Spring Show & Sale, Exeter, 3rd April 2024
Average bull prices rose by £476 for the South Devons’ Spring Show & Sale at Exeter, rising for the seventh year in succession, and by £661 for bulling heifers. The top price was set at 10,000 guineas with another nine bulls achieving in excess of 5,000 guineas. Breed Secretary Caroline Poultney commented, “The breed is deservedly receiving consistently higher prices in recognition of its money-earning high ranking traits; and it’s always great to welcome new breeders!”
In the show ring judge Julian White from Brampton Ash, Leicestershire found his male champion in Peter & Ashley Rowe’s Trewint herd, Menheniot, Cornwall – Trewint Captain, a March 2022-born bull by National Herd Competition 2023 best bull Trewint Carlos.
Reserve male champion was John Throssell & James Warwick’s Broompark Elsworth Lad (HP) from Holsworthy, Devon, a heterozygous polled bull by Colcharton Jupiter 3 and out of a Cutsey cow. This bull also took the award for best polled bull and was one of the reserve pair.
Best bull on a combination of Breedplan performance and inspection points was Reuben Saunders’ Boakley Tiberius, travelling down from Malmesbury, Gloucestershire. This bull is a high performing son of Royal Welsh Show breed winner in 2019, Grove Brutus 151.
Female champion was Waddeton Ann 217 carrying bloodlines including Edmeston, Polkinghorne and Ewefields. This two year old heifer beat the Pluess family’s Trevoulter Loeiza 2 into reserve position.
Prizes were presented in the show ring by newly elected Society President Rodger Laity from the renowned Polkinghorne herd from Hayle, Cornwall.
In the sale ring, the top price of 10,000 guineas went to Mervyn & Richard Rowe, Menheniot, Cornwall, for their heterozygous polled bull Tregondale Invincible 6 (HP). One of a consignment of three bulls from the Tregondale herd sired by Polkinghorne Indiana 2 (PP), this bull sold to R G Elliott & Son from Willoughby in Warwickshire.
Coming up behind were three bulls at 7,000 guineas: two for Peter & Ashley Rowe, Trewint Simpson and Trewint Captain who were the best pair of males selling respectively to Dunstall Estate, Burton-on-Trent and to Mr B Kingham, Aldbourne, Wiltshire; and for Colcharton Farm Partners’ Colcharton Clyde 7 (HP) selling to The Tully Partnership, Waddeton, Brixham, Devon.
Next came A E J & F J Claridge’s Knowlhill Patrick, travelling down from Middle Claydon, Buckinghamshire and selling to North Bovey breeder R J M Osborne & Sons for 6,200 guineas; Mervyn & Richard Rowe’s Tregondale Invincible 8 (HP) heading up to Haversham, Buckinghamshire for Andrew & Rachel Paton’s Swansway herd at 6,000 guineas; and R J Throssell & J A T Warwick’s Broompark Elsworth Lad (HP) selling for 5,800 guineas to T Bastard, Launceston, Cornwall.
A consignment of three smart Waddeton bulling heifers from The Tully Partnership sold, firstly for 2,700 guineas to A V & N Lee from Crediton, Devon and then two each for 2,500 guineas to The Benacre Estate, Beccles, Suffolk. Benacre also acquired a third heifer from G W J & L F Pluess from Bude, Cornwall for 2,500 guineas.
Averages: 23 x bulls £5,131 4 x heifers £2,678
Auctioneers: Kivells
