‘Classy’ Coolcran Heidis Noreen sells for 26,000gns record price

Earlier in the day Coolcran Heidis Noreen had won the Overall Supreme Female Championship in front of the judge Reece Simmers from the noted Backmuir herd, Keith, Banffshire. Come sale time the opening bid of 10,000gns set the tone for some spirited bidding and with Reece Simmers backing up his judging by purchasing the Champion.

Coolcran Heidis Noreen, who had secured a number of show titles through the summer in Northern Ireland, is by the AI sire Saltire Impressive, and is out of Coolcran Ellas Heidi.

Commenting afterwards Reece Simmers said: “This was just a tremendous heifer with great style, presence, and quality. She is long and clean with a great top line and good plates. Every angle you looked at her she was just full of class and very feminine. Coming to the sale we had no real thought to buying but this was just a complete Simmental heifer of a quality that you don’t see very often, she was a clear Champion in my eyes, and we’re delighted to have been able to buy her.”

The 26,000gns was a new record for a NI Simmental female, and was also a new Next Gen Sale, and Simmental centre record. With four animals on the day making over 10,000gns, the 34 served/maiden heifers sold averaged £5583.53 up by +£363 on the year, and again a new record average for the sale. Three weaned heifer calves averaged £5180, and the one cow and calf in the catalogue made £6300. The sale saw some strong bidding for the quality lots on offer from a combination of existing and new breeders.

For Shane and Paul McDonald, Friday 1st December 2023 was a “special day we will always remember for the rest of our lives.” Speaking after the sale Shane McDonald said: “Coolcran Heidi’s Noreen was just a stand-out calf from birth, and from one of the main family lines in the herd. She was a calf that had the potential to develop into something special and she always caught the eye of any visitors to the herd. Following attending the first Next Gen Sale in 2021, we had liked the format and the idea behind it. As such we were very keen to support it if we could and with something we felt was top drawer. After a very successful summer show season, and very strong interest in Noreen, we decided to enter her. For her to make 26,000gns and to set a new NI Simmental female is just something we could never have anticipated. We’re delighted that she’s gone to such a noted herd as Backmuir and we wish them every success with her.”

The Coolcran herd was established in 2006 and presently comprises of 20 breeding females. The herd’s previous top price had been 7000gns for Coolcran Dazzler the Intermediate Champion at Stirling in February 2014.

Lifting the Overall Reserve Female Championship and taking the second top price of 18,000gns was the April 2022 born Overhill House Neva from Richard McCulloch, Armadale, West Lothian.