Gretna House Dispersal Sale Report  – 18^th November 2023

The dispersal sale of the Gretnahouse Herd of pedigree Aberdeen Angus on behalf of Gretnahouse Farms and the late Alasdair Houston, his wife Lucy and his two children Tara and Rafe, took place on Sat the 18^{th of} November at Harrsion & Hethrington Ltd, Borderway Mart, Carlisle.

The herd consisted of 23 cows served and/or suckling, 1 in calf heifer, 9 maiden heifers and 1 recipient carrying an embryo with the total number of animals sold being 47.

The much sought after group of spring calving cows averaged 4519gns (£4745) and with the highest bid being 8000gns for Gretna House Eva’s Honey U052, sired by Deveron Leggat P469), and sold to Mike and Mel Alford of Foxhill Farm in Devon.  Eva’s Honey’s April born heifer calf, by Rodmead Primero made the same money and the pair will stay together, having been sold separately.  Another unit to make a total of 16,000 gns was Gretnahouse Eliza and her separately sold male calf, Gretnahouse Egbert.  Eliza (6000 gns) is a Stouphill Ramon daughter out of a Blelack Kanasta sired dam, while her march born bull calf (10,000gns) was another sired by Rodmead Primero, and both went home with Messrs Fleming, Falnash, Hawick.  The first lot into the ring got the sale off to a flying start, when Gretnahouse Karama Lady sold for 3800 gns, while her march born Rodmead Primero sired heifer calf realised 12,000 gns, purchased by MC Irwin, Fintona, Omagh.  Third calver, Gretnahouse Blackbird U042, by Gretnahouse Blacksmith, and back in calf to Primero, went home with Gordon Gray, Sunnycroft, Selkirk, while her Primero sired heifer calf made 7500 gns, totalling 13,000 for the outfit.  In total, 5 bull calves sold separately, averaged 4620 gns and to a top of 10,000 gns, while their nine half sisters, also sold separately, averaged 4856 gns and to a top of 12,000 gns.  These lots were distributed the length of the country, from Orkney to Cornwall.

The average price for seven Autumn Calving Cows was 4086gns (£4290) and with the highest bid being 7000gns for Gretna House Eliza U048, sired by Gretnahouse Blacklight R806 and her september born bull calf who sold to Frank Daly in Co Kildare.  One in-Calf Heifer, Gretnahouse Ellen Erica X361 sold for 7000gns to Gordon Gray, Sunnycroft, Selkirk.

Bulling heifers (9) were in strong demand, along with a weaned heifer calf, averaging 4100gns with the highest bid being 6000gns for autumn 2022 born Gretnahouse Eliza Y461, who sold to Angus Neish from Wiltshire, buying back some of his own breeding.  The Weaned Heifer Calf, Gretna House Kay Pride Z487 (Sire Rodmead Primero R746, Dam Gretna House Kay Pride T951) sold for 4200gns to James McCullough, Holywood, Northern Ireland.