Norbreck sires steal show and top the sale at Carlisle

"Dafydd progeny won in the show ring but it was Empire D'Ochain that came out top in the sale ring"

It was the largest consignment of British Blue's ever seen at Carlisle and the quality of the stock on show was excellent. There was a good standard of locomotion throughout all the cattle with a strong group of excellent top males and females at the top of their classes. The quality was reflected in the fact that almost all the cattle put forward for sale were cleared through the ring.

Council member Mr Taylor travelled from Somerset awas impressed with the turnout of cattle - and also remarked on what was probably "the largest turnout at a Blue show" that he had seen.

    Overall Champion by Dafyyd                   Top price by Empire

Show Day - Progeny from Norbreck sires win ten of the classes

Show classes were dominated by Norbreck sires with 7 classes won by Dafydd progeny, and wins for a Tamhorn Sumo Empire D'Ochain sons too. Here are just a few comments from Philip Halhead on the classes he watched:

Class 7 - full of power and size

1st went to Richard Mowbray's Droit Casper by Tamhorm Sumo - a big powerful bull with scale and excellent EBV's. 2nd place also went to Richard with a Dafydd son Droit Chris. This bull also had great power and size.

Droit Casper by Tamhorn Sumo 1st and sold for 6500gns

Class 9 - First place for oldest son of Empire D'Ochain

Greystone Cannon, the July 07 son of Empire stood first in his class for the Coates family from Settle - he went on to sell for 11000 gns to GG Jenkins & Son from Dyffed. 2nd in the class was Rhymil Caradog, a powerful Dafydd son from Rhys Millichap who later sold for 6,000gns.

Greystone Cannon by Empire D'Ochain 1st and sold for 11000gns

Class 10 Great promise for Intermediate Male Champion

This class was in our opinion, the strongest class of the day and it was a tough decision for the judge between the first two bulls. It was Dragon Blues Champ the bull in 1st place that stood out for us. A great bull by Bringlee Volkawagon, we were able to jointly buy him with Jeff Walker from the Brennand Herd.

Phil Halhead saw this bull as a calf and has kept an eye on him ever since, deciding to partner with Jeff Walker who was looking for an outstanding bull to produce top class show calves for his suckler herd and also to use on his Blues.

Dragon Blues Champ, Intermediate Champion by Bringlee Volkawagon

Second place Empire D'Ochain son takes top price

Tamhorn Crackerjack ET, an August 07 born son of Empire D'Ochain took second place in the class, but he came out  top in the sale ring reaching top price of the day at 16000gns for Danny and Jane Wyllie. Good luck to H Harvey & Son who bought the bull to join their Waxham herd.

Tamhorn Crackerjack ET by Empire D'Ochain sold for 16000gns

Class 16 close call between Dafydd and Empire

Alan and Deidre Wilkinson's Springfield Dusty EY by Dafydd D'Ochain took 1st place and Junior Champion, later selling for 6000gns. It was a close call between the two bulls with Netherhall Dallas by Empire D'Ochain coming a close second for W Stewart.

Dafydd is first for females

Class 18 - Dafydd daughter takes first  and top price female

Cook and Colman's Broadlands Coral ET by Dafydd D'Ochain was 1st in her class on Friday and went on to sell for 7000gns . This stylish heifer was top price female in the sale and travelled back with Peter Jones & Sons to Ceredigion in Wales.

Broadlands Coral ET by Dafydd D'Ochain - 1st and top price female at 7000gns

Class 20 Sweet Candy heifer takes top honours

The Supreme overall champion of the day went to Croftends Candy ET, a sweet Blue heifer by Dafydd D'Ochain from the Bellas family. Owned by young Josh Bellas this heifer was sucessful in the show ring last year, she was later sold for 6,000gns to judge David Ellis from St Ives.

Candy is one of servaral daughters from the same flushing and she is in our opinion, the best daughter to date.

Croftends Candy ET, by Dafydd D'Ochain sold for 6000gns

Class 22 - two stylish Bluestone Union Jack heifers

Standing 2nd and 3rd were two heifers from Mark adn Elaine Hartley. Pendle Dazzle was reserve female champion at Agri Expo in October and she went on to sell for 6500gns with sister Dotty standing 3rd and selling for 4500gns. Blue Stone Union Jack has been a very consistent bull and has doen a great job for the Hartley family.

Class 24 - superb Dafydd heifer has a future

Brennan Asti, a Dafydd D'Ochain daughter from Jeff Walker took first place in her class. She is a superb young heifer with great potential adn was sold for 3200gns. Standing 2nd was Springfield Anastasia who took Championship honours at Cheshire County show in 2006 and 2007.

SALE DAY

A great day for Empire D'Ochain

The intermediate bulls were dominated by Empire sons who took 1st and 2nd prize tickets and averaged £12950 compared to the overall Intermediate bull average of £4823

Tamhorn Crackerjack ET by Empire - takes top price at 16,000gns

Greystone Cannon by Empire D'Ochain 1st and sold for 11000gns

Brookfield Columbus by Empire - sold for 10,000gns

Brookfield Columbus, another Empire son from Stephen Potter took to the ring and sold for 10,000. This helped the three Intermediate Empire bulls average a massive £12950 and shows confidence in the Empire breeding.

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