Patron: His Majesty King Charles III

South Devon Midland Club Breeders Club Sale 2014

EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEWCOMERS TO SOUTH DEVON BREED AT STRATFORD

Not a single additional animal could have been squeezed into the Stratford Livestock Market for the South Devon Midland Club Breeders Club Sale, and the catalogue provided a wide choice for buyers to select both specialist breeding genetics, and foundation stock from the dispersal of the Fosmac herd of pedigree South Devons.

Knightcote Tudor 6 - Highest Price

Knightcote Tudor 6 - Highest Price

Vendors brought cattle from as far away as Northumberland to this well-established annual sale, known for its quality of stock and high standards of inspection.  “Kivells director and auctioneer Mark Bromell commented, “It was great to see Stratford Market full to the brim with South Devon Cattle, providing a great selection of quality breeding for purchasers and demonstrates the popularity of the Midland Club Sale.”

Judge, Lionel Pascoe travelled up from the far west of Cornwall, and selected his male champion from a solid line of bulls - A & C Farms’ Langham’s Kubla 2.  By last year’s South Devon National Show breed champion and record price making sire AI X Mutterton Ashton Bitter, this bull is out of a high ranking cow family from the Yorkshire Brafferton herd, and was himself champion at the breed’s Smithfield pedigree calf show in 2012.

Female Champion: Welland Valley Claudia 10

Female Champion: Welland Valley Claudia 10

Female and breed champion was a very striking two year old heifer from Malcolm & Thelma Broome’s Leicestershire herd, Welland Valley Claudia 10.  Bloodlines go back to prize winning bull Welland Valley Crusader, and to the Kestle and Dunterton herds. 

In the sale ring prices topped for bulls at 3800 guineas for a homozygous polled bull from Hadley Farms Ltd, Leamington Spa, who sold to pedigree breeders Mr & Mrs J A Hopkins from Lympsham, Somerset.  Z Knightcote Tudor 6 is from solid polling lines going back to Countisbury and Polkinghorne bloodlines, and will only breed polled progeny.

Just behind at 3500 guineas was another polled bull, A R Lee’s Z Lumbylaw Jupiter 3, by Z Sexton General 23, who sold to G P Hubbard & Sons, from Lutterworth, Leicestershire.  Two more bulls sold for 3300 guineas each: A & P Rickett’s Juniper Midas selling to L Lane, Broughton Ashley, Leicestershire; and J P Harrison’s Brafferton Hadrian 23 selling to S E Aston, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

In the female section there was plenty of choice for buyers, and it was the female champion who topped the day at 3400 guineas to join R Webber’s herd near Chelmsford, Essex. 

A good consignment of two year old heifers from J G Williams & Sons, Craven Arms, Shropshire topped at 2500 guineas for Hopton Ruby 81 who sold to T H Davies, Colwyn Bay, Wales.  The same buyer acquired Hopton Ruby 78 and Hopton Ruby 79 for 2000 and 1550 guineas respectively.  Daylesford Organic Farms were in the market for strong well-bred bulling heifers, and bought a selection from the Grove, Rufford, Juniper and Macaroni herds, topping at 1750 guineas for Juniper Nancy.

The dispersal of the Fosmac herd of pedigree South Devons attracted a number of new and existing buyers, looking to secure strong foundation breeding stock.  Twenty cows with calves at foot topped at 1750 gns to D & L Farr from Leicestershire; and a yearling polled heifer led the younger section at 1000 gns to E T Jackson from Warwickshire.

Auctioneers: Messrs Kivells

Breed Chmapion Award

Breed Champion Award

Juniper Yearling Award

Juniper Yearling Award