Riverdane Holsteins achieved a UK record average for a single vendor in its Theatre of Dreams sale in Cheshire today.
Riverdane’s team put in a big effort to get all the cows to the ring in great form. Photo: Evie Tomlinson photography.
Owned by Mark and Susan Nutsford, along with their daughter, Jodie, the tightknit family auctioned 148 elite Holstein lots on their Ravenscroft Hall Farm at Middlewich, near Manchester.
The offering included a smorgasbord of All-Britain, All-Canadian, All-American, or All-World matriarchs – alongside the best of Riverdane’s homebred stars – including two national champions. The sale averaged £5543.12 – a solid £1000 ahead of any other UK sale for a single breeder.
Riverdane sold 27 cows [average £6537.22], 18 heifers in-milk [£5903.33], 17 in-calf heifers [£4854.71], 20 yearling heifers [£3223.50], 53 heifer calves [£6628.87], five bulls [£2457], and seven embryo packages (28 embryos) £967.50.
Top price of 90,000gns was paid for Lot 90, Riverdane KD Hannah. She is pictured (front L-R): John Sherratt, Neale Evans, Jodie Nutsford (handler), Mark and Sue Nutsford. Rear L-R: Auctioneers Mark Davis, Glyn Lucas, and pedigree reader Graham Kirby. Photo: Evie Tomlinson photography.
The early headliner Riverdane KD Hannah (Lot 90) was the top price at 90,000gns, selling to John Sherratt, from Pankymoor, Hope Valley Holsteins (Rob Evans), and Heatherleigh Holsteins (Neale Evans). Mr Sherratt’s syndicate also bought one of the high style heifers at Lot 30, Riverdane Altitude Tequila-Red for 21,000gns, and paid the same money for Lot 42, Riverdane Miss Awesome Strawberry-Red EX92.
Strawberry was the 2022 Red & White Grand and Supreme Champion at the 2022 UK Dairy Expo. She is also the reigning Grand Champion Red & White and Reserve Supreme from this year’s UK Dairy Expo. She sold back in-calf to Swissbec Power (sexed) – giving her a chance to achieve the treble in successive years.
Mr Sherratt said they were the three animals he came for, and he wouldn’t have stopped until he got them.
Auctioneer Glyn Lucas said it was a wonderful day, and – given the quality of the offering – he believed they had a strong shot at rolling the record average.
“There was a great atmosphere, and it was great to see the support for Mark and Sue from all over the UK, Ireland, and Europe,” Glyn said. “From start to finish people came here to come here to really support the family, because they do so much for the industry and for other people.”
Prices down to 10,000gns:
- Lot 90 – Riverdane KD Hannah sold for 90,000gns (equal top price for a Holstein in the UK) to John Sherratt, Hope Valley Holsteins and Heatherleigh Holsteins.
- Lot 35 – Riverdane Crushtime Atlee sold for 32,000gns to M Weaver.
- Lot 134 – Riverdane Awesome Ambrosia sold for 25,000gns to Arwyn Wilson, Kev Rickard and Selwyn Richards.
- Lot 30 – Riverdane Altitude Tequila-Red – sold for 21,000gns to John Sherratt, Hope Valley Holsteins and Heatherleigh Holsteins.
- Lot 42 – Riverdane Miss Awesome Strawberry Red sold for 21,000gns to John Sherratt, Hope Valley Holsteins and Heatherleigh Holsteins.
- Lot 108 – First Choice heifer calf by Dropbox out of Duckett Parfect Heidi sold for 15,000gns to Willsbro.
- LOT 83 – Riverdane Jimtown Rosabel sold for 12,000gns to MP & BJ Hollins & Son.
- Lot 22 – Riverdane Lambdas Footloose sold for 11,000gns to Ian Smith.
- Lot 23 – Riverdane F-D-L Footloose sold for 11,000gns to Willsbro.
- Lot 95 – Riverdane Tatoo Cheerleader sold for 10,000gns to Matthew Norman.
- Lot 123 – Riverdane Gchip Ashlyn sold for 10,000gns to Kevin Lawrie.
