A PEDIGREE breeding partnership from North Yorkshire took the top price at the Salers Cattle Society’s spring show and sale.

Rigel Pedigree, of Middleton on Leven, Yarm, sold its bull, Rigel Peregrine, to fellow breeder Guto Jones, of Capel Iwan, Wales, for 5,000 guineas.

Peregrine is the offspring of the imported bull, Sagitaire, bought by Rigel Pedigree from the French Salers Bull Test Station, in 2002.

After a short, but very successful show career, Sagitaire has sired a string of champions – including three breed winners at the Great Yorkshire Show and top-priced females at the last four Salers Premier sales.They included the 3,350 guineas Rigel Colleen last year, and 3,700 guineas Rigel Mithril in 2007.

The farm, run by the Pye family, also took the second highest price of 3,000 guineas at Welshpool with a black polled bull, Rigel Carlton Poll, also sired by Sagitaire.

They also had the top priced 2,000 guineas heifer and reserve female champion, Rigel Ina, sired by their homebred bull, Rigel Othello Poll ET, who was twice male champion at the Great Yorkshire. Ina was sold in-calf to the the Pye family, owners of the newest imported bull, Casimir, who was breed champion at last year’s Royal Show.