A new world record price of 70,000 guineas (equivalent to £73,500) was set for the Charolais breed today (Wednesday, February 19th) on the last day of United Auction’s (UA’s) Perth Bull Sales.
Surpassing the previous record of 56,000 guineas, set in 1989, it establishes a new record for Scotland and for UA’s Stirling Agricultural Centre, the venue for the world-famous event.
It also achieves the Continental breed record average price – of £6,279 on 97 animals sold.
The Charolais bull, called Barnsford Ferny, took less than two minutes in the sale ring to attract the record-breaking price, sold by Stirling auctioneer David Brown.
Known as ‘Ferny’, the 17-month-old bull was bred and exhibited by Tom and Sheena Gatherer from Barnsford, Inchinnan, Glasgow. He is their first ever homebred beast to go through the ring and was sold to Charlie Boden of Mellor, Stockport.
“Achieving this price was beyond our wildest dreams,” said Sheena. “Being the first animal ever to sell we really had no idea how things would go, however as soon as he arrived at the mart, he amassed a number of admirers.”
With a herd of only three cows, the couple, who both work full time for the SPCA, established a pedigree Charolais herd on their 65-acre smallholding in 2007 with bull Alwent Broom, an early 50th birthday present for Tom.
Mr Boden said that Ferny had the size, scale, scope and muscle: “I needed a bull, and he was the boy. He looks like a real Charolais and he has the figures to match in particular for birthweight and eye muscle.”
David Leggat MBE, Executive Chairman of United Auctions, said: “It’s tremendously exciting to achieve a record price and to have a bull of such outstanding calibre through the ring. For the first-time sellers, a result like this is like a fairytale and it brings to a fantastic end a very successful Bull Week.”
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Issued by JK Consultancy Ltd on behalf of United Auctions. For further information please contact:
United Auctions – Jenny Kumar on 07989 557198 or jenny@jkconsultancy.com
British Charolais Cattle Society – Liz Snaith on 07974 678833 or liz@lizsnaithconsultants.com
United Auctions – www.uagroup.co.uk
United Auctions (UA) are Scotland’s leading livestock auctioneers and procurement specialists. We operate a network of different auction markets across Scotland, including Stirling, Huntly, Lairg, Dalmally, Tiree, Islay, South Uist and an area office and lairage facility at Oban.
