133rd Annual Spring Sale 2024

Society Sale

14 Feb

Highland cattle defied all the odds to record a strong trade for both bulls and heifers at their spring sale in Oban on Monday – with a record average for yearling heifers leading the charge.

Prior to the sale there were fears that the recently introduced ban on cattle and sheep exports to the rest of the world, following an outbreak of bluetongue in the south of England, would see the averages take a hit. But the home trade rallied to counter any of the negatives and indeed it could have been an all-round record breaker had the continental and Irish buyers been able to bid.

Auctioneer Raymond Kennedy worked hard to keep the sale on track, and he commented afterwards: “That was the most active home trade I’ve experienced at Oban for the breed’s females and it was nice to see a commercially driven trade for the bulls. We also had a 100% clearance for all the females.”

Sale leader at 12000gns, Glen of Applecross

It was a great day for relatively new breeder, Oli Harrison, from Aimshaugh, Alston, near Carlisle, when he led the bull section with the 12000gns sale of Glen of Applecross, a bull he’d bought with some females bred by the Applecross Trust. “I buy about 40 or 50 Highland bullocks every year to finish for sale to Waitrose and I liked the breed and the breeders so much I thought I’d start a fold and I now have 30 cows,” he said. And what a start this three-year-old son of Angie Beag of Muingairigh gave him. This black bull had been used at home prior to the sale and he was knocked down to Morven Coghill, Blingery Farm, Wick, Caithness.

Angus MacDonald and his son Fraser and daughter-in-law Carrianne, of This Farming Life fame, from North Uist, had the second top bull in Muran Buidhe of Ardbhan, which made 10,000gns when knocked down to Andrew Ewing, Drumbretton, Annan, who was buying him on behalf of Angela Long, of the Highland Spice fold, in Buffalo, Wyoming, who was impressed with the bull’s back breeding and the fact that he came from an organic herd.

The bull will have semen taken off him in this country for export. He is by Gilleaspuig of Tiretigan, a great breeder for the fold and was still going strong at 16 years old.

The same home also got 5000gns for another by the same sire, Muran Erchie 3rd of Ardbhan. This yellow bull was fourth in his class and made the money to WGC Farming, Burnside, Delny, Invergordon.

A bull bred by the late Hugh MacPhail, of Callachally, Mull, was third top with a 7000gns price tag. Paying that for this son of Tomintoul 1st of Glengorm was RST Farming, Church Farm, Hardham, Pulborough.

Three bulls hit the 6500gns mark. First off at that was the male champion, Harry of Sguir Mor, from Willie MacLean of Benderloch. Sired by the former Royal Highland male champion, Eoin Mhor 30th of Mottistone and out of Fern 2nd of Ardentraive – a cow which had bred heifers to 5500gns – this one was bought by Alfie Cheyne, Mayen Farms, Huntly.

By a long way the biggest buyer at the sale – he bought 20 head to start a new fold on the estate that he has owned for 11 years – and he said local lad, Ellis Mutch, would be in charge of managing the new Mayen fold.

Making the same money was the unplaced two-year-old bull, Ringo Ruadh of Tippetcraig, from the Burns family, Tippetcraig, High Bonnybridge. Reserve male champion on his only other show outing at Stars of the Future in 2022, the son of Black Prince of Dumyat out of Lorna Dubh 2nd of Craigluscar, he was chapped down to Colledge Eschler, Landello, Wales.

The final bull at 6500gns was Prionnsa Dubh of Cross Reguill, from JS and R Harris, South Shields, Strathaven. A second prize-winner, he goes off for work with Hope and Melness Farms, Braesgill, Lairg, Sutherland, which is owned by Anders Povlson.

Putting the 8000gns ceiling on the female trade was Claggorm 62nd of Glengarnock from veteran breeder, Andrew Kirkpatrick, from Beith. Bred out of a family which had the female championship at the Royal Highland in 2007, this three-year-old heifer is by Ian Ruadh of Glenkinglass, a sire which had cost 3000gns when bought at Oban a few years back. This one is off for ET work with Angus MacGillivray’s Highland Cattle Services, which is based at Benderloch, near Oban.

Alfie Cheyne’s shopping list included the second top female in the sale and the show leader, Ken Brown’s Una Ruadh 13th of Craigowmill, an in-calf heifer carrying to Lasgaire 21st Vom Lehstener Moor from Kinross. She’s by Ruaridh of Ubhaidh and made 7000gns.

