112 BULLS AVERAGE A NEW UK ALL-BREEDS CENTRE RECORD FOR MAY OF £6718.13, UP BY £486
NEW N.IRISH RECORD SET AT 48,000GNS
75% CLEARANCE RATE
INTERMEDIATE BULLS AVERAGE £7897
SALE GROSSES £744,383
18 BULLS OVER FIVE FIGURES
29 BULLS AT 7,000GNS AND OVER
EMBRYOS SELL TO 3500gns
Culnagechan Falcon from Derek Hume, Randalstown, Northern Irelandwas flying high when he made 48,000gns to lead a UK all-breeds centre record average trade at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s May Show and Sale of bulls held at Borderway Mart, Carlisle on Saturday 5th May 2012.
The sale saw 112 bulls sell to set the new average mark of £6,718.13, up by £486 on last year’s figure which was itself a record mark. Commercial and pedigree bidders again competed for the first quality bulls on offer which resulted in two bulls making 30,000gns or more with 18 bulls in all making over 10,000gns. Twenty-nine bulls made 7,000gns or more. Ensuring another fantastic start to the Limousin sale year the new May record mark, the second highest ever Limousin sale average, followed hard on the heels of the February Sale at Carlisle which had witnessed an all-breeds UK record average of £8243.
The November 2010 born Culnagechan Falcon is by the Glenrock Ventura son Ampertaine Commander who himself was the May Champion at Carlisle in 2009. Falcon is a heifers calf and is out of the Wilodge Vantastic sired Culnagechan Celine. After some rapid bidding Culnagechan Falcon, a first prize winner from the Intermediate section, was knocked down to the noted Northern Irish breeder Alistair Graham and joins his 60 cow Madden pedigree herd at Tandragee, Co.Armagh.
Commenting on his purchase, Mr Graham said; “I really liked the look of this bull first and foremost and his pedigree is an added bonus as that breeding does not feature in my herd. He’s very stylish, tremendous through his top and he’s a good mover. He’ll be going home and put straight to work!”
The 48,000gns paid is a record price for a Limousin bull sold by a Northern Irish breeder and eclipses the 38,000gns mark set only in February 2012 and also at Carlisle. Speaking after the sale, an ‘over the moon’ Derek Hume commented; “The dam of this bull was bred by one of three straws of Vantastic semen I managed to get in a ballot when he was offered through the Young Bull Promotion Scheme. She has tremendous power and I just thought the sweetness and second thigh of Commander would go well with the squareness of the female. Falcon has always been a bit special but the sale today has been amazing and I’m delighted he has gone to such a good home.” The Culnagechan herd comprises sixty cows and was established in 2003.
At 30,000gns was the shapely Honeymoor Favourite from RS Harker & Son, Grayrigg Hall, Kendal. Another first prize winner, this time from the senior section, Favourite was purchased by RM Hazard & Sons for their Mereside herd at Saltby Heath Farm, Skillington, Grantham, Lincoln.
October 2010 born, this bull is got by the 25,000gns Haltcliffe Braveheart and is out of Overthwaite Dancer whose pedigree features Sympa on the dam line. The Mereside herd comprises of 100 cows along with 30 heifers. James Hazard described Honeymoor Favourite as a bull with a superb carcase and muscling, fine boned and with a lovely head. Delighted with the purchase the early plans are to get some cows settled in calf to him before collecting semen on farm.
It was a memorable weekend for Stuart Fotheringham, Ballinloan, Dunkeld,Perth. On the Friday Stuart was the man in the middle when he ably judged the pre-sale show of bulls and females. Come sale day the judge’s badge was swapped for a breeder’s white coat when he sold three bulls from his Ballinloan herd for 20,000gns, 9,000gns and 5,000gns respectively.
