- Trueman Jagger sets UK & European all-breeds bovine record
- 140,000gns sets new Limousin world record price
- 85 bulls average £8709,a new UK all-breeds record
- Averages up on the year by over £3200
- Intermediate bulls average over £10,000
- Thirteen bulls make 10,000gns or more
- Ampertaine Jamboree sells for 45,000gns
- Ampertaine Gigolo sires top two prices
It was a world record breaking day at Carlisle on Saturday 17th October when the April 2014 born Trueman Jagger from Henry Savage & Sons, Altnamackin, Newry, Co Down sold for a remarkable 140,000gns (£147,000).
Prior to the sale Jagger had been widely described as one of the best Limousin bulls ever seen at a British Limousin Cattle Society Sale. Come sale time the huge crowd witnessed an amazing opening bid of 50,000gns before the bull raced to the 140,000gns mark, a new world record price for a Limousin bull and a new UK & European all-breeds bovine record price. Purchasing the bull was a five way syndicate of Limousin breeders which comprised of Michael & Melanie Alford, Foxhillfarm herd at Cullompton Devon; Paul Dawes, Dinmore herd at Hereford; Messrs Jenkinson, Whinfellpark herd at Penrith; Gareth Lee, Calogale herd in Carmarthenshire;and Kedzlie Farm Ltd, Swalesmoor herd at Lauderdale.
The world record was the highlight of the Society’s Autumn Sale that also saw 85 bulls sell to a sensational average of £8709. The average was up by over £3200 on the year and is a new UK all-breeds record. The new mark is £467 up on the previous Limousin sale average of £8242. Twenty three bulls in all made 7500gns or more with thirteen in five figures. A healthy clearance rate of 67% was achieved with 85 bulls selling out of the 127 presented for sale.
A video of Trueman Jagger being sold can be viewed HERE.
On Friday at the pre-sale show Trueman Jagger had been placed as the Overall Supreme Champion & Intermediate Champion by the judge, and Irish Limousin Cattle Society Chairman, Kevin Bohan, Beechhill Farm, Doon, Co. Laois. An embryo calf, Trueman Jagger is one of the first calves born to Ampertaine Gigolo and is out of the noted Trueman Grazia, a Haltcliffe Vermount daughter.
Speaking of his Champion bull the judge said: “This bull just had got the lot. He is the most powerful Champion bull I’ve seen with a super backend and top. With that he’s just full of class and style throughout, a truly exceptional Limousin bull and a great credit to the Savage family.” Through the summer of 2015 Trueman Jagger had been placed as the Overall Male Champion, Reserve Overall Champion and Junior Interbreed Champion at the Royal Ulster Show at Balmoral. The judge on that day had been Mary Cormack the partner of Richard Bartle the farm manager at Dinmore. Since that show on 11th May the bull had done a fantastic 2.47kgs per day up until the sale day itself and not unsurprisingly stood at the market with tremendous figures for muscle depth and growth.
A Video of the judging can be seen HERE
At the close of the sale Melanie Alford speaking on behalf of the purchasing syndicate said: “There’s exceptional potential in a bull of this outstanding quality. He has size, shape, style, is very correct, and walks well. The terrific weight gain that he has shown is something that you would expect he will pass on to his progeny. He has fantastic figures and his bloodlines bring something a little different as well. He’s a ‘marquee’ bull with a huge future ahead of him and one in time that through semen collection we aim to make available to breeders and across the board both domestically and internationally.”
It was of course an amazing roller coaster couple of days of emotions for the Savage team comprising of Henry Snr, Henry Jnr, Phelim, Benedict, and Dermot, and ably helped by Dermot Small. Of the bull and the sale Henry Snr said: “He’s a ‘once in a generation bull’, quite exceptional, and we have been very proud to breed him and bring him on. To sell him for a world record price is the stuff of dreams and something that you would never expect to realise. It’s quite humbling in many ways to do so but the family are excited about the bull’s future and we hope that he will go on to breed to his potential for the new owners and the Limousin breed as a whole.”
The Savage family and the twenty female Trueman herd have met with a fair share of success previously having bred and sold Trueman Duet for 38,000gns and lifting the 2011 National Limousin Show Supreme Championship with Trueman Euphonium. Trueman Grazia the mother of Jagger had herself been the Supreme Champion at the 2011 Red Ladies Sale before selling to Holland for 14,000gns. She has subsequently won the Dutch National Limousin Show Championship for good measure!
