The Western Holstein Club’s Monthly Focus Milk Show and Sale of fresh calved cows and heifers attracted an entry of 72 head which also included four in-calf heifers and a dozen maidens for its February event. Judge for the show was Blaise Tomlinson of the Sandyford Herd based at Nanpantan, Leicestershire and for his Champion he chose Bidlea Matson Darkie a second calver by Autumn Ridge Matson from Ray Brown and Partners, Holmes Chapel. In reserve was Winton Toystory Cissie, a fresh heifer by Jenny-Lou Marshl Toystory from Peter Waring of Beverley, East Yorkshire.

 

A huge crowd was in attendance, no doubt helped by the inclusion of the dispersal sale of the Dunnerdale milking portion (see separate report) and which no doubt helped to elevate the trade to a very good average.

 

There were some high individual prices and the star of the sale was Sterndale Golden Ashlyn (VG86-2yr) from Bill Nadin of Earl Sterndale, Buxton, a second calf daughter of Golden-Oaks St Alexander who had calved four weeks and was sold giving 36.0 kg. She was purchased by an undisclosed breeder in Northern Ireland.

 

Three fresh heifers crashed through the £3k barrier. First at this price was Bestfed Fever Robin 2nd ET, a Crackholm Fever daughter bred from 12 generations of VG/EX dams tracing back to the noted Glenridge Citation Roxy (Ex90-4E). She was consigned by Paul Findley of Marchwiel, Wrexham and sold to R & E Butterfield for 3800 gns for their Ingleview Herd based at Bentham, Lancashire. Next at 3500 gns was Rusholme Jordan Frantoosh ET, a daughter of Gillette Jordan bred from 10 generations of Very Good or Excellent dams from the Quality Fran line. She was consigned by Andrew Kippax of Garstang and sold to P & A Mercer for their Sandringham Herd based at Malpas, Cheshire. The third heifer over 3000 was Enchanted End Story Ghost from Enchanted Holsteins of Elswick, Preston. She too had a great pedigree being bred from 8 generations of cows in the top two grades as well as having two VG sisters. She sold for 3200 gns to Andrew and Alison Bunting of Newabbey Holsteins, Dumfries. Not far behind was another from the Sterndale stable; Sterndale Liqueur Brenda (VG85-2yr), a November calved heifer by the home bred Shottle son, Sterndale Liqueur. She sold for 2900 gns to JV & JE Allen, Tutbury, Burton-on-Trent for their Leaventhorpe Herd.

 

A small group of in-calf heifers sold up to 1950 gns twice for daughters of Toystory from the Harris family of Hampshire and Carhall Golddust from the Kinsey’s of Stoak, Chester. All the maiden heifers were from the Chalkfarm Herd of Messrs. JF Temple & Son Ltd., of Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk and sold up to 1300 gns for a 14 month old Shottle daughter.

 

TOP PRICES: GNS

Lot 14 WJ Nadin & Partners Riverdane Golden Ashlyn (VG86-2yr) Undisclosed N.Ireland Breeder 6300

Lot 45 P & NA Findley Bestfed Fever Robin 2nd R & E Butterfield, Lancaster 3800

Lot 55 A Kippax Rusholme Jordan Frantoosh P & A Mercer, Malpas 3500

Lot 28 Enchanted Holsteins Enchanted End Story Ghost D Bunting & Son, Dumfries 3200

Lot 18 WJ Nadin & Partners Sterndale Liquer Brenda (VG85-2yr) JV & JE Allen, Burton on Trent 2900

Lot 11 WJ Nadin & Partners Sterndale Razz Triuna Red (VG86-2yr) D Bunting & Son, Dumfries 2400

Lot 38 PJ Waring & Son Winton Toystory Cissie HNM Evans, Carmarthen 2400

Lot 7 Ray Brown & Partners Bidlea Matson Darkie AG Bonsall, Stafford 2300

Lot 27 Spiers Farms Ltd Pepperstock Alliance Juniper Ivygrove Holsteins, Whitchurch 2300

Lot 36 G J Sutton Rowarton Winners Butterscotch HNM Evans, Carmarthen 2300

 

AVERAGES:

14 Cows £2246.25; 36 Calved Heifers £2247.00; 3 In-calf Heifers £1977.50; 12 Maiden Heifers £1141.88;

65 HEAD £2030.38

 

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