Border British Blue Club 34th Annual Spring Show & Sale at Carlisle
Saturday 10th May 2025
A WORK OF ART AT CARLISLE AS 50,000GNS TATE TAKES BLUE RECORD FOR SOLWAY VIEW TEAM
Demand for pedigree British Blues met a record-breaking trade at the Border Club Spring show and sale at Carlisle on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th May 2025. There was a gallery of accolades for Kevin Watret, from Annan, Dumfriesshire, his senior male champion, male champion, and overall champion, Solway View Tate (ET), an April-2023 son of Boherard Overdose out of Solway View Katie (ET), the reserve male champion at the Royal Highland Show in 2024, achieved a scorching 50,000gns bid from pedigree breeders at Coull Estate, Laggan, Perthshire.
Solway View Tate - Overall Champion and a new breed record price of 50,000gns
The early Spring heatwave got buyers ‘hot under the collar’ as they ‘dug deep’ to secure their pick of the British Blue bulls leading to another record, this time it was the average price that was smashed at £9356.85, with a clearance rate of 92%, and a further dozen bulls hitting the five-figure mark.
The pre-sale show on Friday was presided over by Geoff Walker, Brennand Farm, Lancashire, his farm spans 1,214 hectares (3,000 acres) and 25 years ago the family took on the neighbouring 1,214ha (3,000 acre) Whitendale Farm. With the farm at 198m (650ft) the land rises to 503m (1,650ft) at the top of the fell. The herd currently stands at 40 cows, and as well as selling some pedigree bulls and heifers, the aim is to produce cross-bred show calves from the commercial cows, which are usually sold at nine to 12 months old through Skipton auction mart. Talking of his champion, Geoff said, “this was a super black and white bull that stood out for me right from the start, he caught my eye as soon as he entered the ring, and interestingly the reserve champion was bred the same way”.
The reserve overall champion also from K Watret, had earlier in the day lifted the reserve senior male title and was out of Solway View Netty (ET). He was previously crowned male champion at the Royal Highland Show and Great Yorkshire Show in 2024 and is from the same family as Podga that bred the £16,000 commercial heifer for Haltcliffe in March 2025, at Carlisle. W Fleming, Kelso, Roxburghshire, let the hammer fall at 12,000gns to ensure this bull joined his Mosstower herd of pedigree British Blues.
Almeley Tom Grennan - 20,000gns
There must have been ‘something in the water’ as Almeley Tom Grennan (ET) the red ticket holder in Class 5, from G L Morgan, Tillington, took the second highest price, and at 20,000gns it was the Gass herd owned by J W Kay & Co, Maybole, Ayrshire that said, ‘let’s go home together’.
Coul Blue Thunderflash - 18,000gns
Coul Estate Partnership, Perthshire, commanded 18,000gns for Coul Blue Thunderflash who also donned a blue rosette from class 3, the first son from the 27,000gns Solway View Odin son, bred from Trencrom Pick N Mix who had been shown successfully in 2024 headed home with B Baillie, Tankerness, Orkney.
Harestone Tennents - Intermediate Champion - 18,000gns
Jean MacKay’s intermediate champion also matched the 18,000gns bid for the black bull, Harestone Tennents (ET), born in June-2023 out of Woodend Leonna who bred the 25,000gns Harelaw Star, he heads to the Abington herd owned by J McGarva, Lanarkshire.
Almeley Tiargo Sila - 15,000gns
Two bulls peaked at 15,000gns, the first was the eye-catching, red and white, fourth prize bull from G L Morgan, Almeley Tiargo Silva, bred from Almeley Miss Unique (ET) and sired by Chocolat D’ochamps who heads to the new postcode in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, with G Mountain, while G A Hargreave, Stoke-On-Trent, was the final bidder at the same money for H R & J W Maudsley’s Littlebank Theo by Greystone Noveltee whose progeny included the 7,000gns Criffel View Romeo and the 4,00gns Brookley Blue Salem.