His leading sale was the 20,000gns paid for the Decmber 2010 born Ballinloan Formidable. This bull featuring a Beef Value of LM+41 is one of the first calves brought to sale by the by the 18,000gns herd sire Millgate Caesar. Formidable is out of the Cronshill Moses sired dam Ballinloan Ali. Ballinloan Formidable, the herd’s top sale price to date, headed south when purchased by TR Dickson, College Wood Farm, Wiston, Steyning,West Sussex. Selling at 9000gns was another Millgate Caesar son Ballinloan Fagan who is out of Lowbarn Bamela. This bull was purchased by J&W Wilson, Kirkmabreck, Creetown, Newton Stewart. Ballinloan Formula, also by Millgate Caesar, sold for 5000gns to K Russell, Crouse Farm, Wigtown.
Mr RS Harker, Overthwaite, Holme, Carnforth, Lancashire paid 18,000gns for Haltcliffe Fencer from Messrs Ridley, Haltcliffe, Hesket New Market, Wigton to add to his pedigree Overthwaite herd. This December 2010 born bull had come first in its class before placing Reserve Junior Champion. Sired by the 42,000gns Cloughhead Umpire he is out of Haltcliffe Bianca.
Early in the sale was the five year old stock bull Procters Commander from Messrs Ridley. A son of the 100,000gns Haltcliffe Vermount, and out of Procters Vabrielle, Commander has had progeny sell up to 20,000gns in the shape of the heifer Haltcliffe Encore. Getting the sale off to a fast start he made 15,000gns before being knocked down as Smiths of Bloxham’s first of two bulls purchased on the day.
It was another strong sale showing for the Ridleys who sold 10 bulls on the day to gross just under 90,000gns. Selling at 12,000gns was the November 2010 born Haltcliffe Freddie. Another son of Haltcliffe Vermount, this bull is out of the Cloughhead Umpire sired Haltcliffe Bridget. The purchaser was the noted Welsh commercial producer and show calf exhibitor E Jones, Coedmore Hall, Cellan, Lampeter, Dyfed. The first prize winning junior bull Haltcliffe George made 10,000gns and was another going to a commercial outfit when he was purchased by HG Blaxell & Sons, Eastfield Farm, Hickling, Norwich, Norfolk. By Cloughhead Umpire he is out of the Sympa sired Haltcliffe Clover a full sister to the 30,000gns Haltcliffe Banker. Haltcliffe Fortune, sired by Ronick Hawk and out of Haltcliffe Atlantic made 7500gns and sold to JR Graham & Partners, Greenshields, Biggar, Lanarkshire. Further bulls from the Haltcliffe team made 6500gns, 6000gns (x2), 4800, & 4000gns respectively.
At 17,000gns was the Attirant son Netherhall Goliath from Nether Hall Farm Ltd, Mansergh, Kirkby Lonsdale. The winner of the youngest class in the pre-sale show, this February 2011 born bull is out of Cloughhead Ainsi. This young calf went to the noted commercial herd of C Lee, Morley Hill, Whitfield, Hexham. Attirant is the stock bull in the Garnedd herd of Ken Jones who in 2011 was judged as the Best Stockbull within the Society’s National Herd Competition. In the very previous lot another Attirant son from Nether Hall, Netherhall Gaffer made 7000gns when selling to the Millwater herd of Tom Clyde, Orchard Farm, Antrim, Northern Ireland.
The prolific breeding of Wilodge Vantastic was again very much to the fore throughout the catalogue with four Vantastic sons winning first prize tickets in the pre-sale show and many featuring in the quoted prices. The Vantastic son attaining the top price come sale day was Glenrock Fortune who sold for 16,000gns for breeder S&H Illingworth, Howgillside, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie. Glenrock Fortune is out of the Kype Interrogate sired Glenrock Spangle who is described as the best breeding cow in the herd and has previously bred progeny up to 20,000gns. This bull with a Beef Value of LM+37,who stood second in his class to the Intermediate Champion, was purchased by JH Neale for the Nealford pedigree herd at Wilkie Down, Boyton Road, Launceston, Cornwall.
