Halls to conduct first production sale for top Irish herd of pedigree Herefords this Saturday

Leading Shropshire-based auctioneers Halls have been chosen to conduct the first ever production sale for the renowned Solpoll Herd of Pedigree Hereford cattle on farm in Northern Ireland on Saturday.

The auction is being held for John and William McMordie at Solitude, 58, Belfast Road, Ballygowan County Down at 1pm, with viewing from 11am. The auction, which will be live in person and on MartEye online auction platform, celebrates 70 years since the first bull was sold for breeding by the family.

Included in the auction, which will be conducted by Jonny Dymond, Halls’ senior auctioneers and Shrewsbury Auction Centre manager, will be 25 cattle,10 embryos and 25 straws.

Mr Dymond describes the 33-lot auction – the first to be held in Northern Ireland by Halls – as “the most exciting sale for the Hereford breed this autumn.”

On offer will be first daughters of Worldwide and daughters from Top Prize, Promoter, Humberto, Pacman and Stamina.

The McMordie family formed the Solpoll Herd in 1953 to replace Friesian cows. The first females were purchased in Dublin and the current Starlet, Stardust, Dainty, Stella and Pansy families all come from the original purchases.

“With pedigree cattle the only enterprise on the farm we are proud to have made our living from our pedigree Herefords for three generations of the family,”  they said. “The success of our cattle in other herds has always left great pride, in particular the performance of Gilbert siring five consecutive Females of the Year and Perfection,  twice Sire of the Year.

“By offering the entire 2024 spring born heifer group, the auction is a chance to buy into females that wouldn’t normally be offered for sale and from families which we wouldn’t usually sell.

The sale includes 18 in-calf and one maiden heifer by six different sires and there is a choice of six bulls by six different sires to offer a range of bloodlines.

“The dams of these bulls have all proven themselves as top breeding cows in the herd,” added the family. “The belief that the right stock bull is never expensive has led us to always buy the best we can afford and it has largely paid off.”

Solpoll has won the Hereford Northern Ireland Herds competition numerous times as well as being UK Herd of the Year twice. Over the years, the herd has set many top and record prices in the sale ring in Balmoral, Omagh and Dungannon, with Braveheart setting a new Northern Ireland  record price in April.

“A sire that has had the biggest impact on the breed in the last 10 years is Panmure 1 Henry,” added the family. Through his numerous sons and now as a grandsire, he will leave a lasting legacy.

“His progeny have set record prices in the UK and Ireland and we have decided to offer the last straws we will have for sale from him as the last lot in the sale.”

Mr Dymond, who is also an auctioneer at Hereford Cattle Society sales, says he is honoured to conduct this sale of cattle from such a well-known herd across Ireland  and the UK.

“The Impact that the Solpoll Herd has made in 70 years of breeding cannot be overstated,” he said. “The Solpoll name can be seen within virtually every single Hereford catalogue produced since Halls become the society auctioneers in 2021.

“Walking through the herd, it is easy to see why – they are simply class. They tick boxes not just for pedigree breeders, but also commercial producers, being upstanding, stylish and naturally fleshing cattle.

“The sale includes the full crop of spring 2024 born heifers, with all but one in-calf to select bulls to maximise the most desirable traits. Each one looks like a potential champion and who would bet against it?

“The six bulls on offer mirror the females and are full of presence and breed character. A bull is half your herd and what a herd you will have with these!

“In addition, there are the frozen lots and embryos –  this sale really does pack a huge amount into 33 lots. At Solpoll nothing has been bred by chance – everything is by design and produces results, not just for the McMordies but for breeders in every corner of the UK and beyond!

“We are not selling dreams here, this is reality! “