Spring Show and Sale 2025 Report
In a time of excellent beef prices there was a strong trade for South Devon bulls at Wednesday’s (9th April) Spring Show and Sale at Exeter Livestock Centre. This resulted in an increase in the average by £534 on last year’s sale, showing a positive trend for the eighth successive year.
Top price of the day at 9000gns was the reserve champion bull from Colcharton Farm Partners, Tavistock, Devon, in the form of Colcharton Clyde 9. A son of the 2019 top priced Trewint Clyde, he caught the eye of many and after some fierce bidding he was secured by M R and R J Rowe, Liskeard, Cornwall for their Tregondale herd. The Tregondale Herd had enjoyed success at the previous evenings AGM and awards by winning the Female of the Year for Tregondale Dewdrop 180. The Rowe family were clearly taken with Colcharton Clyde 9 with Richard commenting “We wanted a myostatin 0 bull to go with our myostatin 1 cows this season. He had a very correct tail setting, great top line through the shoulder and a good length. Really he was just our type of bull!”
Second best on the day was Boakley Emperor, a previous winner of the yearling bull class at the National Show and the winner of class two of the pre-sale show from R Saunders, Malmesbury, Wiltshire. Securing this one at 8000gns was C E Caunter and Son, Ipplepen, Devon. “Emperor is a lovely stamp of a bull that is everything I would be looking for, so I am excited to see what he produces going forward with Mr Caunter,” Reuben explained while reflecting on a very positive sale for the herd.
Three bulls followed closely behind with price tags of 7500gns, the first being Providence Major from S, L and J Tucker, Salcombe, Devon, a Sexton Majestic son. Out of a Mutterton bred female, this one being snapped up by S J and S M Ward, Truro, Cornwall.
At the same money was Colcharton Clyde 11. By the same sire as the top price bull from Colcharton Farm Partners, he was the pick of G Able and Sons, Tavistock, Devon. This animal will be heading to Dartmoor to put his stamp on a herd of cattle that hosted the Region 2 members last year for an evenings farm walk.
A C Luscombe and sons, East Allington, Devon, later won the bidding war to secure Godworthy King 2, a son of Mutterton Kingston Black, from R C Burrough and sons, Axminster, Devon, also at 7500gns.
Champion of the day, Trewint Capri, from father and son team Peter and Ashley Rowe, Liskeard, Cornwall, had the same sire as last year’s champion in the form of the renowned Trewint Carlos, the first placed bull in the 2023 National herd competition. Top of the pile to secure this one at 7000gns was D J Thomas and Son, Launceston, Cornwall, for their Treguddick herd.
A pair of bulls then capped at 6000gns, the first being another Trewint Carlos son in the form of Trewint Cornelius from previously mentioned vendors Messrs Rowe. A successfully shown yearling bull last year was the pick of C G Bonner and Son, Thornton, Buckinghamshire. The other was Waddeton Illustrious 8 from The Tully Partnership, Brixham, Devon, he finds his new home with R J Rew and Son, Newton Abbot, Devon.
D J Thomas and son were able to recoup some of their investment in selling Treguddick Proctar 4 for 5800gns to W P L Cowling and Son, Newquay, Cornwall. Following this one at 5500gns was Godworthy Astar 22 from Messrs Burrough, which was snapped up by W and H M Palmer and Son, Kingsbridge, Devon. Also, at 5500gns was Mutterton Harry Masters 4 from a prolific bull producing dam line, he heads North with Walton, Leicestershire-based G P Hubbard and Son.
The Tully Partnership were back in the limelight again with Waddeton Euclad 1, after winning class five at the pre-sale show, he sold to J A Perry and Sons, Lawhitton, Cornwall, capping off a successful sale with a good solid trade throughout for the better bulls.
Only two cows forward in the female section but they were well sold and sought after with a sale top price of 3500gns for the March 2017-born cow, Woodhayes Daffodil 65 from B G and J Z A Dart, Cullompton, Devon. This one is by Hawkley SAS Javelin and out of a home bred female by Edmeston Homer 1. Sold in calf to Rufford SAS Dillon, this one found a new home with Mr A Rew of Newton Abbot, Devon.
Averages: 26 bulls £5665; 2 cows £3412.50 (Kivells).