Commenting on the world record price, and the sale generally, Iain Kerr the British Limousin Cattle Society’s Chief Executive said: “Congratulations to the Savage family on a fantastic achievement. This is a landmark moment in the history of the UK’s pedigree beef industry and they are a central part of that. I’m delighted for them and great reward for breeding such a quality bull.” On the sale as a whole Iain Kerr went on to say: “Today’s sale shows the strength of demand that there is for quality Limousin bulls. Top pedigree prices aside, there was depth in the sale and to set a new all-breeds record average of over £8700 for a good number of bulls is remarkable and a great credit to the breeders. There was a tremendous show of modern Limousin bulls with great tops and conformation and many bulls of that standard. Limousin bulls are producing high quality suckled calves that are going on to meet the carcase weights wanted by industry and with outstanding yield and killing out percentages. At this sale we made available for the first time Genomic Breeding Values for a range of new Carcase Traits following some four years of work. We have also recently embarked on a major Feed Efficiency project. The Society and its breeders are working hard on relevant and practical breed improvement to deliver profit and performance for pedigree and commercial producers.”
Breeding from the Ampertaine herd of James McKay, Upperlands, Maghera, Co. Derry was one of the features of the sale and the Reserve Overall Champion, and Reserve Intermediate Champion was another Ampertaine Gigolo son, Ampertaine Jamboree. Also April 2014 born bull, Jamboree who carried a great top and second thigh, is out of the Wilodge Cerberus daughter Ampertaine Fifi. This bull made the day’s second top rice of 45,000gns when being purchased by the noted Ronick herd of W Dick & Sons, Mains of Throsk, Stirling. Constituting another great day for the herd four bulls from Ampertaine grossed 83,000gns with bulls selling at 45,000gns, 19,000gns, 10,500gns and 8,500gns respectively. The 45,000gns mark is the prolific herd’s top price to date.
Selling at 24,000gns was the Junior Champion Ballinloan Jaegerbomb from Stuart Fotheringham, Ballinloan, Dunkeld. Another bull with a summer show track record Ballinloan Jaegerbomb had been a first prize winner at the Royal Highland Show, Male Champion at Perth Show, and Reserve Male Champion at the Scottish Limousin Grand Prix at Turriff Show. Sired by the herd’s stock bull and another from the Ampertaine herd, Jaegerbomb is by Ampertaine Foreman. He is out of Ballinloan Frutella, a Neuf daughter, and whose breeding goes back to the noted line of Newhouse Ibetha. Purchasing this bull was the Gunnerfleet herd of Ian Handley, Gunnerfleet Farm, Ingleton, Lancashire. Conformation was again the name of the game with Mr. Handley saying that ‘Jaegerbomb is really well muscled with a great top and will be really well suited to our cows’. Also from the second last class Ballinloan Jericho later sold in the sale for 10,000gns.
Stephen Nixon, Hunters Hall, Southfield, Wigtown made 22,000gns when selling Huntershall Jeronimo to the Spittalton herd of Andrew Burnett, Upper Spittalton Farm, Blairdrummond, Stirling. This was only the second bull Mr. Nixon had brought to a Carlisle sale with the first, Huntershall Gladiator, having previously made 32,000gns. Jeronimo, another well-muscled bull that had shown tremendous weight gain, is an embryo calf by the noted sire Requin and is out of Huntershall Dancer the same mother of Gladiator.
A very impressive line up of five bulls from Bruce Goldie, Townfoot Farm, Mouswald, Dumfries met with just reward when selling for a gross of 57,500gns. In the pre sale show two bulls had stood second in class to the eventual Supreme and Reserve Champions. The remaining three bulls all secured first prizes! Leading the way was the 20,000gns paid for Goldies Jurassic. This April 2014 born bull had stood second in his class to the Supreme Champion and day’s record breaking top price. Jurassic is by the homebred Goldies Fortress, a full brother to the 22,000gns Goldies Fandango, and is out of Goldies Elisa, an Ampertaine Bravo daughter. The impressive Goldies Jurassic, who carried some excellent growth figures and a beef value of LM+47, was purchased for the Procters pedigree herd at Procters Farm Ltd, Slaidburn, Clitheroe, Lancashire.
Ampertaine Jeronimo from James McKay made 19,000gns when selling to the Loosebeare herd of Messrs Quick & Son, Loosebeare Manor, Zeal Monachorum, Crediton, Devon. Second in the last class of the day, the July 2014 born Jeronimo is by the AI sire Plumtree Fantastic and is out of the Cloughhead Umpire sired Ampertaine Eureka.
