135th Annual Spring Sale 2026

Society Sale

13 Feb

After a shaky start when the first 10 animals passed unsold, the Highland Cattle trade at Oban on Monday got on to a more even keel - and by the end of a hard day in the rostrum for auctioneer, Raymond Kennedy, every age group section recorded a lift in averages from last year.

Capping it all was a new male record price of 34000gns paid for the three-year-old Jock of Cnoc na Sith, from the Isle of Mull team of Iain MacKay and his partner, Claire Simonetta. This second prize-winner came packed with home breeding having been sired by Alastair of Cnoc na Sith and out of Monica 3rd of Cnoc na Sith and was giving the Torloisk Farm pairing their first ever five-figure price.

Making the final bid was Angus MacGillivray, from Dalmally, who was adding to his Blasta Mhor fold of 60 animals that he runs in partnership with Australian lawyer, Paul Reese, from Sydney.

“The plan is to initially take semen from him for export to Australia before running him with our current fold of 12 cows, which might be added to in the coming months,” said Mr MacGillivray. The fruits of work done a year ago recently came to be when the first ET-calf was born in Australia and sired by a £12,000 privately bought Callachally bull that Angus had seen on Mull.

Taking the second top price of 11,000gns was Gordon McConachie of Grantown-on-Spey. He got that trade for the third-placed Fingal 5th of Culfoich, a son of Bryden 2nd of Culfoich which caught the eye when being placed junior champion at last year’s Royal Highland Show - and was following in the footsteps of his sire which had been male champion at the National Show, at Turriff in 2022.

Having been brought out by Gordon and Alison McConachie’s daughter Rachael, he went home with local breeder Duncan Buchanan to head up his Shenavallie fold, at Benderloch.

Four bulls hit the 10k target, with the first of those being the champion two-year-old bull and overall male winner, Fear a Ghlinne of Black Glen, from Grant Hyslop, Glentewing, Crawfordjohn, in Lanarkshire.

This son of Seumus of Craigowmill and out of Eilidh Flora of Auchenrier already has a kist-ful of rosettes to his name having been successful shown last year, including being reserve junior male at the Royal Highland before being made breed champion at the LiveScot calf show on his last outing of 2025. Giving the final nod on this red bull, was Kevin Lee Rice of Detling, Maidstone, Kent.

That price was matched by the reserve two-year-old bull Ruiridh of Airyolland, the first animal to be sold by Neale and Janet McQuistin, from High Airyolland, New Luce, Newton Stewart. The husband and wife team run a highly successful tourism and educational business centred around their Highland cows called Kitchen Coos and Ewes and have had Highland Cattle for around two decades.

This one was bred from the home-bred Sineag 4th of Airyolland and sired by Ruaridh 2nd of Glengorm and brought out for the sale by Dexter and Caroline Logan, from Alva. After the sale he headed back to his sire’s home with Tom Nelson of Glengorm Castle, Tobermory, Mull.

One of the biggest folds of Highland Cattle in the world was another to hit the 10k mark. This was the MacDonald family’s Coinneach of Ardbhan, which was bred in their extensive farming operation on North Uist, with the sire being Ruaridh of Craigowmill and the dam being Eilidh Bhuidhe of Ardbhan, a cow which goes back to a sire which put the fold on the world map, Gilleaspuig of Tiretigan.

This one is off to work with the Carnegie family, Kevin, Dylan and Ryan, who farm at Balrownie, Brechin in Angus, where they have a history adding some top purchases to their quality fold of Highland cattle.

The final bull at the five-figure mark was a first prize senior from J S and R Harris of South Shields, Strathaven, Lanarkshire. This was Prionnsa Ruadh of Cross Reguill, a red son of Black Prince of Ranch which is half brother to a 6500gns sale two years ago. Bred out of Dosan of Commore, this one left Oban for the short sea journey to Mull with Bob and Shirley Strachan, Caillaich, Calgary.

