HEREFORD breeders travelled from across Britain and from as far afield as Holland came for the sale of SW Quan and Co’s border herd of Herefords at Halls, Shrewsbury.

The herd had been champion in the society herd competition for a record three times.

With a strong emphasis on breeding practical profitable and predictable animals through breed plan data developed from through 55 years of breeding, this pedigree herd had recently won the Llanwarne Agricultural Society’s best commercial beef herd.

The sale was topped by the 2014-born Border Roulette M31, sired by the Homebred Border Rory D35 and due in two months’ time to Hustyn Stormy after fierce bidding she sold for 4100gns to Mr Dai Walters of Aberdare, who was a volume buyer on the day securing 16 head in total, including the first lot in the ring Border Pansy P59 who was in calf with her 2nd calf due December for 3500gns.

Selling for 4000gns was the tremendous Border Oyster Gem M65, a 2014 cow with style in abundance seven months in calf to Border Mainstay. She moves to her new home with Mr G Mccreath of Staffordshire. 

Cows and calf were all sold separately on the day, but the top price combination was achieved by the heifer Border Beauty P64 and her daughter Beauty S46, both were fantastic examples of the breed, achieving 3100gns a piece selling to Mr Walters and Mr A J Crook of Startford-upon-Avon. The sale brought the outfit total value to 6200gns.

In-calf heifers sold from 1600gns to 3000gns for another member of the Roulette Family R36 due in September to Border Nimrod. She was secured by Mr Dai Walters.

Eight to 10-month-old heifer calves were topped at 3100gn as detailed above, followed at 2000gns for the Witherstone Archie daughter of the sales top price, secured by J Thompson of Ireland.

At 1800gns was the Border Nimrod N11 daughter Border Queen S1, this heifer was in the top one per cent of both the Terminal Sire and Self Replacing index.

Stock bulls topped at 3150gns for the 2014 Hustyn Stormy, secured by local farmer C Mannign.

The 10-month-old bull calves were always going to be the test of the sale and they were very well sold to top at 3000gn for Border Sentinal, a son of Witherstone Archie out of Pansy K43. He travels to Northern Ireland with David Smith.

Other 10mo bull calves sold to 1950gn for Border Steadfast, a Hustyn Stormy Son out of Ruth L28 this bull travels to Pembrokeshire with RG & RA Jones.

Auctioneer Jonny Dymond said: “The crowd throughout the sale has been fantastic from the very first lot to the last, ensuring a very strong trade for these consistently high-quality Herefords.

"It is a credit to Stan and Helen's lifetime of breeding animal.”

Averages: 59 in calf Cows £2145, 53 2018 Calves £1195.29, 9 In Calf Heifers £2228.33, 3 Stock Bulls £2485