The 61st Annual Wexham Cup Bull Show and Sale of Holstein Bulls and 3rd Northern Lights Sale of Elite Holstein Heifers proved to be an incredible day once again for the Gould family of the noted Woodmarsh Herd based at Bomere Heath, Shrewsbury.

WEXHAM CUP

A large entry of 90 bulls were entered for the Wexham Cup of which seven were not forward on the day. The quality was generally good with not such a large ‘tail end’ of plainer bulls presented. Kevin Wilson of the noted Warnelview Herd in Cumbria conducted the judging admirably and chose Woodmarsh Linford from M& JC Gould Ltd., as his Champion; Linford is exactly one year old and is a son of Gillette Windbrook and out of seventh generation VG/EX daughter of Jenny-Lou from the noted Lyme family. In reserve was the massive 1st prize senior bull, Dilandy Braxton Joe from Andrew Shakeshaft and Bryan Challenor; Joe is the eldest son of Regancrest Braxton in the UK and was imported as an embryo from Luck-E Holsteins in Wisconsin, USA and is bred from 11 generations of VG/EX dams of their noted ‘K’ family.

The Wexham Cup is awarded to the bull who gains the most points on a combination of inspection, dams classification and production and index. This year the trophy was won by Woodmarsh Zero from the Gould’s, who is a son of Gillette Jordan from 5 generations of VG/EX dams bred in the Zandra family. The Reserve award for the Wexham Cup also went to Woodmarsh with another Windbrook son from the Lyme family, Woodmarsh Lisbon; he has an 100 tonne Excellent dam by Jolt who so far has bred nine VG/EX daughters.

Trade turned out to be as expected – good for the well grown, well presented, fit bulls and more difficult for anything a bit plainer and for some of the younger bulls not yet ready to work some failed to find new homes. However a great average of £2244 for the

sold was very satisfactory.

The top price was 4800 gns achieved for the Wexham Cup Champion who sold to Breeze Farms Ltd., of Llanfyrnach, Pembrokeshire and the second top seller was the Reserve for the Wexham Cup who sold for 4300 gns to The CB Cooper Partnership of Winterbourne Monkton, Swindon, Wiltshire for their noted Noremead Herd. Two other bulls broke the £4k mark; the first was for the superbly bred Shanael Ross Galactic from the Miller family of Shanael Farms at Evesham, Worcs. He is a son of Bosside Altaross out of the UK’s highest yielding heifer Shanael Bolton Golden (VG88-2yr) who has a GLPI of +2800. She sold for 4200 gns to AR Cox & Son of the Steveacre Herd at Marston, Stafford. The other bull in this price bracket was Lillyhall Brias Bobbi from Alan and Christine

Watson of Cockermouth; he is a son of Charlesdale Superstition and out of the 15000 kg heifer MS Goldwyn Bria who has also bred 10500 gns top seller at the Northern Lights Sale last year. This bull sold for 4000 gns to H & C Cowgill & Sons of Bashall Eaves, Lancashire.

The Champion bull Woodmarsh Linford sold for 3500 gns to Andrew Davies of Newcastle Emlyn, Carmarthenshire and the Reserve Champion Dilandy Braxton Joe sold for just 100 gns less at 3400 gns to Richard Williams at Wrinehill Hall, Crewe. Three other bulls sold in the 3000 gns bracket; the highest seller of these at 3650 gns was Gornal Powerstart from Phil and Sue Davies, Llanymynech, Powys. He was a son of Windy Knoll View Power from their good Spot Ada line. Nev and Rhian Roberts of the Dulais Herd Llanelli, Carmarthenshire sold their Dulais Master, a Seaver son from the noted Marie family for 3300 gns to Jones and Timmis for their Logrim Herd at Minsterley, Shropshire. He was closely followed in the price list by Bilsrow Selkirk from the Tomlinson family, Preston who sold for 3200 gns to A C Mitchell & Co., Bulkeley, Malpas.

NORTHERN LIGHTS

The third annual sale of elite heifers selected by Cameron Baty under the Northern Lights banner attracted an entry of 33 head and 7 embryo packages. Trade was selective but good for the very best and again it was the Goulds from Woodmarsh who came up trumps with top priced heifer. This was for Woodmarsh Jordan Zandra 4th ET, an April 12 born daughter of Gillette Jordan out of the 16000 kg. 4/60% Woodmarsh Zoey (Ex90-4yr) who has already bred 9 daughters classified VG or EX and of course is also the dam of the Wexham Cup winner Woodmarsh Zero who topped the bull sale. Zandra sold for 5600 gns and now joins the noted Wyndford Herd of Wilfred Maddocks Ltd at Newport, Shropshire.

Two heifers sold for 4500 gns each; the first was the first heifer in the ring, Redsky Lawnboy Delight Red ET from Redsky Holsteins of Hexham Northumberland. She is a daughter of Overside Elayo Delight Red (Ex91) (Ex94-MS) an 8th generation VG/EX member of the Dellia family who has already bred a (VG86-2yr daughter who was sold the previous week in Beeston at the Focus Milk Sale for the top price of 3200 gns. Lawnboy Delight Red sold in calf to Kamps-Hollow Arudolf (Sexed Semen), due in March and sold to local buyers RC & RD Jones of Peckforton, Tarporley. The other heifer at this price was the May 12 Nobold Windbrook Joan ET from Michael Roberts of Shrewsbury; she is out of the 2011 Honourable Mention Senior Heifer and has 5 generations of VG/Ex dams. She now joins the Erie Herd of Iwan Morgan at Carmarthen.

Two Heifers sold for 3000 gns each: the first was the August ‘11 Dulais Destry Jodie ET from Nev and Rhian Roberts, Llanelli who boasts a 10 generation pedigree who sells back to West Wales and now joins the Santamaria Herd of LG Vasami. The second was the August’11 Helton Million Clarisa 3rd ET from Joseph Heler Farms of Nantwich with eight generations of dams in the top two grades who sold to RT Tudor & Son, Bridgnorth.

TOP PRICES:

BULLS: GNS

HEIFERS: GNS

AVERAGES:

55 Bulls £2244.14; 22 Heifers £2625. 12; Embryos £290.50

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