Earlier in the day, the Illingworths had sold the October 2010 born Glenrock Fandango for 10,000gns to the Ironstone herd of Smiths of Bloxham, Newlands Farm, Milton Road, Bloxham, Banbury, Oxfordshire. Again with a big Beef Value of LM+39 this bull is by the Irish bred sire Bremore Artist and is out of the Cloughhead Lord sired cow Glenrock Apricot. Rounding off a fine day’s trading Glenrock Flip made 7500gns when selling to DA Moffat, Beechfield, Old Graitney,Gretna, Dumfriesshire. Glenrock Flip is sired by the 24,000gns Sympa son Ampertaine Bravo and is out of another Kype Interrogate daughter, Glenrock Dream.
Another Wilodge Vantastic son, Paramor Filipo, made 15,500gns when selling for breeder G&E Conway, Plumbridge, Omagh. The winner of class 15 in the junior section, Paramor Filipo is out of the Haltcliffe Underwriter daughter Craigatoke Adele. Paramor Filipo also went to a top commercial home when snapped up by the Ayrshire based M Stevenson, Balcaimie Farm, Girvan.
Confirming another strong show and sale of bulls from Northern Irish breeders was the Intermediate Champion and Overall Reserve, Heathmount Frenchconnection from McKinney Brothers, Heathmount Farm, Maghera, Co.Londonderry. November 2010 born Frenchconnection had a real depth of pedigree being another son of Vantastic and being out of Heathmount Veronica whose pedigree on the dam side features both Greensons Gigolo and Broadmeadows Cannon. Of his Reserve Champion show judge Stuart Fotheringham commented; “This bull was very classy with great lines to him. Very well fleshed he is another typical Vantastic son.” Again going to a commercial home, Heathmount French connection was purchased for 15,000gns by Page Bros, Lodge Farm, Elkington,Northampton.
Another bull to catch the eye had been the Reserve Senior Champion Sportsmans Ferguson from Boden & Davies Ltd, Mellor Hall Farms, Mellor,Stockport. It was a first Championship ticket for this establishing Limousin herd and was achieved with yet another Wilodge Vantastic son. July 2010 born, this upstanding senior section bull is out of the Marquis sired Glenrock Ursula. The purchaser, at 14,000gns, was I Brown for his Lowgate pedigree herd at Fleet, Spalding,Lincolnshire.
Taking the red ticket in the first class of Intermediate bulls was Spittalton Fletcher from J Burnett & Sons, Upper Spittalton, Blair Drummond,Stirling. Continuing the strong theme of the day this October 2010 born bull is by Wilodge Vantastic and is out of the Orme B daughter Spittalton Dona. Buying this bull, at 12,000gns, was AG Kirton & Sons, Severn Lodge Farm, Kinlet, Bewdley, Worcestershire who run the Ashledge pedigree herd. Also from Spittalton was Spittalton Finn who made 8200gns when selling to the Lowabbey herd of TW & J Hunter, Upper Brydekirk, Brydekirk, Annan, Dumfriesshire. By Wilodge Vantastic, this November 2010 born bull is out of the Dyfri Tanner sired Spittalton Daphne.
All the way from the Highlands of Scotland was Alagils Gershwin from Mr AJ & Mrs G Macnab, Kildun Cottage, Dingwall. This January 2011 born bull, an embryo calf, made 12,000gns when selling to Allanton Farming, Allanton Farm, Darvel, Ayrshire and the Allanton pedigree herd. This bull is another sired by Millgate Caesar, a Ballyline Udolf son, and is out of the show cow Alagils Ainsi whose pedigree features both Scorboro Regius and Broadmeadows Didi. Later in the day, the Macnabs also sold the February 2011 born Alagils GT for 7000gns. By the AI sire Tehix this calf is also out of the cow Alagils Ainsi. Purchaser was J Logan, Humebyres Farm, Kelso, Roxs for their Homebyres Herd.
