Charolais bulls met a solid commercial trade at Welshpool at the end of April where 32 bulls sold to an average of £3,986.72, with a clearance rate of 70 per cent.

The top priced bull at 6,500gns was an 18-month-old entry from the Barker family, Caylers Charolais, Nuthampstead, Hertfordshire, who stood first in his class at the pre-sale show. Caylers Mclaren who is sired by Gretnahouse Ultimate and out of the homebred Caylers Jemma who goes back to Thrunton Dominator, went home with ER Hollinsworth and son, to work in Middleton, Manchester.

Another breeder who enjoyed success was Flintshire vet Esmor Evans from Mold, who not only bagged the pre-sale show championship but also secured four bull sales making an average of £4,331.

His highest priced lot and champion was the 19-month-old Maerdy Mauard, out of the Vald'or-Ra-sired Maerdy Hwylus and by the easy calving, high scanning, 10,000gns Stirling reserve senior male champion Blelack Fabulous, who has previously sold sons to 22,000gns and 28,000gns. This champion lot was purchased at 5,500gns by DL and LE Davies, Llanegryn, Gwynedd.

Priced at 5,200gns and selling to WT Jones and Co, Tywyn, Gwynedd, was the December 2016-born Esgob Majestic from Gareth Jones, Cwntrimnach, Gwynedd. Majestic is sired by the 26,000gns Carlisle junior champion Anside Excalibur and out of Esgob Diva who goes back to the 18,000gns Thrunton Virginian.

Two lots secured the next highest price of 5,000gns a piece and the first was a 19-month-old Wesley Evolution son, Trannon Montgomery from John Williams, Caersws, Powys. Montgomery’s home-bred dam Trannon Hanna is sired by Wernvale Chico and he caught the eye of GE Davies and Sons, Llanrhaeadr, Shropshire.

Also at 5,000gns and this time selling to Mr A Jones, Bettws Y Coed, Gwynedd, was a 17-month-old offering from Kevin Thomas, Capel Iwan, Carmarthenshire. Moelfre Morgan is sired by the 12,500gns Stirling class winner Balmyle Impression, who has proved to be a shrewd purchase for Mr Thomas, already producing four sons whose sales have averaged 7,500gns a piece and the Royal Welsh show junior male champion Moelfre Magic. His dam Moelfre Forgetmenot goes back to the French-bred Texan.

The oldest and first lot of the sale sold for the next highest price of 4,500gns. Finnwest Massey who is a July 2016-born son of the proven easy calving and short gestation Blelack Digger and Brailes Asteroid-sired Finnwest Indigo, was bred and exhibited by Paul Weston, Ashbourne, Derbyshire and sold to LF James and Son, Cilmaengwyn, Swansea.

Another lot was also knocked down at 4,500gns, this time selling to Mr B Bridgewater, Rhulen, Powys. Graiggoch Magnum, a 16-month-old, who had stood third in his class earlier in the day for breeder Gerwyn Jones, Nebo, Conwy, is sired by the 16,000gns Stirling junior champion and Caithness Show champion Clyth Diplomat and out of Thrunton Starband who goes back to the 25,000gns Perth supreme champion Mowbraypark Orlando.

Another Derbyshire breeder was in the money when Thomas Cox from Great Longstone, secured 4,300gns for the November 2016-born Bleaklow Magnum. This son of the 12,000gns Carlisle reserve senior champion Wesley Equinox and Royal Highland Show reserve junior bull Elgin Davinci-sired Bleaklow Jlo was purchased by AJ and JM Abberley, Llandrindod Wells.

A couple of lots secured a price of 4,000gns and the first was a yellow-ticket winner from the aforementioned Esmor Evans, Mold, Flintshire. Maerdy Muir, an 18-month-old who is sired by Blelack Fabulous and out of Maerdy Eglantine, a French-bred Populair daughter, went home to Llandefalle, Powys, with CE and A Millichap.

Also making 4,000gns was a class winner from Gareth Jones, Cwntrimnach, Gwynedd, who stayed local when he was purchased by E and LG Williams, Abergele, Gwynedd. Esgob Neu, a 15-month-old by the Irish-bred Goldstar Gentleman, is out of the home-bred Esgob Helen who is turn is sired by the 26,000gns Carlisle junior champion Anside Excalibur.

A heifer from Richard Butler, Barbers Bridge, Gloucestershire, was the only female lot of the main sale. Carrigbeg Moo is a two-year-old by the 11,000gns Balthayock Adonis, whose dam Congress Isadora is a daughter 25,000gns Perth supreme champion and Highland Show junior champion Goldies Unbeatable. RWL and JE George, Llanfair, Caereinion, Powys, purchased her for 1,950gns.

A small reduction of six cow and calves from the Harman family, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, was also featured at the sale. The top priced at 2,400gns was the mother and daughter duo – 2014-born Silver Janet and her four-month-old heifer calf Silver Nectar. The 18,000gns Thrunton Fairfax sired Janet, is out of Silver Borghild, a Chesham Pingpong daughter, while her daughter Nectar is sired by the 14,000gns Stirling supreme champion Barnsford Jubilant. The aforementioned Hollinsworth family were the purchasers.

Averages: 32 bulls: £3,986.72; one heifer: £2,048; Harman reduction: 6 Cow and Calves, £2,004

Auctioneers: Welshpool Livestock Sales

Show Judge: Neil Brown, Hackleton, Northamptonshire