John D M Thomson
Newlands, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire
DG11 3AA
01461 500769 (home)
01228 528939 (office)
info@shawhillshorthorns.co.uk
Matthew Thomson
07900 181 635
John Dick
j.dick01@btinternet.com
NOVEMBER 2017 - 5
An exciting day for Shawhill Shorthorns at Stars of the Future at Stirling with a championship and two reserve championships. Our young bull, Shawhill Leroy followed up his Championship success at last weeks Agri-Expo by taking the overall championship in the Junior Shorthorn Section. He won the J & J Redpath Trophy and went on to become reserve champion in the overall Junior Native Breeds Class.
First time out at Stirling was our white August 2106 born heifer, Shawhill Rosebud Kool who stood reserve champion in the Senior Shorthorn Section. She is by Shawhill Freedom out of Albion Rosebud Beatrice who has bred very well for us.
There was a great show of cattle of every breed and the event was well organised and very enjoyable.
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NOVEMBER 2017 - 4
We only got one Beef Shorthorn bulling heifer to the Skipton Sales but were pleased with her trade. 2,300gns to Messrs Stewart, Halldykes. Congratulations to Gerald Turton for some excellent sales on the day and for breaking our previously held centre record.
A useful week as our bull at the Longtown Breeding Sale, Shawhill Krakatoa also sold to Gimmenbie Farm, Lockerbie who have had one of our bulls before.
NOVEMBER 2017 - 3
A good day for us at the Borderway Agri-Expo on Friday 3rd November when our bull, Shawhill Leroy (P) 643848852 took the overall championship at the National Beef Shorthorn Calf Show.
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We have been pleased with the potential of this calf all along. Leroy looks the part and is well bred with a double cross of K-Kim Freedom and the noted Canadian cow, Braebank Dewdrop. His sire, Shawhill Henderson, was Reserve Overall Beef Shorthorn Champion at the Great Yorkshire Show in 2015 & is out of our successful show cow, Fieldhouse Florence Anita 15th; his dam is by the high index bull, Glenisla Zetor.
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We also took a Beef Shorthorn heifer, Shawhill Beatrice Lottie (P) 643846903 to Agri-Expo. Again, by Shawhill Henderson & out of Shawhill Beatrice Lottie (by Alvie Blue Eyedboy), she stood 2nd in her class.
NOVEMBER 2017 - 2
We have a strong well-bred Beef Shorthorn bull going to C & D Auction Mart's sale of breeding cattle at Longtown on Tuesday, 7th November.
A red pedigree poll bull, born 5th April 2016, he is by our very successful all-Canadian stock bull, Shawhill Freedom out of a Lowther bred cow from the famous Tessa family.
He is well worth a look and would make an excellent crossing herd sire.
NOVEMBER 2017 - 1
We have kept two good bulling heifers for the Skipton Shorthorn Sale on Wednesday 8th November.
Lot 67, Shawhill Dee Kirsten (633801795) is a roan heifer by the Podehole Beefeater sired Langalbuinoch Gallant. Her mother, Shawhill Esther, is bred for milk on her dam`s side and for growth through her sire Connor of Upsall, going back to Glenisla Zetor.
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Lot 76, Faradale ES Kathy (633802176) was bred by the late Mr John Faragher in the Isle of Man and purchased by us as a calf at foot. She is a very nice red heifer out of a Westmoor Dynamo dam and sired by Eurosceptic of Upsall (by Broughton Park Thunder), a very promising bull now standing with Messrs Paisley`s Westmoor herd.
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That will conclude our sale of heifers for this year but we have some very useful Beef Shorthorn bulls for sale and enquiries and inspection are welcome.
OCTOBER 2017 - 3
For the third time, one of our heifers stood as reserve female champion at the Stirling Autumn sale. Shawhill Krystal, a white April 2016 born heifer was placed second in class to the ultimate champion from Cairnsmore and was then tapped out as reserve. She sold for 3,000gns to Cherry Valley Estate, County Antrim and we wish them every success with her. John Fyall from Sittyton took our other two bulling heifers. He has bought from us before and knows how well they do!
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We have two other heifers going to the Skipton Sale on Wednesday 8th November and also have a number of good bulls available for inspection at home.
OCTOBER 2017 - 2
At the annual "Kirkcambeck" sale at Longtown Mart on Saturday 14th October, there was an entry of over 1,000 mainly native breed store cattle. Congratulations to Willis Graham from the "Fieldhouse" herd who came all the way from North Yorkshire and was in the top flight of the sale with an exceptional pen of Beef Shorthorn bullocks which sold for £1,120 per head. Overall his consignment averaged £1,073 and demonstrated the demand for Shorthorns at this sale.
OCTOBER 2017 - 1
We have three useful bulling heifers going to the Stirling Sales on Monday 23rd October.
Lot 217, Shawhill Irene Kontiki is a red daughter of the the Podehole Beefeater sired Langalbuinoch Gallant out of Outrawcliffe Emilly who was bought as reserve champion female at the Carlisle 2012 sale. Emilly has done very well for us and has been shown successfully.
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Lot 223, Shawhill Krystal is an exceptional white poll heifer by Shawhill Freedom (K-Kim Freedom) from a homebred cow by Connnor of Upsall. Connor was bought as a calf at the Upsall centenary sale and was by Glenisla Zetor - thus the good EBVs for weight.