The top priced yearling bull was the Burns family’s Tiger of Tippetcraig, from Tippetcraig, High Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire. Second-placed in his class, this son of Black Prince of Dumyat and out of Catriona Akeko 2nd of Mottistone – which had cost 6500gns when bought at that fold’s dispersal sale – went for 3500gns to Anthony Kitson, Hutton Rudby, Yarm, North Yorkshire.

Quality females were also in demand at the sale, with trade here topping at 8000gns for the reserve three-year-old heifer, Kirsty 9th of Gartocharn, from Jim and Catherine Ethel McKechnie, France Farm, Gartocharn. The background to this one is Brodie of Culfoich on to Kirsty Morag of Ubhaidh and this combination produced a heifer which did well during the 2024 and 2025 show season, most notably being overall champion at Drymen Show last year.

Kevin and Sonya Fletcher, from Coul Estate, Crathie Lodge, Laggan, were the final bidders on this red youngster which will be bred from this coming year.

Fairly new Highland cattle breeder, Ewen McMillan, Lurg and Townhead Farms, Fintry, had two entries with both getting into the top bracket at Oban. Both brought out for sale by the Logan team, his dearest, at 6500gns, was Cally of Luruha, a red three-year-old heifer by Cameron of Sguir Mor out of Cally of Mottistone. This one was purchased by Huruco Rare Breeds, an educational and tourism business based near Sheffield.

The same purchaser also went to 5000gns to take home another star from Neale and Janet McQuistin. This was the three-year-old red heifer, Sheila Beg 4th of Airyolland, another by Ruiridh 2nd of Glengorm.

Glen Muirhead, Carse of Trowan, Blair Atholl, bought the other big priced Luruha heifer, Nighean Ruadh 2nd, paying 5000gns to get the privilege of getting a daughter of Cameron of Sguir Mor this time out of Nighean Ruadh of Shellachan.

The two-year-old champion, Boidheach Ruadh 11th of Broomrig, from Doug Fountain, Broomrigg, Lochmaben, attracted a 5500gns bid from Coul Estate. By Asainte of Strathellie, she was out of Boidheach Ruadh 7th of Broomrigg, marking the sale of the last of Broomrigg breeding.

Angus MacGillivray and Paul Reese got in on the top female action by paying 4200gns for the leading yearling heifer. This was the reserve youngster, Magaidh 3rd of Cross Requill, from the Harris family, which was almost the same way bred as their 10000gns bull.

The popular young handler section at the show prior to the sale saw Emily Armstrong from Tiree take the overall title after winning the senior section, just ahead of young Ruby Rowbottom, winner of the juniors. Full details below.

Auctioneers: UA Oban

Download Sale Average List

Prize list

2 year-old bulls

Class 1
1st Dan.D.Lion of Allanfearn | Maureen MacArthur and John Ashton
2nd Eachann Buidhe of Balrownie | Balrownie Farm
3rd Bothan of Benmore | Emma Paterson
4th Robert of Cawthorne | Cannon Hall Farm

Class 2
1st Alistair Dubh of Pollok | Glasgow City Council
2nd Ruaridh of Benin Ard | Falko Steinberg
3rd Nechtan of Benmore | Emma Paterson
4th Ivor of Douglas | Alan MacKinnon

Class 3
1st Ruaridh of Airyolland | Neale and Janet McQuistin
2nd Gille Ruadh of Airyolland | Neale and Janet McQuistin
3rd FIngal of Culfoich | J and M McConachie and Son
4th Pibroch of Lyntoun | David R DicksonBest 2 year old Bull

Class 4
1st Fear A Ghlinne of Black Glen | Grant Hyslop
2nd Struan Garbh of Corntown | Ron MacLean
3rd Angus if Tweedglen | Alan MacKinnon
4th Calum Ruadh of Tordarroch | Tordarroch Estate

Best 2 year-old bull

Fear A Ghlinne of Black Glen | Grant Hyslop

Reserve

Ruaridh of Airyolland | Neale and Janet McQuistin

Senior bulls

Class 5
1st Alexander of Blairordens | Robert Fletcher
2nd Eoin Mhor of Barna | Morag Middleton
3rd Angus of Goldenberry | Alan Kennedy
4th Macsaul of West Edmondsley | Gary Braines