Littlebank Theo - 15,000gns
Solway View Teddy - 14,000gns
Aberdeenshire farmers, D Work and Son, from Ellon, took a punt at 14,000gns for K Watret’s, Solway View Teddy (ET) a son from the most consistent breeding cow at Maulscastle, Solway View Katie (ET), and a full brother to lot 18, Solway View Taylor who made 7,000gns to I & L Weatherley, Hexham, Northumberland.
Almeley Thunderstorm - 12,000gns
G L Morgan sold two bulls at 12,000gns. J Proctor, Kendal, Cumbria, was struck on Almeley Thunderstorm, a Gass Okay son from Almeley Oceanina, born in June-2023. It was ‘only rock’n’roll’ for A & F Baillie, Newtown Stewart, Wigtownshire to safeguard the junior champion, Almeley The Rolling Stones at 12,000gns. This powerhouse of a bull again sired by Gass Okay was bred from Almeley Posh-Totie, and was semen tested prior to the sale.
Almeley The Rolling Stones - 12,000gns
Netherwood TikTok - 11,000gns
At 11,000gns, J H Pedley from Oak Tree herd of British Blues at Carnforth, Lancashire, purchased Netherwood Tiktok, a Aultmore Powerhouse son, from A Woodburn, Muirkirk and D C Rees & Son, Brecon, Powys, went all the way, securing Almeley The Full Monty for 10,000gns, a son of the 12,500gns Drybarrows Cawdale.
Topgun Tornado - 10,000gns
Meanwhile, A Jackson’s Topgun Tornado, whose dam Solway View Oesha, was a full sister to the 27,000gns Solway View Odin and bred £22,000 Topgun Splash, shot to a final bid of 10,000gns to local pedigree breeders, R & E Pattinson, Brampton, Cumbria.
53 bulls sold to a top of 50,000gns, average £9356.85, 13 five-figure sums and a 92% clearance.
Almeley Taylor Swift - Female Champion - 10,000gns
Nick Parker, Silsden, West Yorkshire ‘knew all too well’ the female champion Almeley Taylor Swift belonged to him and bid 10,000gns to ensure the Gass Okay June-2023 daughter joined his pedigree Parkers herd.
Drift Ursie - 12,000gns
Leading the female trade was the second prize ticket holder Drift Ursie from Mr & Mrs A S Phillips & Son, Reading. The junior September-2024 born Topgun Splash daughter bred from Drift Rosie (ET) went to G Mountain, Harrogate, North Yorkshire.
Coul Blue Tequilla - 10,000gns
R Carr, Newcastle-upon-Tyne fancied a tipple at 10,000gns for Coul Blue Tequilla (ET) a daughter of Solway View Odin from Coul Estate. She was successfully shown as a calf and the first daughter to be offered for sale from the 16,000gns Solway View Rosie.
30 females sold to a top of 12,000gns, average £5491.50, 3 five-figure sums and an 88% clearance rate.
SHOW RESULTS
Class 1
1st Stonebyres Titan, A&C Comrie
2nd Tamnabrady Tailor-Made, C McCrea
3rd Ruiag Thunder, I MacInnes
4th Thistle Tilt In Your Kilt, G Scott
5th Warehams Tiger, J & S Wareham
Class 2
1st Solway View Tate, Maulscastle Farming
2nd Tweeddale Tyson, J & J Watson
3rd Gass Titan, A R Kay
Class 3
1st Solway View Tenley, Maulscastle Farming
2nd Coul Blue Thunderflash, Coul Estate Partnership
3rd Solway View Teddy, Maulscastle Farming
4th Almeley The Real Slim Shady, G L Morgan
5th Maes Thunderbolt, I P Jones
Senior Male Champion
Solway View Tate, Maulscastle Farming
Reserve Senior Male Champion
Solway View Tenley, Maulscastle Farming
Class 4
1st Faughanvale Tommy, O McGuinness & family
