GREAT RESULT FOR ASHDON FINALE  ~  TOP OF 5200 GNS

FOR AN ANTIQUITY!

A very good crowd assembled at Beeston Castle Auction for the Dispersal of the very good Ashdon Herd of Pedigree Holsteins the property of Robin Vestey of the Thurlow Estate, based Nr. Haverhill in Suffolk. The herd has a history extending to over fifty years and was originally founded on Red British Friesian bloodlines. In the last twenty years or so several noted families have been introduced, particularly from the famous Terling and Lavenham Herds.

The herd has been under the expert care and management of Bobby French for the last twenty years and he, in coordination with the owners has developed it into a first class unit full of quality, heavy milking cattle in all age groups. Ashdon has been the Champion Herd in East Anglia for the last three years. It is loose housed and averaged in excess of 9700 kg 3.62% butterfat and 3.14% protein.

Buyers were present from Scotland to Devon to Kent and from South Wales and it was good to see that the herd had a great following from its East Anglian homeland. Top price of the day was 5200 gns achieved for the outstanding milking heifer Ashdon Antiquity 8^th (VG88-2yr), a daughter of Canyon-Breeze Allen and two VG dams on the maternal side who had given 9642 kg 4.13% 2.72% in 282 days of her first lactation. At the time of sale she was still giving 30 kg and is due again in September to Comestar Lauthority. The successful purchaser was David Burroughs of Aldeby, Nr. Beccles Suffolk who was buying for his noted Oakalby Herd. Mr. Burroughs also purchased two other leading lots at 2600 gns each; the first was the fantastic eight calf cow Vision daughter, Ashdon Pennyroyal 27^th (Ex95-4E), who was the fourth generation classified in the top two grades and back in-calf again to Toystory for December and the second was the fresh calved second calver Ashdon Debbie 3^rd (VG85-2yr) who was also a daughter of Vision.

Next top seller was the Titanic daughter Lavenham Pat 2^nd (VG87-2yr), a second calver who is th 9^th generation classified in the top two grades, who had been calved two months and was giving 42 kg daily. She sold to George Sanderson and Family for their Sandley Herd at Catforth, Preston.

Three cows broke the 3000 gns mark. Selling at 3400 gns was Ashdon Duchess 53^rd (Ex92-4yr)(Ex95-MS), a third calf daughter of Roylane Jordan due with her fourth in December to ME Dal Alliance. She now makes the long trip to Devon to join the very good Walkabout Herd of Richard Gay based at Musbury, Nr. Exeter. At 3200 gns was Ashdon Debbie (Ex91) (Ex94-MS), another Jordan daughter, who was fresh with her fourth and giving 45 kg. She joins the noted Hully Herd of Rob Barnett at Whitchurch, Shropshire. At 3000 gns was the second calf Vision daughter Ashdon Seabreeze 72^nd (GP83-2yr)(VG88-MS) who sold to Martin Lowry for his Halen Herd at Newcastle Emlyn, Carmarthenshire. Besides the two cows already mentioned, there was a third at 2600 gns; Ashdon Pennyroyal 42^nd (Ex90-4yr), a third calf daughter of Lyster sold to Kevin Jones, St.Clears, Carmarthen.

Served heifers sold to 2450 gns for the Fradon Jet-Red daughter Ashdon Seabreeze 94^th bred from five generations of VG/EX dams sold to Ken Marshall of Carmarthen. Maiden Heifers topped at 2900 gns for the ME Dal S Alliance daughter, Ashdon Juliana 59^th selling to JH & PE Nicholson Ltd, Norwich and calves at foot sold to 2300 gns for the ten month old Ross daughter Ashdon Antiquity 9^th whose dam was the top selling cow.

TOP PRICES : GNS

Lot 109          Ashdon Antiquity 8^th (VG88-2yr); E S Burroughs & Son, Suffolk, 5200

Lot   93          Lavenham Pat 2^nd (VG87-2yr); George H Sanderson & Family, Preston, 4200

Lot   67          Ashdon Duchess 53^rd (EX92-4yr)(EX95-MS); R J Gay, Devon, 3400

Lot   48          Ashdon Debbie (EX91-4yr) (EX94-MS); C R Barnett, Whitchurch, 3200

Lot   84          Ashdon Seabreeze 72^nd (GP83-2yr) (VG88-MS); K R Lowry, Carmarthen, 3000

Lot 200          Ashdon Juliana 59^th; JH & PE Nicholson Ltd, Norwich, 2900

Lot     3          Ashdon Pennyroyal 27^th (EX95-4E); E S Burroughs & Son, Suffolk, 2600

Lot   65          Ashdon Pennyroyal 42^nd (EX90-4yr); Kevin Jones, Carmarthen, 2600

Lot   97          Ashdon Debbie 3^rd (VG85-2yr); E S Burroughs & Son, Suffolk, 2600

Lot   60          Ashdon Norah Jane 17^th (VG86-3yr); Will Tucker, Swansea, 2550

Lot 180          Ashdon Seabreeze 94^th; K Marshall, Carmarthen, 2450

Lot 204          Ashdon Pat 4^th; A H Wilson, Cardigan, 2400

Lot 109a        Ashdon Antiquity 9^th; Clayden Holsteins, 2300

Lot 110          Ashdon Rosie 2^nd (VG86-2yr); K R Lowry, Carmarthen, 2300

Lot   90          Ashdon Juliana 52^nd (VG85-3yr); Kevin Jones, Carmarthen, 2200

Lot 205          Ashdon Pennyroyal Red 55^th; E Cole & Sons, Norfolk, 2200

Lot 149          Ashdon Duchess 61^st; Nick Goss, Wiltshire, 2100

Lot   47          Ashdon Norah 18^th (VG87) (EX-MS); Kevin Jones, Carmarthen, 2050

Lot   91          Ashdon Juliana 54^th (VG86-3yr); K J Morris, Worcester, 2050

Lot   85          Ashdon Seabreeze 74^th (GP83-2yr); K R Lowry, Carmarthen, 2000

Lot   99          Ashdon White Lilac 42^nd (GP82-2yr); LA & SM Lloyd, Shrewsbury, 2000

AVERAGES:

124 Cows and Milking Heifers (including 59 Heifer Calves at £856.02 and 1 Bull Calf at £630.00) £1887.03; 28 In-calf Heifers £1641.75; 10 Recently Served Heifers £1500.45; 40 Maiden Heifers £1145.81.  202 LOTS £1687.12

WRIGHT MANLEY of Beeston Castle Auction, Cheshire were the Auctioneers.