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Lot 227, Shawhill Dewdrop Koo, a poll red heifer, is from the Canadian Dewdrop family, her dam is by K-Kim Freedom. This heifer`s sire is Langalbuinoch Gallant. We found Gallant to be an exceptionally easy calving bull.
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SEPTEMBER 2017 -2
A much enjoyed visit, with a couple of cattle, to Eggleston Show, Near Barnard Castle by John Dick and Matthew. The hospitality was apparently excellent and there was a distinct shortage of sleep, particularly as the fire alarm ensured that everyone was up early. There was a strong turnout of Beef Shorthorns with good long classes. Our heifer, Shawhill Lady Jessica took a first and our roan bull, Shawhill Kalamazoo stood third.
SEPTEMBER 2017 -1
We were pleased with our trade at the recent Longtown Shorthorn Sale with our un-served heifers selling to 1,950gns. for the May 2016 born Faradale Kimberley, purchased by Messrs R & J Byers.
We will have further consignments of bulling heifers for the sales at Stirling on 23rd October and Skipton on 8th November.
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AUGUST 2017 - 3
We had three good young heifers at the Longtown Auction Mart sale of Pedigree Beef Shorthorn Females on Monday, 21st August. sale report
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Lot 41 is by the Podehole Beefeater son, Langalbuinoch Gallant and lots 42 and 43 are by Eurosceptic of Upsall (by Broughton Park Thunder). Both the latter have rather good EBVs with those for lot 43 being exceptional.
AUGUST 2017 - 2
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We had a successful day on our annual visit to the Dumfries and Lockerbie Agricultural Show. Shawhill Lady Jessica, a Shawhill Glenfiddich daughter out of Shawhill Lady Gaga, took first in her heifer class and subsequently stood Reserve Champion Beef Shorthorn.
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Shawhill Kingsman, a red April 2016 born bull, was first in his class. He is by our successful K-Kim Freedom sired stock bull, Shawhill Freedom, and his mother is one of our foundation cows, Upsall Ury Maid X453. Bought at the Upsall Centenary Sale, she is still going strong and has calved another good red bull this year.
Congratulations to David and Rosemary Dickie for their championship with their exceptional stock bull. There was a quality show of Shorthorns with Michael and Joanne Souter bringing cattle, including an exceptional cow and calf, from as far away as Barnard Castle.
AUGUST 2017 - 1
We will have a couple of in-calf cows and two nice maiden heifers for the sale of Pedigree Beef Shorthorn Females to be held at Longtown Mart on Monday 21st August. There is an interesting and worthwhile entry for the sale as a whole and enquiries or catalogue requests may be made to the auctioneers, C & D Auction Marts Ltd, on 01228 791215 or longtown@cdauctionmarts.co.uk
JUNE 2017 - 3
Shorthorn bulls for sale. Our bull, Gallant, sold well at the monthly breeding cattle sale at Dumfries Auction Mart on Monday 12th June. We are sure that he will do well at East Kirkcarsewell. We have sold two other bulls in the last week or so including Shawhill Kaiser, a promising son of Florence Anita, by Shawhill Freedom. He has gone to Eastlands. We have a number of other well bred young Beef Shorthorn bulls for sale, mainly born April 2016, and enquiries are welcome.
JUNE 2017 - 2
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Bull for sale: At the June breeding cattle sale at Dumfries Mart on Monday, 12th June, there will be the opportunity to buy a very good pedigree Beef Shorthorn stock bull. We are going to sell the four year old Langalbuinoch Gallant, a Podehole Beefeater son. The only reason for sale is that we have too many service bulls on hand for the coming season. He has bred very well on pedigree cows leaving some particularly nice heifers. He is possibly the easiest calving bull that we have ever had.
JUNE 2017 - 1
Sheep news: Although there is much uncertainty in farming, we have had a lift with the price of finished sheep, both hoggs and spring lambs, which have been showing a substantial improvement on last year's prices at both Longtown and Dumfries Marts. We also took the chance to sell a few ewes with lambs at foot off Pilmuir as the returns looked tempting. There seems to be plenty of demand on the back of the plentiful grass and the good store cattle prices.
MAY 2017 - 1
We, again, did not calve until into April and it proved to be one of our best calvings ever. We were a bit late turning out but the wonderful weather since then has absolutely suited the calves, their mothers and their owners.
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JANUARY 2017 - 2
Our thanks to Duncan Welsh of West Broadmoss who purchased our bull Shawhill J-A-T at the Stirling sale for 5,000gns. A bargain! He is we believe going on to pedigree cattle and we hope that he does well.
JANUARY 2017 - 1
Very best New Year wishes to all our friends and clients. We hope for a healthy and prosperous 2017 for everyone.
We have three rising two year old bulls entered for the February sales at Stirling. Third in the ring, lot 184 is Shawhill J-A-T (HB623800200). He will have been seen at some of the Summer Shows and is by Shawhill Freedom, our successful K-Kim Freedom son, out of a Glenisla Broadhooks dam. Lot 199 is Shawhill John Peel (HB623803561) by the Creaga Dice sired top priced Stirling bull, Burnside Elite out of a Fieldhouse bred cow and lot 205, Shawhill Justin Time (HB623803563) is a white bull, again by Burnside Elite and out of an LS Arctic daughter.
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