Record top price and full clearance for BWCS Spring Show & Sale

Breed Champion and record top-priced bull Swinton Charles sells at 3,900gns to G Bown, Derbyshire

Reaching a new highest auction price for the breed of 3,900gns (£4,095) for the Breed Champion Swinton Charles, a two-year-old bull from Andrew & Jenna Falshaw, North Yorks, the British White Cattle Society’s Spring Show & Sale held at Melton Mowbray Market on 28 Feb also saw a full clearance of animals forward. The top-priced animal was purchased by Mr Graham Bown, Derbyshire, for his Hazelhurst herd, the bull having been awarded the Breed Championship earlier in the day under judge Mr Caspar Mylius, Fife.

The Reserve Breed Champion and top-priced female of all breeds on the day was 11-month-old heifer Alcroft Polly from S Cook, Cambridge, selling for 2,650gns (£2,782.50) to new buyer Angus Drury, North Yorkshire. Marking the beginning of a project to bring their 600-acre farm back into mainly grassland production after several decades without cattle, the Drurys also picked up Alcroft Piper at 2,100gns (£2,205) from the same stable, plus three smart young Rathbourne heifers - Gertrude, Greta, and Gwenivere, all just 10-11 months old - from Sharlotte Amos, Derbyshire, at 1,000gns (£1,050) a head.

Another new purchaser adding two more animals to the foundation of their British White herd was Jess Pedley, Lancashire, who picked up young heifers Alcroft Brandy at 1,950gns (£2,047.50) and Rathbourne Glossy at 1,000gns (£1,050).

The promising young bull Woodbastwick Bees Knees from RH Farms, Norfolk, sold for 1,800gns (£1,890) to longstanding BWCS member Shaun Partington of the Savin Hill herd in Cumbria, who runs a well-established farm shop and butchery, breeding and selling their own British White beef since 1998.

In contrast, having just purchased their first British White heifer from the BWCS Autumn Sale at Melton Mowbray in September last year, Lincolnshire farmers Richard and Sarah Illston (Maine Agri) returned to add another to their mixed-breed suckler herd, this time going home with the 12-month-old Alcroft Paris at 1,200gns (£1,260).

Thanks go to all of our purchasers and underbidders, auctioneers Harry Amos and Scott Ruck, sale organiser Daisy Haigh, show judge Caspar Mylius, sale inspector Keith Harding, and to all of the excellent market staff and BWCS exhibitors & supporters who brought together another fantastic event for the breed.

Averages

Two bulls (22-23 months old) sold to average 2,850gns (£2,992.50), eight heifers (10-12 months old) sold to average 1,487.50gns (£1,562)

Breed Champion

Swinton Charles, A&J Falshaw, 3,900gns

Reserve Breed Champion

Alcroft Polly, S Cook, 2,650gns

Bull, born in 2024

1st Swinton Charles, A&J Falshaw; 2nd Woodbastwick Bees Knees, RH Farms

Heifer, born in 2025

1st Alcroft Polly, S Cook; 2nd Alcroft Piper, S Cook; 3rd Alcroft Brandy, S Cook; 4th Alcroft Paris, S Cook

GALLERY

Photography for this event was provided by Grace Sercombe, who we are delighted to announce will also be photographing our BWCS National Show on Friday 12 June at the Royal Three Counties. Cattle entries will close on Monday 20 April so don't miss out - book your stalls now for the biggest BWCS event of the year!