Heading with her on the same float home at 6500gns was the reserve female champion, the three-year-old Lady Ruadh 14th of Pollok, from a fold which is run by Glasgow City Council. Prionnsa 2nd of Balmoral was the sire of this one. Also joining them was the second placed two-year-old heifer, Bachy of Cross Reguill from the Harris team – she's by Black Prince of Ranch and out of Bachy of Commore and was taken to 5500gns.

Reserve female, Lady Ruadh 14th of Pollock, 6500gns

Grant Hyslop, Glentewing, Crawfordjohn got the same money for Mollaig of Black Glen, a two-year-old which won Biggar Show last year, which went on to be senior female champion and reserve overall senior at Stars of the Future. By Eoin Mhor 30th of Mottistone and out of Mollaig 2nd of Edgerston, she was bought by B and T Kitson, Hutton Rudby, Yarm, North Yorks.

Champion young handler from a big line-up of youngsters was 14-year-old Ruairidh Mackay from Balfron Station, near Glasgow. He was judged ahead of Mack Young from the junior section.

Two veterans of the breed celebrated their 80th birthday on the day of the Oban sale. Well-known stockman Ritch Thomson and veteran breeder David ‘Doc’ Dickson of the Lyntoun herd were given a round of applause from the ringside.

Ken Fletcher

Download Sale Average List

Prize list

2 year old Bulls

Class 1
1st Harry of Sguir Mor | William Maclean
2nd Prionnnsa Dubh of Cross Reguill | J S and R Harris
3rd Lord Mosscastle 4th of Goldenberry | Alan Kennedy
4th Callum Dubh of Cailaich | R and S Strachan

Class 2
1st Murchadh Ruaridh of Luruha | Lurg and Townhead Farms
2nd Robertson of Glengoyne | Ewan Mackay
3rd Domnhull Ruadh of Pennygown farm | The firm of D J MacGillivray
4th Macphail Mor of Glengoyne | Ewan Mackay

Class 3
1st Eoin Mhor of Lyntoun | David R Dickson
2nd Fingal 4th of Culfoich | J and M McConachie
3rd Molach Ruadh of Glengorm | Glengorm
4th Angus Og of Cnoc Na Sith | Iain Mackay and Claire Simonetta

Best 2 year old Bull

Harry of Sguir Mor | Willie MacLean

Reserve

Murchadh Ruaridh of Luruha | Lurg and Townhead Farms

Senior Bulls

Class 4
1st Ceiteach of Borland | Mr K Howman
2nd Thomas of Callachally | H and E MacPhail
3rd Tomag of Teaghlach | Dempster Family
4th Brodie 4th of Culfoich | J and M McConachie

Class 5
1st Jock of Glenkinglass | Mr R D Schuster
2nd Hassel of Agervig | Mr Jorn Uhre
3rd Alasdair 1st of Stockley | Peter and Sue Smith
4th Muran Erchie 3rd of Ardbhan | Mr and Mrs A A MacDonald

Best Senior Bull

Ceiteach of Borland | Mr K Homan

Reserve

Thomas of Callachally | H and E MacPhail

Aged Bulls

Class 6
1st Eoin Mhor 31st of Mottistone | Balrownie Farm
2nd Yogi of Tordarroch | Low Butterby Farm
3rd Prionnsa Archie of Craigluscar Farm | R S Buglass

Best Aged Bull

Eion Mhor of Mottistone | Balrownie Farm

Reserve

Yogi of Tordarroch | Low Butterby Farm

Yearling Bulls

Class 7
1st Ben Cruchan 4th of Castles Estate | Castles Estate
2nd Tearlich of Eastertyre | SDPN LTD
3rd Sean Feal of Tregallon | Alastair Fitzsimon
4th Jaxson of Maol | A and L Prentice

Class 8
1st Fear Baidhel of Eilean Mor | Karen and Michael MacGregor
2nd Kerr of Gartocharn | Mr and Mrs J S McKechnie
3rd Hector Mhor of Cnoc Na Sith | Iain Mackay and Claire Simonetta
4th Geordie of Glengarnock | A and H Kirkpatrick

