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Press and Journal
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Press and Journal
Keith Simmentals named show champion and reserve at Stirling Bull Sales
A variety of breeds descended on Stirling Mart for United Auctions' multi-breed show today, prior to tomorrow's sale. Charolais took to the ring first, with Orkney's Magnus Baillie tasked with judging the 50 bulls on offer. For champion, he selected Ouston Unwin, a rising two-year-old bull from Richard and Carol Rettie, of Dyke Farm, Slamannan, near Falkirk, which was bred by Ouston Farms. Sired by Major, this one is out of a Thrunton Florida daughter, Ravensworth Jasmin. Magnus, who runs pedigree Charolais and Angus herds at Biggins, Deerness, was impressed with the bull's commercial attributes. He described the animal as 'a long, clean bull, with power'. He said it was a close contest between his champion and reserve, which was Silvermere Vortex, a 15-month-old bull from Michelle Hanson and Darren Irvine, of Upper Drakemyres, Forgie, Keith. Vortex is an AI (artificial insemination) son of Wesley Equinox, out of Silvermere Solitaire – a heifer by Allanfauld Neptune which was reserve junior champion at the Stars of the Future calf show. She is one of eight females in the couple's herd. The Simmentals were next into the show ring, judged by Gavin Brown, of Springfield, Penicuik. It was an Islavale double triumph in the championship, with the Stronach family, of Berryleys, Keith, securing the champion and reserve tickets. Finishing top of the line was Islavale Pegasus, a 17-month-old by home-bred stock bull Islavale Lucifer, which has so far bred sons up to 13,000gns. The dam is a Curaheen Bandit daughter, Islavale Damaris Ex92. Taking reserve for this 200-cow herd was the second prize winner to the champion, Islavale Pilot, another Lucifer son, out of Islavale Candy, a daughter of Curaheen Bandit. The judge said his champion was an impressive commercial bull, with 'size, scale and flesh', with the reserve animal showing 'tremendous character'. Heading up the Aberdeen-Angus classes was Tonley Victor Z053, a 21-month-old bull from the Wattie family's 100-cow herd at Mains of Tonley, Alford. He is a son of the privately bought Gretnahouse Krack Light, which has previously sired daughters to £10,000. Used on the Tonley herd last year, this bull is out of a Blelack Evermore daughter, Tonley Vine W731. Judge of the Angus classes, Ewen MacGregor, of the Raddrey herd in the Black Isle, said his champion had 'bone, presence and power', while his reserve was a 'real stylish bull with good length and top'. That was Drumhill Pure Contemporary Z651, from Northern Ireland-based breeders Jonathan and Lisa Doyle, of Cookstown. Resident in Scotland since February, this bull is the second son offered for sale off Saville Big Man, a bull bought privately at the Royal Highland Show. The dam, Weeton Princess Chartreuse W125, was bought at the Weeton dispersal. A small but select entry of Salers was dominated by bulls from Gill and Malcolm Pye's Rednock herd, based at Port of Menteith, Stirling. Their Rednock Top Gun took the champion rosette, while Rednock Topol finished in reserve. Both are sons of Senateur, a bull imported from France which has previously sired bulls to 11,000gns for the herd. He has plenty character and looks like he'd breed good females.' Neil Girvan, judge. Kelso-based Neil Girvan judged this section and felt his champion had everything he would look for in a Salers. 'He has plenty character and looks like he'd breed good females,' added Neil, who runs 300 Salers cows, with 200 going to Charolais bulls, to produce calves to sell as yearlings. In the Beef Shorthorn ring, judge James Rea, of Grange, Castle Douglas, plumped for Drumsleed Thor as overall champion from Gerald, Morag and Douglas Smith's herd at Fordoun, Laurencekirk. The family run 14 Beef Shorthorn cows and 80 pedigree Simmentals, with Thor being an embryo calf by Meonside Javelin, out of Coldrochie Broadhooks, a cow bought at the Coldrochie dispersal several years ago for 8,000gns. Reserve in that section went to Trade Mark of Upsall, from Upsall Castle Farms, Thirsk. He's by Nelson of Upsall and out of Nonpareil X928 of Upsall, one of 85 cows in the herd. The first seven sons of Nelson of Upsall have sold to an average of £10,000. Last breed of the day were the Limousins, with a slightly higher entry of 67 bulls. Alistair Cormack, of Leven, was the man in charge of selecting best in show her, from what he described as a 'very level, good quality show of bulls, especially the top end'. Best overall was Anside Urban, a 19-month-old son of the prolific AI bull Plumtree Fantastic, from the Irvine family's 55-cow herd at Drummuir, Keith. Securing a third overall championship at this May event for the herd, this bull is out of a show heifer, Anside Solero, an Anside Orton daughter. The reserve champion, , Grahams Valkyrie, is from Robert and Jean Graham's Stirling-based herd. It was the youngest Limousin bull in the catalogue. Stirling Bull Sales continue today.
