Hazybird	2400	2520	S Thompson, Omagh, Co. Tyrone
12	Harperley Hazy	2400	2520	W F & H Logan, Maxwelston, Girvan
14	Harperley Gobi Mist	1900	1995	Messrs Armour, Borgue, Kirkcudbright
15	Harperley May Mist 2	2300	2415	I Stark, South Ballo, Perthshire
16	Harperley May Mist 3	2400	2520	I Stark, South Ballo, Perthshire
17	Harperley May Mist 4	3400	3570	E James & Co, Henbant, Ceredigion
18	Drumaglea Pearl	4800	5040	M Dumbreck, Skelton-on-Ure, North Yorkshire
19	Drumaglea Portia	3500	3675	J & J Craig, West New House, Strathaven
20	Drumaglea Prancer	3800	3990	A & J Wright, Trayboyack, Girvan
21	Drumaglea Phantom	2400	2520	C & A Kennedy, Ballyclare, Co. Antrim
22	Drumaglea Patricia	2700	2835	L Howat, Coylton, Ayrshire
23	Drumaglea Popcorn	2400	2520	I Stark, South Ballo, Perthshire
24	Drumaglea Pixie	2500	2625	J & J Craig, West House Farm, Strathaven
25	Drumaglea Rachel	2600	2730	P J Maginn & Sons, Lisnamaul, Northern Ireland
26	Drumaglea Ruth	3200	3360	M Smith, Kells, County Antrim
27	Drumaglea Roma	2100	2205	A. Orr & L Wight, Carlaw, Tarbrax, West Calder
28	Drumsleed Phoenix	1700	1785	Messrs Armour, Borgue, Kirkcudbright
29	Drumsleed Ramona	1400	1470	Messrs Armour, Borgue, Kirkcudbright
30	Drumsleed Rainbow	2000	2100	J Dowds, Moorfields, Co. Antrim
31	Drumsleed Reese	1600	1680	Messrs Armour, Borgue, Kirkcudbright
32	Drumsleed Rose	2600	2730	L Ralston, Jedforest Livestock, Jedburgh
36	Drumaglea Pinky		2800	P J Maginn & Sons, Lisnamaul, Northern Ireland & Seamus Connell, Ballykeel, Rathfriland, Co. Down
37	Drumaglea Prince	6500	6825	A & J Wright, Trayboyack, Girvan
38	Drumaglea Perseus	9000	9450	R A Austin, Boreland of Girthon, Gatehouse of Fleet
39	Drumaglea President		5600	J Dowds, Moorfields, Co. Antrim  & M Smith, Kells, County Antrim
40	Approach Farm Rocky	4800	5040	R & L Howat, Kinnaird Farm, Dairsie, Fife
41	Approach Farm R2-D2	2400	2520	N & D Austin, Rusko Farms, Gatehouse of Fleet
46	Cleuchhead RANGER	5800	6090	F C Robinson & Sons, Preenbank, Shropshire
49	Rigel Radagast Poll	4000	4200	March & Lobban, Muncraig, Kirkcudbright
50	Cleuchhead ROCKY	7000	7350	Messrs Lawrence, Blackpots, Aberdeenshire
51	Bacardi Rocky	3000	3150	J McIntosh, Genoch Mains, Dunragit
52	Lisnamaul Rebel		2600	A Henry, Knockallan, Castle Douglas
53	Rednock Romeo	3800	3990	J & A McCornick, Drumjargon, Wigtownshire
54	Cleuchhead RED ROCKER	6500	6825	H G & S G Pritchard, Llwyngwyn, Gwynedd
55	Rednock Rab	3800	3990	A M S Robinson, New Hall, Staveley, Cumbria
56	Bacardi Rodney	7000	7350	N & D Austin, Rusko Farms, Gatehouse of Fleet