SOCIETY SALES 124th ANNUAL AUTUMN SALE
Sunday 10th & Monday 11th October, 2021 Averages: 3 three-year-old heifers, £6300; 6 twoyear-old heifers, £1872.50; 13 yearling heifers, £2511.92; 11 heifer calves, £2166.81. The Highland Cattle Society’s annual autumn show and sale made a welcome return to Oban Livestock Centre this week, where a top price of 10,000gns was achieved for the overall champion from the McConachie family’s Culfoich fold. Breeders witnessed increased averages compared to the previous sale held in 2019, particularly for younger females as yearling heifers traded £1393.17 dearer on the year, while heifer calves increased by £1248.06.
Sobhrach 2nd of Eilean Mor, 9000gns.
Also achieving a personal best for the couple when sold to Balrownie Farms, Brechin, was the three-yearold heifer champion Sobhrach 2 of Eilean Mor, which is due to calve in March to Harris of Balemartine. Backed with successful breeding lines behind her, she is sired by Ceannard 16 of Cnoc, out of a previous Sobhrach of Eilean Mor, and is a full sister to the reserve female champion in 2019 which sold for 8000gns.
Carlin 6th of Culfoich, 10,000gns.
Securing a personal best of 10,000gns for past president Gordon McConachie, and his family who run 20 females near Grantown-on-Spey, was Carlin 6 of Culfoich, which judge Jim McKechnie, France Farm, Gartocharn, tapped out as champion the previous day. This April, 2020-born heifer shown by daughter Rachael, is by the 3600gns Jacob 2 of Benmore, which stood male champion at the Royal Highland Show in 2019, and previously bred two yearling female champions at Oban for the family. Bred out of Laria 1 of Culfoich, which won the junior championship at the Royal Highland Show in 2010, this rising yearling heifer sold to Germany with Falko Steinberg, who purchased his first Highlander at Oban in 1988 and now runs 17 breeding females.
Banrigh 10th of Hyndford, 7000gns.
Lanarkshire breeder Alan Prentice, of the Hyndford fold, Ravenstruther, sold his dearest female to date when his three-year-old heifer, Banrigh 10 of Hyndford, made 7000gns. This heifer is by Alasdair 4 of Douglas, a bull which has done well for Alan on the show circuit, and is bred out of Banrigh 4 of Hyndford. In-calf to Torquil 2 of Ubhaidh, she was purchased by Ewen Macmillan, Lurg, Fintry. It was a particularly memorable day for The Applecross Trust team from Strathcarron, when they topped the heifer calf trade at 6700gns, after returning to the sale ring for the first time in 35 years.
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