Charolais bulls sale hits high figures; farming.

CHAROLAIS bulls met a solid trade, peaking at 25,000gns, in Perth, with a new UK all beef breeds average of pounds 5,049 established for 140 lots traded.

Those figures represented the highest number of bulls of any breed coming under the hammer sold during the week's autumn multi-breed sales and a 72% clearance.

Once again, North-East Charolais breeders, the Campbell family, were among the sale leaders. At 14,000gns, Thrunton Athos, who is in the breed's top 1% with a Beef Value of CH35, sold to CE Smith, Keelby, South Humberside.

Bred by Ian, John and their father, Colin Campbell, of Thrunton, Alnwick, this March 2005 born entry offered a superb blend of genetics. Athos was by the 15,000gns Carlisle champion, Burradon Talisman who sired Thrunton Voldemort, the record 55,000gns and February 2006 Perth intermediate champion, and he was out of a homebred dam from their 120-cow herd, going back to the 25,000gns Maerdy Location.

Athos led a string of Talisman sired bulls bred and exhibited by the Campbells, each of which consistently demonstrated length, scale and quality conformation backed by top performance data.

Their next best at 10,000gns was 18-month-old Thrunton Aramis CH34 who was out of a homebred cow by the 25,000gns Perth supremo, Mowbraypark Orlando. The buyer was David Grant, farm manager to Gelston Castle Farms, Boreland of Kelton, Castle Douglas.

Thrunton Apollo CH34, another March 2005 born Talisman son and this time out of a homebred cow by the 20,000gns Moncur General, made 8,500gns to A and H Sim and Son, Monymusk, Inverurie.

Thrunton Alamo CH28, a June 2005 born entry whose dam was by Blelack Jaguar, went for 7,200gns to Conon Brae Farms, Dingwall, Ross-shire. Finally, the Border Union and Berwickshire show champion, Thrunton Aristocrat CH34 (January 2005), who goes back to Blanerne Fearless, was sold for 6,500gns to breed newcomer, John Rix, of Colchester, Essex.

Other northern bred bulls in the money included Edenhurst Athos CH32, the highest entry from Peter Vasey, Wetheral, Carlisle, at 9,000gns. The 19-month-old Athos was among the first crop of calves by Edenhurst Titus, a Knockane Pilot son, and whose dam goes back to Mountpleasant Arizona, one of the 50-cow herd's foundation females. He continued his journey further north with George Wordie, one of the north-east of Scotland's largest suckled calf producers based at Glass, Huntly.

Another Titus son, this time the July 2005 born Edenhurst Aramis CH40 was among the last, but not least entries to come under the hammer sold when he made 7,500gns to SW Mather and Sons, Fern, Brechin, Angus.

Billy Turner, of Skelton-on-Ure, Ripon, was again in the limelight when a couple of Brampton bulls were placed in the final judging line-up. Securing the reserve intermediate championship was Brampton Albert CH41 who sold for 12,000gns to Jim Muirhead, Letham Grange, Arbroath, Angus. This 18-month-old was by Brampton Ronaldo, who has bred several class winners, and his grand dam was the noted 17-year-old Brampton Hairbell, who remains an active breeding female within the North Yorkshire based herd.

The reserve senior title went to Brampton Venetian CH21, a rising two-year-old by the home bred Brampton Temperature and out of a homebred cow.