BEEF Shorthorn breeder Charles Lowther took the intermediate title and overall supreme championship at Stirling bull sales this week with Lowther Gervase, his 22 month-old, who went on to sell for 6,500gns to EM Flett, Orkney.

The roan Gervase was the first son by LS Eagle to be offered for sale, and was out of a homebred dam from Mr Lowther’s 65 cow herd at Lowther, Penrith. He said: "I’m very excited about this new bloodline and equally thrilled to take the top male award for the first time ever, having previously secured the female championship on four consecutive occasions."

Nigel Miller, the judge, said: "Gervase is a superb bull with that length, height and shape which belongs to a Beef Shorthorn.”

Mr Lowther also sold Lowther Godwin, a 23 month old red Blelack Rupert son out of an Upsall bred dam, for 7,000gns to J Campbell, Thurso.

The supreme championship was presented to Lowther stockman Mike Clark by The Princess Royal, the Beef Shorthorn Society’s patron who visited the event to mark the bull sale’s 150th anniversary.

Overall, Beef Shorthorn bulls met a strong demand, selling to a top of 13,000gns and averaging £5,066 for 56 entries sold. Five more sold later outside the ring.

Sale leader at 13,000gns was Balgay Gorgoroth, a 23 month old roan by the 13,000gns Chapelton Braveheart out of a Chapelton dam from Balgay Farm’s 50 cow herd at Inchture, Perth. Gorgoroth went to Glasgow based Campbell Graham to join his 650 cow suckler herd which includes 350 pure Beef Shorthorn.

Averages: 56 bulls £5,066. Auctioneers: UA