- Top price of 25,000gns
- Average price £8788.98
- 88 bulls sold – clearance 68%
- 25 bulls sell between 10,000gns and 25,000gns
On the 15th of February 2025 the 47th National Early Spring Sale of pedigree British Limousin Cattle took place at Harrison and Hetherington Auction Mart with 88 bulls sold achieving a clearance rate of 68%.
Judge for the day was Kim Montgomery who farms the Ballyrobin pedigree Limousin herd alongside her aunt Joan Gilliland, which was founded in 1994. Kim commented ‘There was an incredible show of Limousin bulls which were a credit to the exhibitors and the breed. A lot of the bulls displayed outstanding growth rates complimented by impressive carcases. It was an honour to judge, and I look forward to seeing what progeny comes from the sale in the future.’
Top price for the day was the Reserve Overall Male Champion, Lot 185 Bernish Unstoppabull selling for 25,000gns, brought forward by Mr Kieran McCrory, Omagh, Co Tyrone. This natural born calf was born in May 2023 and has double F94L myostatin. Unstoppabull is sired by the outstanding Goldies Goldfinger who won intermediate champion at Carlisle in 2013 and sold for 21,000gns. He is a heifer’s calf, out of the home bred Bernish Roslyn, who is sired by the renowned Ampertaine Elgin. Upstoppabull now calls Buckinghamshire home, he was purchased by AJ Smith Farming, new members to the Society under the Brakes prefix.
Kieran McCrory commented ‘Bernish Unstoppabull was a heifer’s calf that showed promise from an early age. We have had a great few days in Carlisle and topped it all off with a fantastic price for the bull.’ This is the top price for the herd to date and is a fantastic achievement to follow on from winning supreme champion Carlisle May 2024 with Bernish Toplad.
Selling for 24,000gns was the Reserve Senior Champion for the day Lot 135 Lissett Ultimate brought forward by J H Tennant, Bridlington, East Yorkshire. Ultimate is an April 2023 natural born calf with double F94L myostatin and a Beef Value of LM45 which is in the top 10% for the breed. He is sired by the homebred bull Lissett Osten and out of the homebred cow Lissett Rhonda. He was the ultimate choice for buyer Mr J Nimmo of the Maraiscote pedigree Limousin herd, based in Wishaw, North Lanarkshire.
The first of three bulls selling for 20,000gns was Lot 144 Wilodge Ubet from the Wilodge herd based in Shifnal, Shropshire. Placed first in his class, this April 2023 born embryo calf is sired by Ampertaine Elgin and has myostatin of F94L/Q204X. Dam Wilodge Littlegem is part of the herds most productive and grossing maternal line. Littlegem’s progeny includes Wilodge Sapphire, overall supreme pedigree calf champion LiveScot 2022, Westmorland Reserve Overall Interbreed Champion and Reserve Junior Female Champion RHS 2023. Ubet now calls Buckinghamshire home, now residing with W J and M Mash Ltd of the Brockhurst herd in Chesham.
Reserve Intermediate Champion Lot 213 Shaws Umpire also sold for 20,000gns, presented by M and F Burns, Maybole, Ayrshire. Umpire is a natural June 2023 born calf and is sired by Goldies Jackpot, who has an accolade of top Limousin genetics in his back pedigree. He is out of Gunnerfleet Nibris and displays a myostatin of F94L/Q204X. The final whistle blew with Messrs J W and M C Fieldson taking Umpire home to their Fieldsons pedigree herd in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.
In a fantastic day’s trading for the Maraiscote herd, Mr J Nimmo sold six bulls in total averaging 11,250gns with three of those bulls selling for 10,000gns or more. First in his class and selling for 20,000gns was Lot 219 Maraiscote Upshot. Upshot is a natural July 2023 born calf with myostatin of F94L/Q204X and a Beef Value of LM48, placing him in the top 10% of the breed. He is sired by the renowned Bassingfield Machoman and out of the homebred cow Maraiscote Jellybelly, who is sired by Goldies Comet. The hammer went down to the Newhouse pedigree herd of R M Adam and Son, Forfar, Angus.
Next up for Mr J Nimmo was Lot 165 Maraiscote Ukraine who sold for 18,000gns and was placed first in his class. Born May 2023, Ukraine has a Beef Value of LM57, which is in the top 1% of the breed and myosatin of F94L/Q204X. He is sired by Sliabh Felim Mourinho, who has Kaprico Eravelle and Wilodge Tonka in his back pedigree and out of the home bred cow Maraiscote Patrice. Commercial buyers D T Richards and Son took Ukraine home to Maesteg, Mid Glamorgan.