Best Yearling Bull

Ben Cruchan 4th of Castles Estate | Castles Estate

Reserve

Fear Baidheal of Eilean Mor | Karen and Michael MacGregor

Male Champion

Harry of Sguir Mor | Willie MacLean

Reserve

Murchadh Ruaridh of Luruha | Lurg and Townhead Farms

Senior Heifers

Class 9
1st Una Ruadh 13th of Craigowmill | Ken and Eva Brown
2nd Beitidh Dhubh 10th of Craigowmill | Ken and Eva Brown
3rd Auld’s 12th of Craigowmill | Ken and Eva Brown
4th Lady Alma 12th Of Pollok | Glasgow City Council

Best Senior Heifer

Una Ruadh 13th of Craigowmill | Ken and Eva Brown

Reserve

Beitidh Dhubh 10th of Craigowmill | Ken and Eva Brown

3 year old Heifers

Class 10
1st Lady Ruadh 14th of Pollok | Glasgow City Council
2nd Bernice 21st of Tordarroch | Tordarroch Estates
3rd Claggorm 62nd of Glengarnock | A and H Kirkpatrick
4th Capleadh 3rd of Achnagoul | CCR Mackay

Best 3 year old Heifer

Lady Ruadh 14th of Pollok | Glasgow City Council

Reserve

Bernice 21st of Tordarroch | Tordarroch Estates

2 year old Heifers

Class 11
1st Mollaig of Black Glen | Grant Hyslop
2nd Bachy of Cross Reguill | J S and R Harris
3rd Alice 3rd of Hunters | Stephen and Rosemary Hunter
4th Duchess 4th of Black Glen | Grant Hyslop

Class 12
1st Furan Beathag of Luruha | Lurg and Townhead Farms
2nd Conni 2nd of Gartocharn | Mr and Mrs J S McKechnie
3rd Glormhor 3rd of Hope | Braesgill Ltd
4th April Ruadh 8th of Glengarnock

Class 13
1st Barabel Beathag Beurrach of Cragganvallie | James Foster
2nd Eileen 5th of Killichries | Killochries fold
3rd Iseabel 2nd of Teaghlach | Dempster family
4th Princess 36th of Killochries | Killochries fold

Best 2 year old Heifer

Mollaig of Black Glen | Grant Hyslop

Reserve

Furan Beathag of Luruha | Lurg and Townhead Farms

Yearling Heifers

Class 14
1st Beauty of Cawthorne | Cannon Hall Farm
2nd Bachy 2nd of Cross Reguill | J and S R Harris
3rd Diorbhail 2nd of Achnacroish | Stuart McKay

Class 15
1st Furan Beathag 3rd of Luruha | Lurg and Townhead Farms
2nd Loachag of Luruha | Lurg and Townhead Farms
3rd Annan Ruadh 1st of Torr Ban | Eilidh and Kate MacKay
4th Bonnie Gheal 4th of Balemartine | The Armstrong family

Class 16
1st Seonaig 3rd of Balemartine | The Armstrong family
2nd Buidheag Alainn 9th of Ardbhan | Mr and Mrs A A MacDonald
3rd Monica of Cnoc Na Sith | Iain Mackay & Claire Simonetta
4th Mairearad Dhearg of Ardbhan | Mr and Mrs A A MacDonald

Class 17
1st Iseabel 3rd of Teaghlach | Dempster family
2nd Muran Mhilis of Ardbhan | Mr and Mrs A A MacDonald
3rd Monica 16th of Cnoc Na Sith | Iain MacKay and Claire Simonetta
4th Suairceag 3rd of Hope | Braesgill Ltd

Best Yearling Heifer

Beauty of Cawthorne | Cannon Hall Farm

Reserve

Furan Beathag 3rd of Luruha | Lurg and Townhead Farms

Female Champion

Una Ruadh 13th of Craigowmill | Ken and Eva Brown

Reserve

Lady Ruadh 14th of Pollok | Glasgow City Council

Best Pair of Females

Pollok fold

Best Presented Exhibit

Brodie 4th of Culfoich | shown by Kerie McConachie
Judged by Jim Ogston

Young Handlers

Aged 13 years and under
1st Mack Young
2nd Iona Park
3rd Ewan Brains
4th Seamus Foster

Champion young handler — Champion senior young handler, Ruairidh Mackay

14 to 18 years
1st Ruairidh Mackay
2nd Isla Mackay
3rd Page Windell
4th Kelsae Prentice

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