Farmer who was severely injured in 'spooked' bull attack decides to sell his unique herd to help charities

Emyr Wigley, 78, took the difficult decision to sell The Old Stackyard Blues herd after suffering a badly injured leg and broken ribs following the incident with a bull he owned while attending a market in Carlisle last month.

Emyr’s niece, Laura Pritchard, says her uncle is very lucky to be alive. She was with him grooming the previously docile bull, which was tied in a pen, when it suddenly became “spooked” and ended up crushing and trampling Emyr.

She risked her own life to rescue him from the pen before he was transferred to hospital.

“I love him to bits,” said Laura. “We are very close because I have spent much of my life with him and my late aunt."

Emryr is now beginning the slow recovery process but will be selling his unique pedigree breeding herd of British Blues in Shrewsbury next month.

The herd was established in tribute to Emyr’s beloved wife, Evelyn, who died of ovarian cancer aged 69 in 2015.

Over the past seven years, Emyr, who lives at Deytheur, Llansantffraid, has raised £121,691 for Ovarian Cancer Action and the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) from selling his cattle and books.

All proceeds from the herd’s sale will go to the same charities and the 33 cattle, from the herd, will be sold at Shrewsbury Auction Centre on March 4 as part of auctioneers Halls’ annual sale of British Blue Cattle.

Laura, who has helped Emyr with the herd since it was established in 2016, says they hope to raise £100,000 from the auction.

The aim is to support deprived farmers through RABI and to raise public awareness about ovarian cancer through Ovarian Cancer Action.

“This is the only herd in Britain which donates all proceeds from cattle sales to charity,” said Laura.

“We are hoping to raise £100,000 from the herd’s sale, as there is already a lot of interest because of the good breeding, the highest possible herd health with no vaccinations of any sort. The herd has generations of natural calving traits.

“My uncle is working flat out on his mobile phone organising the sale, with me in the background.

"The surrounding farming community has been beyond excellent with their support since he was injured.”

Jonny Dymond, Halls’ senior auctioneer and Shrewsbury Auction Centre manager, said: “We are honoured to be the chosen auctioneers for this most significant dispersal sale for the family, the breed and the charities.

“It is a truly unique herd and the journey Emyr Wigley has been on deserves all our admiration.”

Before their retirement, Emyr and Evelyn were dairy farmers for more than 20 years and also had a small group of British Blues which she loved.

As a result, it was an obvious choice to form a small breeding herd of British Blues in her memory.

The herd is bred to AI, is Level 1 herd health, totally closed and grazes in paddocks that are double fenced alongside badger-proof fencing for bio-security TB prevention.