2nd Almeley Titanium, G L Morgan
3rd Almeley Tweedle-Dumb, G L Morgan
4th Starstruck Tyson, J Burnett
5th Netherwood Tiktok, A Woodburn
Class 5
1st Almeley Tom Grenna, G L Morgan
2nd Dragon Blues Turbo, G W & K Williams
3rd Almeley The Full Monty, G L Morgan
4th Almeley Tiargo Silva, G L Morgan
5th Almeley The Love Doctor, G L Morgan
Class 6
1st Harelaw Tennents, J Mackay
2nd Crackley Bank Talisman, P Walker
3rd Almeley Thunderstorm, G L Morgan
4th Valley Tucker, R E Carruthers
5th Ty Isaf Tango, D W & L E Morgan
Intermediate Champion
Harelaw Tennents, J Mackay
Reserve Intermediate Champion
Faughanvale Tommy, O McGuinness & family
Class 7
1st Almeley Teafortwo, G L Morgan
2nd Bowl Turner Toronto, D M Alderson
Class 8
1st Valley Truman, R Carruthers
2nd Almeley The Rolling Stones, G L Morgan
3rd Solway View Titus, Maulscastle Farming
4th Clifftown Tyson, D Townend
5th Topgun Tonka, A Jackson
Class 9
1st Ballygrange Topper, J Sloan
2nd Topside Thumper, R & E Pattinson
3rd Springbank Tank, C & I Gordon
Junior Male Champion
Valley Truman, R Carruthers
Reserve Junior Male Champion
Almeley The Rolling Stones, G L Morgan
Overall male champion
Solway View Tate, Maulscastle Farming
Reserve overall male champion
Solway View Tenley, Maulscastle Farming
Class 10
1st Warehams Suzie, J & S Wareham
2nd Geirn Blues Sugar & Spice, C A Owen
3rd Warehams Smarty, J & S Wareham
4th Geirn Blues Sassy Lassy, C A Owen
5th Bowl Turner Susie, D M Alderson
Class 11
1st Almeley Taylor Swift, G L Morgan
2nd Coul Blue Tiffany, Coul Estate Partnership
3rd Delhorn Twice As Nice, J & Y J Hopkins
4th Solway View Tahani, Maulscastle Farming
5th Thistle Ticketyboo, G Scott
Class 12
1st Coule Blue Tequilla, Coul Estate Partnership
2nd Solway View Tori, Maulscastle Farming
3rd Topgun Tiktok, A Jackson
4th Coul Blue Trick Or Treat, Coul Estate Partnership
5th Topgun Tutti Frutti, A Jackson
Class 13
1st Solway View Truffle, Maulscastle Farming.
2nd Solway View Unique, Maulscastle Farming.
3rd Red River Truly Ice Baby, C Hunter
4th Bowl Turner Urenna, D M Alderson
5th Solway View Ursula, Maulscastle Farming
Class 14
1st Red River Ultra Sassy Icebaby, C Hunter
2nd Ruaig U Beauty, I MacInnes
3rd Llanfair Unique, R & S Jones
4th Dragon Blues Unis, G W & K Williams
Class 15
1st Ruaig Ultra Violet, I MacInnes
2nd Drift Ursie, AS Phillips & Sons
3rd Clifftown Ultra Sassy, D Townend
Female Champion
Almeley Taylor Swift, G L Morgan
Reserve Female Champion
Coul Blue Tiffany, Coul Estate Partnership
Overall Champion
Solway View Tate, Maulscastle Farming
Reserve Overall Champion
Solway View Tenley, Maulscastle Farming
Solway View Tenley - Res Overall Champion - 12,000gns
LEADING PRICES
BULLS
Solway View Tate 50000
Almeley Tom Grennan 20000
Coul Blue Thunderflash 18000
Harelaw Tennants 18000
Littlebank Theo 15000
Almeley Tiargo Silva 15000
Solway View Teddy 14000
Solway View Tenley 12000
Almeley Thunderstorm 12000
Almeley The Rolling Stones 12000
Netherwood Tiktok 11000
Almeley The Full Monty 10000
Topgun Tornado 10000
FEMALES
Drift Ursie 12000
Almeley Taylor Swift 10000
Coul Blue Tequilla 10000
Solway View Tahani 9000
Solway View Unique 7200
Auctioneers: Harrison & Hetherington
Photos: Wayne Hutchinson
