TRUEMAN HEIFER TOPS RED LADIES DERBY SALE AT 14,000GNS

• 35 head gross £130,568 and average £3,730
• Six animals make over 5,000gns
• Sale sees good export trade to Europe

Trueman Grazia from Henry Savage & Sons, Altnamackin, Newry, Co. Down, Northern Ireland made 14,000gns and topped the British Limousin Cattle Society’s Red Ladies Derby held at Borderway Mart, Carlisle on Friday 14^th December 2012.   Earlier in the day, this April 2011-born heifer had placed as Overall Supreme Champion in the pre-sale show judged by James Callion who runs the Melbreak Herd at Shaneragh, Dromore, Co Tyrone, N Ireland.  In a feature of the day, the Champion was one of a number of purchases made by the Dutch Livestock & Genetics Company, Cowporation, Alblasserdam, Ridderkerk, Holland.  These further purchases followed a previous buying mission in February of this year where Cowporation purchased eleven maiden heifers, a young bull, and a quantity of semen.

Arriving with a spectacular show season behind her, Trueman Grazia is by the 100,000gns Haltcliffe Vermount and is out of Cookstown B1425, an animal bought from a dispersal sale in Southern Ireland.  Amongst a string of show titles, Trueman Grazia had placed as Reserve Overall Supreme at this year’s Royal Ulster Show, was Champion at the Northern Ireland Heifer Derby, and had been awarded top heifer in the 2012 Northern Ireland Herd Competition.  Combining pedigree with natural muscling, growth and style James Callion described her as a ‘stand out’ Champion.  For the Savage Family, who run a sixteen-cow herd in County Down, the Supreme Championship was their second at Red Ladies and followed on from Trueman Duet who previously made 38,000gns in 2009.  With a strong track record at Carlisle, the herd had also won the prestigious National Limousin Show held there in 2011 which marked the 40^th Anniversary of the Limousin breed in the UK.

A big crowd attended what is the closing sale of the season for pedigree Limousins and were quick to purchase animals with easy management traits, growth and natural muscling.  The sale, along with the weaned calves later in the day, brought to a close another remarkable sale year for the Limousin breed that has seen over £8.1 Million of pedigree Limousins traded, and up by almost £850,000 on the year.

The Reserve Champion Female was Grahams Gabriella from R&J Graham, Airthrey Kerse, Bridge of Allan, Stirling which sold for 8,800gns to the seven-cow Malin pedigree herd based at Binley Woods, Coventry, Warwickshire.  Grahams Gabriellla was the winner of the Best Heifer born in Scotland in 2011 in the 2012 Scottish Limousin Herd Competition and was a prize winner at this year’s Royal Highland Show.  With a Beef Value of LM+28, she is by the homebred Grahams Alexander and is out of the Jersey-sired Nitouche and was described by the judge as: “a stylish heifer, very correct with natural muscling yet retaining a real feminine sweetness.”

Winner of the day’s first class was the growthy September-born heifer Nebo Favourite from ML Thomas, Bryn Farm, Nebo, Conwy.  She went on to make 8,500gns – again to the Dutch-based Cowporation. This heifer is by the prolific 42,000gns Wilodge Vantastic and is out of the noted Neuf-sired Nebo Caryl.  With a Beef Value of LM+40, she was sold PD’d in calf to Ampertaine Commander. Cowporation later went on to purchase two January-2012 born heifer calves in the Weaned Calf Sale – Burnbank Honey and Burnbank Harriot – consigned by D & L Graham, Mains of Burnbank Farm, Blairdrummond, Stirling. With similar breeding, being by the AI sire, Carmorn Dauphin (Dauphin x Carmorn Penny), and out of Rocky-sired dams, they went under the hammer for 7,000gns and 2,100gns respectively.

At 7,200gns was Carmorn Gaga from Francis McAuley, Toomebridge, Co. Antrim.  Full of breeding, Carmorn Gaga is an AI daughter of the noted Attirant and is out of Carmorn Diana, a daughter of the renowned cow Carmorn Penny.  Again with a good Beef Value of LM+34, this animal was knocked down to Mr J Henry, Hollybank Farm, Lenagh Road, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland for the Sharnagh Herd.

Next best at 5,500gns was Beachmount Goodgirl from first-time Carlisle vendor K & C Knox, Whitehill North, Lisnrick Road, Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh. August 2011-born, she is by the noted AI sire Cloughhead Umpire and out of the Sympa daughter, Beachmount Ebony. Having stood Reserve Champion at this year’s Tyrone Show, this first prizewinner now heads to Southern Ireland to MD Davis, Castlebrock, Ballinenee, Co Longford.

M Cursiter, Laga, Evie, Orkney purchased Kaprico Fleur for 5,200gns for his Lagas Limousin prefix. Brought forward by AK & C Stafford, Sancroft Drive, Houghton-Le-Spring, Tyne & Wear, the September 2010-born Fleur was sold in-calf to the noted Wilodge Tonka. Sired by Ionesco, Fleur is out of the 2006 Royal Show Champion and Burke Trophy winner, Kaprico Ultimate, and went under the hammer with a big Beef Value of LM+44.

At the 4,500gns mark was Frewstown Gold from Mr D Frew, Kellswater Road, Antrim. By the herd sire, Carmorn Cantona (by Wilodge Vantastic), and out of the Mereside Topman daughter, Frewstown Cone, Frewstown Gold’s show career had included championships at both Ballymena and Castlewellan Shows. New owners are H&S Watkins, Cammen Uchaf, Llanfihangel, Powys who run the Cammen Herd.

Securing a final bid of 4,100gns was the January 2011-born black-coated Limousin, Towthorpe Geisha, from Millington Grange Estate, Millington, York. Sired by the Greensons Ural son, Greensons Dollar, and out of Towthorpe Desiree (by Ideal who sired Grahams Poncho), Towthorpe Geisha sold with a Beef Value of LM+40 to JC Rendall, Rowland Farm, Holm, Orkney.

Averages:

9 Served Heifers                     £3,943.33

26 Maiden Heifers                  £3,656.83

A video of the judging can be seen HERE & of the top seven priced lots HERE.