Travelling from Northern Ireland was Lot 113 Ampertaine Urban from Messrs W J and James Mckay, Maghera, Co Derry who sold for 18,000gns. Urban is a twin calf to Lot 112 Ampertaine Ulrich, who sold for 15,000gns to commercial buyers E Dean, Brampton, Cumbia. The March 2023 born twins have double F94L myostatin.
Both bulls combine shape and style from the Vanessa family that has been very consistent for the Ampertaine herd, breeding progeny that have sold for 15,000gns or more. Sired by the homebred bull Ampertaine Elgin and out of the homebred cow Ampertaine Pandora, Urban heads home with N Pearson of the Eldon Pedigree herd to Buxton, Derbyshire.
Next to sell was senior champion Lot 123 Garrowby Umbongo selling for a juicy total of 18,000gns from Garrowby Farm, Bugthorpe, York. Umbongo is a natural April 2023 born calf with a history of success in the show ring, having won Skipton Extravaganza in May 2024 and competed in the Interbreed Beef Champion at the Wensleydale Show 2024. He has a Beef Value of LM39 which is in the top 25% of the breed and myostatin of NT821/Q204X. Umbongo is sired by Grahams Rooney and out of the dam Gunnerfleet Lora. Messrs William and David Moir won the final bid and took him home to their Cairness Limousin herd based in Fraserburgh.
J Common and Son of the Crossdykes pedigree Limousin herd based in Dumfries and Galloway purchased Lot 195 Kinniside Urock for 16,000gns presented by G and A E Marrs and Son, Cleator, Cumbria. Born June 2023, Urock has double F94L myostatin and a Beef Value of LM45, which is in the top 10% of the breed. He was first place in the pre-sale show and won second place 2023 born bull in the 2024 NWLC herd competition. He is sired by Loosebeare Plymouth and out of the home bred cow Kinniside Polkadot.
Other leading prices:
Lot 133 Goldies Ubet 14,000gns from Bruce T Goldie
Lot 180 Brontemoor Umachoman 14,000gns from JM and SM Priestley
Lot 241 Grahams Utah 14,000gns from R and J Graham
Lot 104 Garrowby Ulysses 12,000gns from Garrowby Farm
Lot 122 Loosebeare Uplifty 12,000gnd from Messrs E W Quick and Sons
Lot 129 Norman Underwood 12,000gns from Norman Farming Company
Lot 184 Loosebeare Uboss 12,000gns from Messrs E W Quick and Sons
Lot 200 Goldies Ultravox 12,000gns from Bruce T Goldie
Lot 227 Bankdalefarm Unbelievabull 11,000gns from Helen Wilson
Lot 140 Wilodge Ustar 10,000gns from Wilodge
Lot 148 Reddings UFO 10,000gns from Mr N P Wilson
Lot 164 Maraiscote Underwriter 10,000gns from Mr J Nimmo
Lot 183 Eniver Unreal 10,000gns from Mr M McKeefry
Lot 216 Cowin Ultimatum 10,000gns from W D Dyfan and Carol James
Females
- 11 females sold – 85% clearance
- Average price £5641.36
- Top price 16,000gns
Top price female for the day was Lot 6 Huntershall Ursula presented by Stephen J Nixon, Wigton, Cumbria. Ursula sold for 16,000gns online to the Bottleshall pedigree herd of East Anglian Trailers Ltd, Colchester. Ursula is sired by Milbrook Playboy and out of Huntershall Orchid. She was April 2023 born and has a back Pedigree full of renowned sires including Lowerffrydd Empire, Wilodge Vantastic, Ampertaine Gigolo and Haltcliffe Vermount.
Garrowby Farm sold four females achieving an average of £5,675. Their top price female was Lot 8 Garrowby Unique, who headed out the ring at 7,500gns to T Common of the Lowardley pedigree Limousin herd, based in Hexham. Born March 2023, she is sired by Grahams Rooney and out of Gunnerfleet Munas.
Other leading prices:
Lot 9 Garrowby Unesta 5,200gns from Garrowby Farm
Lot 5 Huntershall Ulyssa 5,000gns from Stephen J Nixon
Lot 7 Garrowby Utopia 5000gns from Garrowby Farm
Lor 10 Garrowby Unina 5000gns from Garrowby Farm
Auctioneers – Harrison and Hetherington, Carlisle.