The strong run for Northern Irish breeders continued when Craigatoke Jack, from Martin Conway, Plumbridge, Omagh sold for 17,000gns to the judge Kevin Bohan who manages the Ardlea herd of Dan Tynan at Beechhill Farm, Doon, Mountrath, Co Laois, Eire. This May 2014 bull had placed first in his class and was Reserve Junior Champion. By the French bull Sablier, a Jacot son, Craigatoke Jack is out of Craigatoke Ant a Haltcliffe Underwriter daughter.
Haltcliffe Johnny, a heifer’s calf from Haltcliffe, Lonning Head, Hesket New Market, Wigton, sold for 15,000gns to the commercial producers JA Wood & Sons, Kinnerton Hall Farm, Ratlinghope, Shrewsbury. Entirely homebred Haltcliffe Johnny is the first calf born to the sire Haltcliffe Gentry. The March 2014 born Johnny, a first prize winner, is out of the Cloughhead Umpire sired Haltcliffe Grape.
Getting their day off to a great start Trueman Jukebox from the Savage family made 12,000gns when selling to G Cameron, Acharrade, Argyll. This senior bull, who had stood second in his class to the Reserve Senior Champion, is by the AI sire Ampertaine Elgin and is out of the Nenuphar daughter Trueman Gabrielle. Another bull with a show record Jukebox had in the course of the year won the Supreme Overall at the NI Calf Spectacular and had placed Reserve Junior Champion at the Royal Ulster Show.
Haltcliffe Jonsson from the Haltcliffe pen continued a fine run when making 11,500gns. This February 2014 bull had been placed as the day’s Senior Champion and is February 2014 born. Yet another bull with great thickness and a tremendous top Jonsson is by Haltcliffe Gains and is out of the Sympa sired Haltcliffe Ulrica. This bull headed north when purchased by the noted commercial producer Grant Laing, Gaich Farm, Dulnain Bridge, Grantown on Spey, Morayshire.
The sire of the day’s world record breaking bull was again to the fore when Bruce Goldie sold Goldies Judge for 11,000gns. First in his Intermediate class the March 2014 born Judge is by Ampertaine Gigolo and is out of the Wilodge Vantastic daughter Goldies Glamour (a full sister to the prolific Goldies Comet). Another bull with outstanding performance figures, Goldies Judge was purchased by WC Mably Farm Partnership, Menwehicke Barton, Pipers Pool, Launceston. Goldies Judge was one of the first three calves born to the sire Ampertaine Gigolo.
Ampertaine Jupiter from the junior section made 10,500gns for James McKay. July 2014 born this bull is another by the AI sire Plumtree Fantastic and is out of the Cerberus sired daughter Ampertaine Felicity. This bull was purchased by S&GA Potter who run the Westside herd at Topcliffe, Thirsk, North Yorkshire.
Following on from his 24,000gns sale Stuart Fotheringham sold another well-muscled bull, Ballinloan Jericho, for 10,000gns to pedigree breeders Smiths of Bloxham, Newlands Farm, Bloxham, Banbury, Oxfordshire. By the same sire as his top price, Ballinloan Jericho is by the stock bull Ampertaine Foreman and is out of the Nebo Dynamite daughter Ballinloan Gabi.
Also sired by Ampertaine Foreman, Goldies Jeronimo made 9500gns for Bruce Goldie. A first prize winner in the last class of Intermediate bulls this April 2014 bull is out of Goldies Fragrance who is a full sister to the aforementioned and noted Goldies Comet. Purchasing Goldies Jeronimo was SF MacKay, Knockaneorn, Clunas, Nairn. Also selling for 9500gns for Bruce Goldie, to ML Howatson, Ty Newydd, Nantglyn, Denbigh, was Goldies Jason, out of Goldies Carla and sired by Goldies Fortress.
Standing second in his class to the Reserve Junior Champion was Beachmount Junior from K&C Knox, Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh. This bull went on to sell for 9500gns to J Sloan & Sons, Little Creoch Farm, New Cumnock, Ayrshire. May 2014 born, Beachmount Junior had been a regular show winner in Northern Ireland through 2015. He is by Sympa and is out of Liscarn Goldengirl.
Video of the top ten priced bulls can be viewed HERE
Averages:
20 Seniors £5796
36 Intermediates £10,717
29 Juniors £8226
85 Bulls £8709
Other Top Prices:
- Lot 135 Coachhouse Jake 8500gns to TW Roberts & Son, Malthouse Farm, Lisvane, Cardiff
- Lot 216 Ampertaine Jarvis 8500gns to G&E Muir, Gorn, Shapinsay, Orkney
- Lot 176 Tweeddale Joe 8200gns to JG&SC Jones, Heol Feinog, Llandysul, Dyfed
- Lot 254 Culnagechan Jackdaniels 8000gns to BJ Baker, Olives Farm, Battle, East Sussex