Class 6
1st Prionnsa Ruadh of Cross Reguill | J S and R Harris
2nd Jock of Cnoc Na Sith | Iain Mackay and Claire Simonetta
3rd Coinneach of Ardbhan | The MacDonald family
4th Muran Ruaridh of Ardbhan | The MacDonald family

Best senior bull

Alexander of Blairordens | Robert Fletcher

Reserve

Eoin Mhor of Barna | Morag Middleton

Aged bulls

Class 7
1st Ross of Rhudle | Duncan Buchanan
2nd Uisdean of Cragganvallie | James Foster

Best aged bull

Ross of Rhudle | Duncan Buchanan

Reserve

Uisdean of Cragganvallie | James Foster

Yearling bulls

Class 8
1st Hector of Eilean Mor | Karen and Michael MacGregor
2nd Tiger of Tippetcraig | The Burns family
3rd Anndra of Ardalanish | A and A Smith
4th Seumas Ruadh of Dunach | Lord Denham

Best yearling bull

Hector of Eilean Mor | Karen and Michael MacGregor

Reserve

Tiger of Tippetcraig | The Burns family

Male champion

Fear A Ghlinne of Black Glen | Grant Hyslop

Reserve

Alexander of Blairordens | Robert Fletcher

3 year-old heifers

Class 9
1st Nighean Ruadh of Luruha | Lurg and Townhead Farms
2nd Kirsty 9th of Gartocharn | Mr and Mrs J McKechnie
3rd Cally of Luruha | Lurg and Townhead Farms
4th Sheila Beg 4th of Airyolland | Neale and Janet McQuistin

Best 3 year-old heifer

Nighean Ruadh of Luruha | Lurg and Townhead Farms

Reserve

Kirsty 9th of Gartocharn | Mr and Mrs J McKechnie

2 year-old heifers

Class 10
1st Boidheach Ruadh of Broomrigg | Mr and Mrs D Fountain
2nd Conni of Gartocharn | Mr and Mrs J McKechnie
3rd Siusan Ruadh 73rd of Pollok | Glasgow City Council
4th Bracken Rose of Cawthorne | Cannon Hall Farm

Best 2 year-old heifer

Boidheach Ruadh of Broomrigg | Mr and Mrs D Fountain

Reserve

Conni of Gartocharn | Mr and Mrs J McKechnie

Yearling heifers

Class 11
1st Lyla Sofia of Cawthorne | Cannon Hall Farm
2nd Bean Ruadh 83rd of Leys | Leys Castle Farm
3rd Neoinean 3rd of Achnagoul | Mr A R MacKay
4th Caileag Ruadh of Achnagoul | Mr A R MacKay

Class 12
1st Mairi Mhor of Glennassan Estate | Auchencaurn Forest LLP
2nd Muran Mosscastle Ruadh of Ardbhan | The MacDonald family
3rd Maree Sorcha 2nd of Ardalanish - A and A Smith
4th Isla Ruadh 1st of Balemartine | The Armstrong family

Class 13
1st Magaidh 3rd of Cross Reguill | J S and R Harris
2nd Lili Ann Luchmhor of Ardbhan | The MacDonald family
3rd Fraochan Foiseil of Ardbhan | The MacDonald family
4th Dileas Dhearg 4th of Ardalanish | A and A Smith

Best yearling heifer

Mairi Mhor of Glennassan Estate | Auchencaurn Forest LLP

Reserve

Magaidh 3rd of Cross Reguill | J S and R Harris

Female champion

Nighean Ruadh of Luruha | Lurg and Townhead Farms

Reserve

Kirsty 9th of Gartocharn | Mr and Mrs J McKechnie

Best pair of heifers

Lurg and Townhead Farms

Young handlers

Aged 10-15 years
1st Ruby Rowbottom
2nd Ethan Braines
3rd Seamus Foster
4th Isla Hall

16 to 26 years
1st Emily Armstrong
2nd Isla McKay
3rd Callum MacKay
4th Kate Cameron

Champion young handler

Emily Armstrong

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