Standing as the sale’s show Champion was Garnedd Ffrancon from Ken, Heifn & Elen Jones, of the Garnedd Herd, Bryn Ddraenen, Padog, Betws y Coed, Conwy. This bull had come through the Senior section before moving on to secure the overall title. By a quirk of fate, Garnedd Ffrancon occupied the same sale pen that Dolcorsllwyn Fabio had occupied when winning the Championship in February before selling for a world record price! Ffrancon’s sire is the 10,000gns Overthwaite Ben a bull breeding well in the herd and who has produced sons sold for up to 12,000gns. A heifer’s calf, Garnedd Ffrancon is out of Garnedd Carol a Broomfield Regentcey daughter out of Winnington Ragwort. Speaking of his Champion, the judge Stuart Fotheringham said; “This bull was very hard muscled with tremendous volume throughout and had good legs that could carry that. A real meat machine he is very masculine, has terrific width and loin throughout and is a bull that would dominate his females.” Purchasing the Champion bull at 10,000gns was Rees Brothers, Penanty, Brynberian, Crymych, Dyfed.
Also at 10,000gns from the same vendor was the August 2010 born Garnedd Ferrari. This bull is a son of the herd’s aforementioned stock bull Attirant and is out of another Broomfield Regentcey daughter Garnedd Bronwen. This bull headed due north when purchased for the Shannas pedigree herd of Mr & Mrs J Penny, Shannas, Mintlaw, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire.
The Garnedd herd presently consists of 45 breeding females with Garnedd Ffrancon representing the Jones’ first sale Championship title atCarlisle. In both 2010 and 2011, the Garnedd Herd was voted as Overall Champion Limousin Herd in the North West Midlands and North West Wales Regional Limousin Herd Competition.
Five bulls in all made 10,000gns. Included at this mark was Emslies Black Flatout from H Emslie, Kinknockie, Mintlaw, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire. Sired by the 25,000gns Bailea BMW, a Requin son, Flatout is out of the Oxygene daughter Emslies Caramel. Caramel is a full sister Emslies Ebay the sire of the 2010 Smithfield Calf Champion. Sold with a Beef Value of LM+49 this bull was purchased by VS Allgood, Nunwick Hall, Nunwick, Hexham, Northumberland.
On the Friday evening a small sale of nine Limousin females saw a top price of 3800gns paid for Belhaven Black Frankincense from J Gilmour & Co Ltd, Penston, Macmerry,East Lothian. This March 2010 born heifer is by Cole Sudden Impact and is out of the SLVL Stout sired Greenwood Gypsy. The purchaser was Bovagen Ltd, Roxburgh Mains, Kelso, Roxs.
Following the females was a high quality offering of frozen embryos from the Wilodge Herd of Miss C Williams, Lodge Hill Farm, Park Lane, Shifnal, Shropshire. Leading the way was the mating of Wilodge Tonka and the herd’s renowned cow Ravenelle which made the tremendous price of 3500gns per embryo for two embryos to an undisclosed buyer. A further two embryos of the same mating made 3300gns each. In all eight embryos sold on the evening by Christine Williams grossed a combined 21,000gns.
Other Leading Prices
Lot 155 Wilodge Formulaone 9700gns to P Dunne Carngarive, Co. Caven,Eire
Lot89 Goldies Fiesta 8000gns to J Hepburn & Co, Northhouse Farm, Hawick, Roxs
Lot 220 Cowin Goldfinger 7500gns to TD Pearson, The Forge,HamptonBishop, Nr Hereford
Lot 100 Liscon Fraser 7000gns to Herries Farms, Bow House Farm, Glencaple,Dumfries
Lot 214 Whinfellpark Gambit 7000gns to JE Carruthers, Silloans,Rochester,Newcastle Upon Tyne
Averages:
35 Senior Bulls £5059.09
47 Intermediate Bulls £7897.34
30 Junior Bulls £6538.00
112 Bulls £6718.13
Video highlights of top 9 priced bulls HERE Bulls selling between 10,000 and 14,000gns HERE
Full Blog of Saturday’s sale can be reviewed HERE.
Pictures from the pre-sale show held on Friday can be viewed HERE, together with video highlights of Stuart Fotheringham’s judging
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