Hillhead Fiona was the top price female at Carlisle which sold for 3,000gns.

Hillhead Fiona II, an in-calf heifer, is the first daughter of the herds senior herd sire Sauveur to be sold at Carlisle.

Fiona won the female championship ticket and sold in calf to Hillhead Clint who bred the champion at the 2010 RUAS.

She goes to J Smith of Driffield, East Yorkshire.

Hillhead Firefly, a 13 month old son of the Hillhead stock sire, Palace, and out of a Sauveur bred daughter. Selling for 3,200gns Firefly was sold to James and Peter Weightman of the Hallfield herd, Easington, Peterlee.

On a recent visit to the farm of Martin and Geoffery Rodgers Hillhead Blondes Ballynahinch by William Smith of Farmgate Meats Magherlin he bought two super blonde heifers .

These two heifers were reared on the Rodgers farm.

When the heifers were slaughtered they killed out very well as listed.

Heifer one live weight was 605kgs-dead weight was 406kgs-grading E3 and 67% kill out.

Heifer two live weight was 619kgs-dead weight was 412kgs-grading U2 and 66%kill out .

William likes the blonde carcase because of the lean meat and little fat.

Hillhead Blondes offer for sale 1 Bull and 1 in-calf heifer at this months Blonde Sale in Carlisle on Friday the 21st of October.

Hillhead Firefly Lot 26

D.O.B 28/08/2010 Hillhead Firefly is a heifers calf, his pedigree combines both PALACE and SAUVEUR breeding. He shows tremendous length and confirmation.

Hillhead Fiona 11 Lot 27

D.O.B 11/01/2010 Hillhead Fiona 11 This is an excellent opportunity to purchase a potential show heifer, she is the first Sauveur female progeny to be sold in Carlisle. Hillhead Clint ( service sire) of the 2010 Blonde Champion at the RUAS

The Rodgers Family from Dromara enjoyed the weather and success at last Saturdays Saintfeld Show.

Home bred in calf heifer Hillhead Estelle took the Blonde Championship and the Ulster Bank Heifer Derby Qualifier at the Show.

A Sauveur Daughter took the Female Championship at the recent Blonde Society Sale at the Pedigree Sales Arena in Moira.

Hillhead Felicity bred by M R Rodgers and Son from Ballynahinch, Co. Down, won Champion Female.

Felicity is out of Hillhead Verity who was breed champion at both The Royal Ulster Show and Highland show, and sired by 2005 and 2006 Paris show winner Sauveur. The prizewinner sold to Paul Downey from Co.Antrim for 1600gns a welcome addition to his Lurgy herd.

For the Rodgers family from Dromara in Co Down 2010 has been a year in which their pedigree beef bloodlines have continued to gain recognition in countries around Europe. This year’s Balmoral Show was marked by the attainment of their 15th ‘Royal’ title with the supreme young Blonde bull Hillhead Dandy, who won the Supreme Blonde Championship at the Spring Show.

Dandy was subsequently purchased by the Epps family, who live in France – but who farm on the Island of Islay.

“Dandy was bought to improve the quality of the beef calves produced from the cows already on the island,” Geoffrey Rodgers confirmed.

“And that’s a job Dandy is bred to do. His sire Hillhead Clint is a tremendous example of the Blonde breed. He is also a former Balmoral Champion and his semen is in strong demand from farmers throughout the British Isles and beyond.”

Mr Epps’ specific interest in Blonde cattle stretches back over a significant number of years.

“We bought our first Blonde bull, primarily for use on heifers, and were very pleased with the temperament and growth rate of the calves. Several of the Blonde cross calves, out of heifers, stood on a par with the Charolais cross calves when it came to sale time,” he explained.

The British Blondes took a stand at a hugely supported Irish National and European ploughing match in Athy, Co.Kildare. The GB Society had a resounding attendance and interest on their stand taken within the British pavilion.

The centre piece of the British Blonde stand was the heifer Hillhead Estelle which was kindly loaned by M R Rodgers and son of the Hillhead herd, Co.Down born 7th April 2009 she was sired by the French bull Sauveur.

Estelle was centrepiece and attracted a large response from the many thousands of visitors attending this years ploughing match.

The British society is working with breeders from the Rep of Ireland to further the quality of the breed in that part of the world and already have positive enquiries and orders for both semen and breeding stock to the Rep of Ireland in the near future

Hillhead Estelle

Following on from her success at Balmoral she was 1st prize Junior Heifer at Castlewellan show. This young heifer is sired by Sauveur.