Lockerley Legolas

Strong bidding by both pedigree and commercial buyers saw average prices for Aberdeen-Angus bulls soar to new record heights at the breed’s annual spring show and sale at Perth.

Seven five-figure prices and 42 prices of 5000gns or more pushed the final average up to £4921.16 for 129 bulls compared with £4104 for 152 bulls last year and the previous record of £4357 for 141 bulls in 2007. With 51 bulls unsold, the clearance rate was more than 70%.

Top price was 24,000gns for the intermediate champion, Lockerley Legolas G850, a 21 month old son of Idvies Euris B112, from Leonard van Geest’s Lockerley herd at Romsey, Hampshire. Boasting a terminal sire index of +38 and self replacing index of +43 and from one of the best breeding lines at Lockerley, the bull was eagerly snapped up by the breeders of the sire, Alastair and Graeme Fraser, Newton of Idvies, Forfar, Angus, in a joint purchase with John Elliot, Roxburgh Mains, Kelso, Roxburghshire.

Lockerley Legolas

Another high performance bull with a terminal sire index of +28 and a self replacing index of +33 realised the next highest price of 22,000gns. This was the 18 month old junior bull, Lorabar Blackstar G290, by Wedderlie Eroseric C618, from John Deere distributors, J and S Montgomery, Lochwinnoch, Renfrew, which was purchased by J and W Arnott for their old-established Haymount herd at Kelso.

Lorabar Blackstar

Border herds were also involved in the next highest transaction when meat wholesalers, A K Stoddart Ltd – who specialise in supplying Aberdeen-Angus beef to Costco – paid 20,000gns for a third prize bull for their pedigree herd at Halflawkiln, Pathhead, Midlothian. The bull, Eastfield Jason G792, by Rawburn Rochester E424, was shown by Ewan Brewis, Eastfield of Lempitlaw, Kelso, and recorded a terminal sire index of +31 and a self replacing index of +33.

Eastfield Jason

The supreme and senior champion, Ellin Evermore G354, by Wedderlie Net Profit E916, from Mrs Wanda Hobbs, Wedderlie, Gordon, Berwickshire – daughter of Wedderlie herd owners, John and Marion Tilson – was withdrawn from the ring unsold but later sold privately for 16,000gns to Rodney and Mary Sloan for their Silvermoss herd at Barthol Chapel, Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire. This bull also boasted impressive performance figures with a terminal sire index of +27 and a self replacing index of +24.

Ellin Evermore

Reserve supreme and junior champion was a bull packed with top performing stock in his pedigree from W and D McLaren, Netherton, Blackford. The bull, Netherton Mr Ed G432, by Hoff Limited Edition SC 594, had a terminal sire index of +32 and a self replacing index of +41 and sold for 7500gns to Brian Derrick, Clover Hill, Shepton Mallet, Somerset.

Netherton Mr Ed

Females sold to a top of 7500gns for the two year old in-calf heifer, Wedderlie Karossa F315, by Aynho Rossiter Eric B125, and her bull calf by Wedderlie Black Beau F248, from the annual draft from J and J Campbell, Wedderlie, Gordon. Buyer was First Group chief executive, Sir Moir Lockhead, for his Glassel herd at Banchory, Kincardineshire.

Top price in the collective sale of females was 6000gns for the first prize 10 month old heifer, Deveron Elize H232, by Young Dale Dudley 26M, from Hamish Sclater, Denhead Farms, Dunlugas, Turriff, Aberdeenshire. This heifer goes to the breed’s oldest herd at Ballindalloch, Banffshire, owned by Oliver and Claire Russell.

Deveron Elize