GUNNERFLEET BULL HEADS CARLISLE TRADE AT 24,000GNS
113 Bulls Average £5,026 – Sale grosses £568,000 – 10 Bulls over Five Figures – 68% Clearance Rate
Lancashire breeders J & I Handley of the Gunnerfleet Herd, Gunnerfleet Farm, Chapel-le-Dale, Ingleton achieved the 24,000gns top price at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s Spring Show & Sale of Limousin Bulls held at Borderway Mart, Carlisle 18th-19th February 2011. Gunnerfleet Eros is a September 2009 born son of the prolific Broadmeadows Cannon, and is out of the homebred cow Gunnerfleet Becian, a Goldies Tony daughter. Coming out of a strong class in the junior section, this large-framed bull weighed 830kg at 470 days and was sold with a Beef Value of LM+31.
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| Gunnerfleet Eros – 24,000gns |
Purchasing the 24,000gns top priced bull, Gunnerfleet Eros, were E & J Sims, Edgefields Farm, Edgefields Lane, Stockton Brook, Stoke on Trent for their 25 strong breeding female pedigree Simse Herd. Mr Sims made his purchase based on the bull’s proven bloodlines, performance figures and for the power and muscularity in such a young bull. In due course Mr Sims aims to collect semen from the bull. For the Handleys, the 24,000gns represented their top price to date having previously sold bulls at Carlisle to 12,000gns.
The trade saw 113 bulls on the day sell to average a healthy £5,026 and gross £568,000. Ten bulls made over the five figure mark with 113 selling from the 171 forward giving a clearance rate of 68%. Averages were down on the corresponding 2010 sale that had included top prices of 72,000gns and 36,000gns respectively and a UK-all breeds record average. At the Society’s three sales held in February 2011 (Stirling, Dungannon & Carlisle) a total of 240 bulls have been sold to gross just under £1 Million.
Commenting, BLCS Chief Executive Iain Kerr said: “To sell 240 bulls in the month at a healthy average of over £4,100 is a solid performance. The Limousin breed is all about easy calving, easy fleshing, feed efficiency and profitable carcases with high killing out percentages. It has the versatility to do every job and offers all-round marketing flexibility which are real bonuses for the commercial producer. These are the qualities that have seen the breed set all-breeds record sales grosses in the last two consecutive years and what continues to drive demand in a challenging economic time for the industry.”
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| Rathconville Eugene – 17,000gns |
A much-admired bull shown by Paul Brown, Rathconville Road, Loughgilly, Co.Armagh, Northern Ireland sold for the second top price of 17,000gns. Rathconville Eugene, a June 2009 born first prize winner, is a son of the French AI sire Rocky, and is out of the All-Ireland Junior Cow Champion from the 2008 Irish Beef Expo, Ballinahinch Alexandria. The Rathconville prefix was established just three years ago with the purchase of 40 cows from Co Wicklow, S Ireland and now numbers 60 pedigree breeding females. Rathconville Eugene now heads to the noted Ronick Herd of Mr R Dick, Mains of Throsk, Stirling.
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| Rathconville Equator – 10,000gns |
DA & MA Teasdale, Grindon Hill, Haydon Bridge, Hexham, Northumberland purchased the second offering from Mr Brown, Rathconville Equator, at 10,000gns. May 2009 born, this one is sired by Guards Boomer, a Rocky son, and the 2009 Royal Ulster Show Champion who was purchased for 22,000gns at Carlisle in February 2008. His dam is the Irish-bred Reask Lady. This was a culmination of a great week’s trade for Mr Brown, having secured both the Championship as well as the top price of 8,000gns for Rathconville Esquire at the BLCS’s Dungannon Sale held on 14th February.
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| Marlepark Edward – 16,000gns |
Going under the hammer at 16,000gns to the Beath Herd of J Thompson, Hilton of Beath, Kelty, Fife was the Senior and Reserve Supreme Champion, Marlepark Edward, exhibited by Castlewigg Farming Co Ltd, Whithorn, Newton Stewart. A family partnership comprising parents Roy & Morag and son Roy Jnr and wife Susan, this represented their top price to date, eclipsing the 12,000gns (twice) they achieved at the February 2010 sale for Marlepark Dynamite and Marlepark Director. The Marlepark prefix comprises a nucleus of 25 pedigree Limousin cows. Marlepark Edward, who carried a Beef Value of LM+44, is by the 24,000gns Ampertaine Bravo (Carlisle Champion November 2007 purchased jointly with BT Goldie) and is out of the homebred heifer, Marlepark Bessie, a daughter of Grahams Uist who had sired the 12,000gns Marlepark Director at the corresponding sale last year. March 2009 born, Marlepark Edward, had snapped up the Senior & Reserve Overall titles in the pre-sale show under Judge Mr Daf Griffiths of the noted Mynach Herd based at Cilgrymnan Fawr, Cwmfelin Mynach, Carmarthenshire.
