Britain's oldest Beef Shorthorn herd achieved a top price of 5,100gns at last weekend's CCM Skipton's pedigree native cattle reduction sale.
Upsall, Britain’s oldest Beef Shorthorn herd – established well over a century ago - arrived on Saturday (7 August) with a 49-strong headcount.
It comprised of a comprehensive mix of maiden heifers from last year’s crop of calves, in-calf two-year-olds, cows and heifers with calves and a single 15-month-old bull.
Taking top call of 5,100gns (£5,355) was the EX90 Tessa X895 of Upsall, an eight-year-old daughter of Democrat of Upsall and herself mother of five.
From a long-established noted cow line – the dam was Tessa X397 - she sold with her adopted February-born heifer calf, Clipper X1552 of Upsall, a Crooked Post Drover daughter, to Steve Pullan, of Hill Top Farm, Summerbridge, who took home the three highest priced cow and calf oufits.
Also among the trio at 4,900gns was the very first outfit into the ring and another five-year-old mother of six, Augusta X95 of Upsall, by Atilla of Upsall, out of Augusta X710, with her March-born heifer calf, Augusta X1568 of Upsall, herself a daughter of Mandalong of Upsall, a son of the highly influential Firefox.
Next into the ring and again falling to Mr Pullan at 4,800gns were Jilt X1128 of Upsall, a February, 2016, daughter of Grenadier of Upsall, who is an eight-year-old son of the high achieving Australian bull, Belmore Patriarch.
Out of Jilt X975, she sold with her fifth calf at foot, Jilt X1601, by another well-utilised Firefox son, King David of Upsall, dual first prize winner at the Great Yorkshire Show, the cow having again been running with King David since June.
A retired exhibition contractor, Mr Pullan only started his small pedigree Beef Shorthorn herd last year and is trying to build with selective stock.
“The key advantage of the three Upsall buys is that they are all good quality cows with heifer calves at foot and all in-calf again,” he commented.
Two further cow and calf outfits achieved 4,300gns sales. First up was mother of seven, all but one females, Nonpareil X973 of Upsall, a 2014-born Belmont Patriarch daughter, out of Nonpareil Wendy of Upsall, and her June-born Mandalong of Upsall heifer calf, Nonpareil X1640. The buyer was Tim Riley, of Midgley, Hebden Bridge.
Claiming the same price was another 2014-born cow and mother of five, Secret X1015 of Upsall, by Chapeltown Winsome, out of Secret Roxanne of Upsall, with her May-born Nelson of Upsall heifer calf, Secret X1630.
The dam has again been running with Nelson, the outfit joining P Braithwaite, of Great Ayton, Scarborough.
The pick of the heifers and calves at 4,100gns was a 2018 Grenadier daughter, Nonpareil X1358 of Upsall, again out of Nonpareil X973, with her January-born Nonpareil X1546 heifer calf, by Lucca of Upsall, himself by the renowned Broughton Park Thunder. The outfit returned to its place of origin when joining Thirsk’s Laura Ingleby.
Maiden heifers were keenly sought, with two making joint top of 3,800gns. First in was the January, 2020, King David daughter, Clipper X1455 of Upsall, bred out of a Grenadier cow and claimed by DP&FM Day & Son, of Middlesborough, followed by the March, 2020, Firefox daughter, Augusta X1467 of Upsall, out of a Dingo of Upsall-sired cow, which joined Kendal’s M Robinson.
Best of the in-calf heifers at 3,200gns was the June, 2019, Marigold X1448 of Upsall, another Lucca daughter, which sold for 3,200gns to Burnley’s Jessica Swales, who took home three Upsall heifers in total.
Other prominent buyers at the sale included Kirkbymoorside’s H Barker and J Gibson, who claimed three outfits and three heifers - one at 3,500gns the May, 2020, Grenadier daughter, Augusta X1526 of Upsall - and New York Farms on Silsden Moor with a single cow and calf outfit and a brace of heifers.
The single young bull, the May, 2020, King David son, Patriot of Upsall, out of Secret X1015 of Upsall, found a new home in Malton with PW Pool at 3,300gns.
Top prices and averages: Cows with heifer calves to 5,100gns (av £4,914), cows with bull calves to 2,600gns (£2,295), heifers with heifer calves to 4,100gns, heifers with bull calves to 2,300gns. maiden heifers to 3,800gns (£2,604).
Additional lots of semen from three recognised Upsall sires, among them Belmont Patriarch, selling to £30 per straw.
Long-time Scottish stockman George McCulloch – he and his wife Maureen manage the herd on behalf of Mr Turton – said afterwards that he was “absolutely delighted” with the success of the sale.
