Reduction sale of historic Wroxall Simmental herd grosses £120,000
5th May 2023
Led by McCartneys auctioneers, the sale of pedigree cows and calves from the noted Wroxall Simmental herd of CH Evans & Son at Kington Grange Farm, Claverdon, Warwickshire, recorded just over £120,000 in gross earnings, with the leading cow-calf pair fetching a combined 6000gns.
Members of the Evans family, owners of the noted Wroxall Simmental herd.
The notable price was paid for the homozygous polled Wroxall Iona Zilla (1800gns) and her stylish heifer calf Wroxall NII-Zilla at (4200gns). The pair was snapped up by the esteemed Coose herd of John Tuohy, Whitegate, Co Galway, Republic of Ireland.
Wroxall Iona Zilla PP is February 2017 born and is by Losning Iver (P) and out of Wroxall Daisy-Zilla. PD’d in calf to Forsdale Gallipoli, Wroxall NII-Zilla (P) is her fourth calf, a heifer born in September 2022 and is by Wroxall Jerome 18.
The reason for the Wroxall sale was the termination of the Evans family’s tenancy at Abbey Farm, Kenilworth after more than ninety years and the consolidation of the herd at its new home at Claverdon.
Founded in 1969, the Wroxall Simmental herd was initially created using imported stock from Switzerland. Due to increasing focus on the polling gene in the herd, the sale at Worcester offered functional, working cattle with a high health status, and a catalogue packed with a great selection of modern-day Simmental and polled genetics.
With no shortage of interested buyers, the event saw strong trade with exports sales and animals selling to all corners of the UK. Some 40 lots, including 32 cows with calves at foot, five cows in calf, and three in-calf heifers, grossed over an impressive £120,000.
Fetching the highest bid at a combined 6000gns was the homozygous polled Wroxall Iona Zilla at 1800gns with her heifer calf Wroxall NII-Zilla at 4200gns.
Another prominent pair selling at a combined 4600gns was the homozygous polled female Wroxall Jazz Superior PP with her third calf, the heifer calf Wroxall Nautical-Superior (P) at foot.
January 2018 born, Wroxall Jazz Superior is by Wroxall Electric (P), and out of Wroxall Gertrude-Superior (P). PD’d in calf to Coose Gambler, Wroxall Jazz Superior made 2900gns when selling to the north of Scotland and R&N Barclay, Harestone Farm, Insch, Aberdeenshire. Her September-born heifer calf Wroxall Nautical-Superior, sired by Forsdale Gallipoli, fetched 2700gns when also purchased by the Barclays.
Third on the list of top-selling livestock was Wroxall Jessica Lilly (P), sold with her heifer calf at foot Wroxall Nilly-Lilly (P) for a combined 3500gns. March 2018 born, Jessica Lilly is sired by Wroxall Cocker-Leeky-Soup (PP), and out of Wroxall Forget Me Not-Lilly.
PD’d in calf to Wroxall Maxi Power, she was purchased for 2300 by AD Heath for the Eaton pedigree herd at Eaton House, Market Drayton, Shropshire. The September 2022 born Wroxall Nilly-Lilly (P), sired by Wroxall Cocker-Leeky-Soup then made 1200gns when selling to Paul Rowden, Simboro House, Totnes, Devon.
Also at the 3500gns mark was the first calved heifer Wroxall Janie Patience (P), who was sold with her January 2023 born heifer calf Wroxall Pamela (P) at foot. Wroxall Janie Patience (P) is by Wroxall Electirc 13 (P), and out of Wroxall Gabriella-Patiance (P) was sold PD’d in-calf to Wroxall Maxi Power. Her calf at foot, Wroxall Pamela (P), was sired by Coose Gambler. This outfit was another to be snapped up by R&N Barclay, Harestone Farm, Insch, Aberdeenshire.
The averages in the Wroxall sale were as follows:
- 12 cows with autumn-born calves £3537
- 18 cows with spring-born calves £2867.08
- 5 Cows-in-calf £2310
- 3 In-calf heifers £2800
- 2 Unregistered cows with calves at foot £3035