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| Marlepark Elite – 10,000gns |
Winning two section titles on the day, Castlewigg Farming Co Ltd also took the Junior Champion this time in the shape of Marlepark Elite. Again sired by Ampertaine Bravo, Marlepark Elite is out of Normande Pamela, the dam of the 11,000gns Marlepark Ace. The July 2009 born Marlepark Elite sold for 10,000gns to AJ Clark’s Mayfields Herd, Hangram Lane Farm, Ringinglow, Sheffield. This is thought to be the first time an exhibitor has won two sections in a pre-sale show at Carlisle.
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| Homebyres Ernest – 12,000gns |
Two bulls made 12,000gns. First of these was Homebyres Ernest from Messrs J Logan, Humebyres, Kelso. By the homebred stock bull, Homebyres Vanhee, he carries a Beef Value of LM+41 and is out of Sarkley Veleta, dam of the 6,500gns Homebyres Dominic (Carlisle February 2010). Purchasers were J Leiper & Sons, Black Heddon, Ponteland, Newcastle on Tyne for their commercial suckler herd. Rounding off a good day’s trading was the Logans’ second catalogued bull, Homebyres Elgin, who had earlier stood Reserve Senior Champion. This April 2009 born bull made 7,000gns when selling to the Kinniside Herd of G & AE Marrs, Cathow Farm, Kinniside, Cleator, Carlisle, Cumbria. Homebyres Elgin is by the Sympa son Homebyres Arnott and is out of the Balnacraig Supreme daughter, Homebyres Vinsi, whose pedigree goes back to the noted cow Broadmeadows Dainsi. Homebyres Elgin is a full brother to Homebyres Dunlop who was sold at Carlisle for 6,000gns. Previous Homebyres Arnott sons have sold to a top of 10,800gns with eleven sons averaging 5,000gns.
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| Togherdoo Expert – 12,000gns |
The second bull at the 12,000gns mark was Togherdoo Expert, presented by Victor Keys, Aughnamoe Road, Galbally, Dromore, N Ireland. An embryo calf by the prolific 42,000gns Wilodge Vantastic and out of the Broadmeadows Cannon daughter, Ronick Optima, this September 2009 born bull carries a Beef Value of LM+35 and was purchased by RP & DL Hutchinson Ltd, Greenhill Farm, Balderton, Newark, Notts for their Beaconsfield Herd. This was Mr Keys’ highest sale price to date for his herd which comprises 12 pedigree cows running alongside 30 commercials. The dam, Ronick Optima, was purchased privately as the herd’s foundation female and had previously bred the 2005 Moira Calf Spectacular Champion, Togherdoo Vision, who later sold for 3,400gns (Dungannon February 2006).
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| Anside Elias – 11,000gns |
Anside Elias from Mr & Mrs S Irvine, Braehead Farm, Drummuir, Banffshire hit 11,000gns when selling to W & T Nelson, High Kilphin, Ballantrae, Ayrshire. June 2009 born Anside Elias is by Frewstown Breakdance, sire of the 16,000gns Anside Diageo, and is out of the Fleethill Talisman-sired Anside Veronica. Elias had previously been named as the Young Bull of the Year in the 2010 Scottish Limousin Club Herd Competition. He carries a Beef Value of LM+25 and stood second in his intermediate section class here.
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| Swarland Eddie – 10,000gns |
Swarland Eddie from A&D Proctor, Swarland Old Hall, Swarland, Morpeth, Northumberland made 10,000gns when knocked down to James Alexander, Gloverstown Road, Randalstown, N Ireland. A July 2009 born calf, Swarland Eddie had stood second in his class to the Junior Champion. Eddie is from the first batch of calves by Hartsideanew Boumsong, who was bought in November 2007 at Carlisle for 8,000gns, and is out of the homebred Swarland Valance, a Wilodge Riogrande daughter. Purchaser Mr Alexander was impressed by his “length, style and great shape” and plans to use the bull on commercial crossbred cows with the aim of producing show calves. His Jalex Herd comprises 40 pedigree Limousins run commercially as part of a 400-strong commercial outfit.
Earlier in the sale the Proctors had sold the 22nd June 2009 born Swarland Encore for 7,500gns to WF & H Logan, Maxwellstone, Girvan, Ayrshire. Also by Hartsideanew Boumsong, Swarland Encore is out of the Jockey daughter Swarland Amy. The Proctors’ Swarland Herd numbers 20 cows with their previous best at sale having been Swarland Cantona sold for 8,000gns at Carlisle in May 2009.