Agriland
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Agriland
Tyrone herd sells Simmental bull to Scotland for £22,000
The Ranfurly Simmental herd based in Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, has announced the private sale of its pedigree Simmental bull 'Ranfurly Rolo' to the Stronach family's Islavale Herd at Berryleys Farm in Keith, Banffshire in northern Scotland. The £22,000 deal includes the retention of semen and marks a new record sale price for the Dungannon-based herd, which was founded by David Hazelton more than 50 years ago. Rolo is the 24th Ranfurly bull to join a pedigree herd in the last 10 years. The £22,000 bull is sired by Banwy T-Rex and, at 13-months-of-age, the pedigree Simmental bull is the first calf bred from the Curaheen Bandit daughter, Ranfurly Weikel 45th VG87. The bull tested free of myostatin genes and boasts a yearling weight of 842kg, coupled with impressive Breedplan performance figures. Ranfurly Rolo's Breedplan performance figures: In the breed's top 1% for terminal production index (TPI) at +124; Has a self-replacing index (SRI) of +146; Milk (+14); Top 5% for eye muscle area (+6.1). Currently the Ranfurly 17-cow herd includes seven cows classified Excellent, eight VG, and two first-calf heifers awaiting classification. The Ranfurly herd has been built on the use of artificial insemination (AI) sires such as: Hillcrest Champion; Raceview King; Team Celtic; Samark Superman. Cow families include Weikel, Diana, Kleeb, Beauty, and Stella. The Weikel family, founded in 2003 with the impromptu purchase of South Park King Kong Weikel 2nd is the most successful female line at Ranfurly, according to the herd owners. Rolo's maternal great-grandam, South Park King Kong Weikel 2nd EX93 was a successful Simmental show winner, brood cow, and embryo donor. She has produced numerous Simmental and interbreed champions, both male and female. Her son, Ranfurly Formula One was supreme Stirling champion in 2015 and sold for 15,000gns. Her legacy has lived on through the generations at Ranfurly and within other pedigree herds. Rolo is the second Ranfurly bull to join the Islavale herd. The last bull to join the herd was Ranfurly Confederate EX94. This bull has produced sons to a top of 24,000gns. To date, Confederate has 562 progeny registered in 87 herds within the British Simmental Cattle Society herd book. He was the society's most popular sire in 2019 and 2020. The 200-cow Islavale herd purchased Ranfurly Beauty 13th for 7,000gns at the Ranfurly herd's third joint production sale in 2020. She has produced four heifer calves. Commenting on the private deal, Stewart Stronach said: 'We are delighted to have acquired another stock bull from the Ranfurly herd. 'Our most significant investment in Simmental bloodlines to date, Ranfurly Rolo is our type of bull, boasting fantastic breed character and presence. He is the complete package, wide from his plates right through to his shoulder, long and clean with a leg in every corner. 'Ranfurly Rolo really catches the eye and his pedigree is filled with excellent female lines. The herd has really come to the fore over the last few years, breeding our type of cattle.' 'We are hoping that Rolo does as well for us as our last Ranfurly stock bull, Confederate, whose first crop of Islavale calves included two bulls sold at Stirling to pedigree herds for 24,000gns and 16,000gns.' Stewart Stronach concluded: 'We believe Ranfurly Rolo is the foundation for the next chapter or our pedigree Simmental herd, and we thank the Hazelton family for allowing us to purchase him directly off-farm.' The bull is currently at the AI Services (NI) Ltd bull stud for semen collection and will be exported to Scotland in due course.
