First lot through the ring at the Santa Maria dispersal sale held at Shrewsbury Auction Centre on behalf of Tony Vasami, Ceredigion was Rempstone 1 Bertha H311. The 2019 Royal Highland Show senior female champion which sold at 3,000gns to its breeder M Ludgate, Thame, Oxfordshire. Born in May 2014, it is a Solpoll 1 Hollywood son, out of Llancillo Hall Bertha 3^rd and was purchased for the Santa Maria herd at the 2019 Designer Genes sale.

Split from its Moralee 1 Rebel Kicks sired bull calf in the ring, Santa Maria 1 AJ sold separately at 1,100gns to Ian Braithwaite, Wolverhampton, seeing the outfit generate 4,100gns.

Dendor 1 Greta 29th with Gouldingpoll 1 Stockman sired bull calf Santa Maria 1 Alcatraz was secured by Keadyview Livestock Services, Welshpool at 3,000gns. The same buyer was successful in securing Claxton 1 Catherine Of Aragon, a 2018-born cow with a Gouldingpoll 1 Stockman sired heifer calf at-foot for 2,600gns.

Moralee 1 Kylie KS S10 with its Moeskear Waterloo bull calf reached 2,400gns, secured by JA Pudge for the Black Hall Herd.

In-calf heifers peaked at 2,200gns for Sky High 1 Demeter, daughter of Alderville 1 Diane, due in January 2024 to Gouldingpoll 1 Duncan purchased by Messrs J and R Hall, Warwickshire. Maiden heifers were again topped by Sky High breeding in the form of Lady Lambo, the daughter of Gouldingpoll 1 Duchess 967 which sold for 1,800gns to JA Pudge.

The Moralee reduction of cattle entered by Tom and Di Harrison, Mickley, Northumberlad saw a great trade for young cows and calves topping at 2,200gns for Moralee 1 Twinkle Gem KS T3, a powerful King Size daughter with Moralee 1 RHS Prince KR R8 daughter at-foot secured by Hesketh Farm, Yorkshire. Other heifers with calves from the Moralee stable sold at 2,100gns. Moralee-bred maiden heifers topped with Moralee 1 Willow Gem TE279, out of the aforementioned Moralee 1 Twinkle Gem KS T3, it is by Dendor 1 Tecwyn and at 14 months old sold for 1,650gns to JA Pudge.

Other cow and calf outfits peaked at 2,400gns for Graham Shepherd’s Moorside 1 New Dawn 6th, a heifer sired by the 13,000gns Coley 1 Pilot with a Hoghton View 1 Jackaroo sired heifer calf at-foot.

Commercial Hereford cross outfits from MA De Quincey saw rapid interest peaking at £1,900 for a 2018 cow and heifer calf at-foot.

Humblebee Grange herd reduction section of the sale, held on behalf of Derbyshire-based Walker Farms saw cows and calves reach 1,700gns for Humblebee Grange 1 Diadem 3rd bred from the Laxfield Diadem line with its April 2023-born Fabb 1 Push Over sired bull calf. These outfits consistently sold between 1,450gns and 1,650gns. The 2020-born stock bull Humblebee Grange 1 Victory attracted great interest and achieved 2,800gns for use on a local dairy farm.

Auctioneers: Halls

Averages: 60 cows and calves, £1,744.67; 1 in-calf cow, £1,102.50; 13 pedigree maiden heifers, £1,373.08; 2 pedigree stock bulls, £2,336.25; 4 pedigree in-calf heifers, £1,824, 2 embryos, £100