RAYWA GUERNSEY Herd Dispersal 18/7/07
Ray Watson and Nick Phippen dispersed their RAYWA herd on 18th July bringing to an end 50 years of breeding at Weston in Gordano,Bristol.
Ray has always been prepared to follow his instincts and his purchase of Myrtles Telestar from Guernsey Island proved to be an inspired choice as his progeny dominated the sale. This Fayette son was still in action aged 13 and is a tremendous individual.
There was a tremendous trade for all ages of stock, with the maiden heifers meeting a particularly fast trade with 6 heifers averaging 586 gns.
With one exception the main buyers were all established Guernsey breeders and all bought several Lots. The new buyer was Chris Falconer a New Zealander who milks 600 cows of all colours at Abbotsham in Devon and was looking for cows to join his autumn calving group and bought 13 Lots including Lot 38 Raywa Stars Sheila 23 at 860 gns.
Jonnie Yewdall bought 14 lots for the Webbery herd and these were the Spring calving cows to fit the desired pattern in that herd and included Lot 21 Raywa Telestar Geranium 90 at 660 gns and Lot 39 Raywa Stars Cinnamon 17 at 870 gns.
Tony Dallyn from Barnstable added 6 for his Fortuna herd which nows numbers nearly 200 cows and is on a second farm with the milk sold to a Somerset cheese company who specialise in "own label" low fat cheese for the Supermarkets and find that the extra protein in Guernsey and Jersey milk gives them a "better" cheese.
Tony bought Lot 45 Raywa Otterbourne Marguerite 30 for 850 gns, Lot 51 Raywa Iceman Cinnamon 19 for 860 gns, and Lot 65 Raywa Icemans Geranium 117 at 900 gns.
Andrew Hichens bought three Lots and was underbidder for several others including the two sale toppers, the three that he bought were Lot 36 Raywa Stars Suncherry 24 at 900 gns, Lot 37 Raywa Stars Candy 9 at 950 gns and Lot 48 Raywa Stars Geranium 106 at 900 gns. Jeremy was with Andrew and it is good to see his enthusiasm for all things Guernsey and doubtless will have been "on line" already to further research these new cows. He reckons that two of the three will go VG and I reckon he is probably right.
The main buyer was Colin Gleed who with his Father in Law Walter Forrest and Step son Philip has started a new herd at Coopers Court Farm,
Stokenchurch Bucks with 12 quality lots and included 6 VG cows and several others that will go VG in time, with Lot 5 Raywa Telestar Sheila 19 in her 6th lactation at 940 gns, Lot 11 Raywa Telestar Cinnamon 14 at 900 gns , Lot 13 Raywa Telestars Geranium 84 at 920gns, Lot 23 Raywa Telestar Xandina 16 at 900 gns, Lot 25 Raywa Telestar Geranium 91 at 1020 gns, Lot 28 Raywa Telstar Xandina 18 at 1600 gns and her full sister Lot 46 Raywa Telestar Xandina 23 at 2000 gns.
Colin has purchased 15 cows from Rosewood and 11 cows from Blacknor to add to these and the Viaduct and Bickfield heifers and started milking on the new farm on Thursday the 19th July and has now purchased 130 Guernseys from all sources.
The last time that such prices were seen was in 2004 at the Boskenna and Luckley sales and there is a continuing demand for Guernseys of all ages.