Also heading to purchaser James Alexander for breeding replacement females was the Intermediate & Overall Champion, Loosebeare Easyrider, consigned by EW Quick & Sons, Loosebeare Manor, Zeal Monachorum, Crediton, Devon. Loosebeare Easyrider is by the prolific Rainbow Simon, who has bred bulls up to 20,000gns with 23 sons sold at Carlisle to date to average £8,270. Carrying a Beef Value of LM+37, Easyrider is out of the Goldies Ovation-sired Loosebeare Tosha. This was the Quicks’ second Carlisle Championship having previously won it in 2002 with Loosebeare Superman. Commenting, Judge Daf Griffiths said: “My Champion was a big, long, strong bull with a very good top on him. A true-to-type Limousin bull with good breed character, he was very clean and not too heavily boned and very much a bull for both the pedigree and commercial market. Overall, this was a good show of very marketable bulls ready to go out and work. “
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| Glenrock Eagle – 10,000gns |
The final five-figure bull was the 10,000gns Glenrock Eagle who sold as a half share to RG Dodd, Greenbrae, Irvington, Kirkpatrick Fleming, Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire and S & L Dodd, Tundergarth Mains, Tundergarth, Lockerbie. August 2008 born and brought out by Mr SD Illingworth, Howgillside, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie, Glenrock Eagle has a Beef Value of LM+29 and won the Best Young Bull award at the 2010 North East Limousin Club Herd Competition. He is sired by the noted AI bull, Fieldson Alfy, and is out of Glenrock Spangle whose progeny include Glenrock Victory (13,000gns Carlisle May 2006) and Glenrock Bianca (20,000gns Red Ladies Derby 2007).
AK&C Stafford, Houghton-Le-Spring, Tyne & Wear sold the first prize winning Kaprico Eravelle for 8,500gns to the Tomschoice pedigree herd of JM & SP Cooper, Dacre, Harrogate, Yorkshire. Full of breeding, this July 2009 born bull is by the noted Wilodge Tonka and is out of the Greensons Gigolo-sired Kaprico Ravelle. Kaprico Eravelle, carrying a Beef Value of LM+36, is a full brother to the Staffords’ Kaprico Davelle who was Supreme Champion at Carlisle in October 2009 and who sold for 18,000gns. Later in the day, the Staffords sold Kaprico Enigma for 6,400gns to Nilston Rigg Farms, Hexham. September 2009 born, Kaprico Enigma is by the 29,000gns Ampertaine Abracadabra and is out of the 2006 Royal Show Supreme Champion Kaprico Ultimate.
Also at 8,500gns was Haltcliffe Exocet from Messrs Ridley, Haltcliffe, Hesket-New-Market, Cumbria. June 2009 born, Haltcliffe Exocet is by the 42,000gns stock bull Cloughhead Umpire and is out of the Sympa daughter Haltcliffe Uzerche. Purchaser was KD Harryman, Keskadale, Keswick, Cumbria who runs the Keskadale pedigree herd. Another Cloughhead Umpire son, Haltcliffe Egidius, made 8,000gns when selling in a half share to T Scott & Co, Linlithgow and J & J Bannatyne, Biggar. This May 2009 born bull is out of the Nenuphar sired Sarkley Vatella.
J Watson, Bowsden Moor, Bowsden, Berwick Upon Tweed, Northumberland made 8,500gns when selling Tweeddale Eiger. June 2009 born, Tweeddale Eiger is by the Sympa sired Haltcliffe Argos and is out of Tweeddale Bjork, a Goldies Uppercrust daughter.
Other Leading Prices:
Tweeddale Eiger 8,500gns J Watson to HS Hutchinson, Eastgate, Bishop Auckland, Co.Durham
Maraiscote Exit 8,000gns J & JF Nimmo to Strattons Farms LLP, Kingsclere, Newbury
Queenshead Evra 8,000gns JG & PM Varley to D Cadzow & Co Ltd, Pencaitland, East Lothian
Breconside Egbert 7,500gns Breconside Farming to J Halliday & Sons, Pearsby Hall, Lockerbie
Willowvale Emre 7,500gns Anthony Sayer to I Millard, Bootle, Nr Millom, Cumbria
Averages:
31 Senior Bulls £4,262.66
42 Intermediate Bulls £5,145.00
40 Junior Bulls £5,446.88
Overall 113 Bulls £5,026.80
Auctioneers: Harrison & Hetherington
