THE largest entry of Red Ruby Devons for some 20 years met a record crowd at the Devon Cattle Breeders Society Autumn Show and Sale at Taunton.

The crowd witnessed a new female breed record price. Fresh from their success in winning the Herd Competition Grania, Simon Phillips saw their two-and-a-half-year-old in-calf heifer Colleton Petal the Second reach the dizzy heights of £4,200 after a gruelling bidding duel, finally ended by Phillip Gay to start his new Bagnell herd at Yeovil.

The female trade saw in-calf heifers from both the Colleton and Orswell (Mike Wright) Herds sell from £2,155 to £4,200.

Maiden heifers were particularly in demand, with the three prize winning yearling heifers selling at £2,625 (twice) and £2,730, for Heywood and Hurd (Whitefield), Mrs ED Roper (Forde Abbey) and Stonegrove Livestock (Stonegrove). All three beat the previous female breed record prices.

Leading the bull section was Champion Efford Down Churchill owned by David and Pauline Barker, taking the championship for the second sale in succession. It was also a first for the breed. This outstanding 18-month-old son of Macbiehill Frederick captured everyone's attention in both the show and the sale rings. Judge Colin Hutchings said Churchill combined the very best of modern Red Ruby type with the very essence of Red Ruby genetics. The bull was purchased by Hans Fontein, chairman of the Breed Promotion Committee, for his Cheldon herd.

Pedigree bulls averaged £1,840. Pedigree cows and calves averaged £1,280. Pedigree in-calf heifers averaged £2,210 and Pedigree maiden heifers averaged £1,329.