21,000GNS PROCTERS GENERAL TOPS RECORD ALL-BREEDS AUTUMN AVERAGE AT CARLISLE

• 109 Bulls Average £6308
• Seventeen Bulls Make 10,000gns or more
• Averages Up by £379
• Fifteen More Bulls Sold on the Year
• Sale Grosses £687,572

Securing the top price at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s October Bull Sale, held at Borderway Mart on Saturday 20^th October, was the 21,000gns Procters General from the Lancashire-based Procters Farms Ltd, Woodhouse Lane, Slaidburn, Clitheroe.

Procters General is one of the first sons offered for sale by the herd’s 72,000gns stock bull Haltcliffe DJ.  One of a fine pen of bulls from the herd, Procters General had placed Senior Champion in the pre-sale show judged by Southern Irish breeder John McInerney, Clonmonley West, Newmarket on Fergus, Co Clare who runs the noted Drummin Herd.  January 2011 born, Procters General is out of the Greenwell Ronick-sired dam Procters Divine and carries a high Beef Value of LM+44.  Joint purchasers of Procters General was the East Yorkshire-based White Rose breeding group which comprises of three breeders Paul Walker, Jim Bloom and Mark Woolhouse who run the Pennys, Scorboro and Rachels pedigree Limousin herds respectively.

Despite the understandable pre-sale concerns brought about by the difficult prevailing industry conditions, the sale saw 109 bulls in all go under the hammer, up by 15 on the year and to an average of over £6,308 – an increase of almost £380 on the corresponding sale last year – representing a record all-breeds autumn average at Carlisle. Seventeen bulls in all made 10,000gns or more in a sale once again underpinned by commercial buyers.  The clearance rate, from what had been a bumper entry, saw 55% of the 196 bulls forward find homes.

Commenting on the sale, British Limousin Cattle Society Chief Executive Iain Kerr said:  “Every credit must go to the breeders.  This was one of the best shows of bulls forward at an autumn sale. The depth in quality was terrific with modern bulls to suit every market.  Buyers had such a choice of bulls with length, width, good tops, growth and power.  It would, of course, have been good to sell a few more but, right now and for the autumn market, to sell fifteen more on the year and to set a record average again, up by some £380, is tremendous and indicative of the confidence in the Limousin breed and its profitability. It’s been a fantastic sale year for the breed.”

The Intermediate Champion, Iveagh Gilkes, from Alistair Graham, Tandragee, Co Armagh realised the second top price of 20,000gns when purchased jointly by two Northern Ireland breeders, Joe Henry of the Sharnagh Herd and Derek Hume of the Culnagechan Herd – both based in Co. Antrim.  A very stylish bull, Iveagh Gilkes was originally purchased from breeder Stephen Magill, Poyntzpass, Newry.  April 2011 born, this bull is by the Sympa son, Haltcliffe Underwriter, and is out of the Rocky-sired dam Carhill Davina.  The 20,000gns represented the top sale price to date from Mr Graham’s fifty-cow herd.

Two bulls made 18,000gns. The first of these was the red ticket-winning Crossdykes Goliath from J Common & Son, Crossdykes Farm, Lockerbie when going under the hammer to Cogent Breeding Ltd, Lea Lane, Aldford, Chester. With good calving, growth and milk figures this bull offers all-round performance and represents the top price to date from the twenty-two-cow Crossdykes Herd. He is sired by the herd’s stockbull, Culnagechan Bullseye, a Cloughhead Lord son purchased at Carlisle for 4,400gns in February 2008, who has sold sons to date to 6,500gns. Goliath is out of the Redpaths Pelican daughter, Crossdykes Celia.

The second at 18,000gns was the first prize-winning bull, Dinmore Goldcrest when knocked down to Emslie Livestock Ltd, Kinknockie, Peterhead, Aberdeen for their Emslies prefix. An embryo calf, the May 2011-born Goldcrest is by the prolific Ronick Hawk and out of the Wilodge Vantastic daughter, Dinmore Elle, the 2010 Royal Welsh Show Champion. The next lot saw the same consignor, Paul Dawes, Kipperknowle Farm, Dinmore, Hereford sell his full brother, Dinmore Griffin, for 6,500gns to Robert Cook & Co, Kinneil Mill, Linlithgow.

At the 17,000gns mark was the Junior Male & Overall Champion Maraiscote Graffiti brought out by Mr J Nimmo, Bogside Farm, Newmains, Wishaw, Lanark when purchased by J Handley, Gunnerfleet Farm, Chapel le Dale, Ingleton, Carnforth, Lancs for the Gunnerfleet Herd. This was Ian Nimmo’s first Carlisle championship having previously had two reserves and he was really delighted to emerge as winner from such a good line-up of bulls.  It caps another good year for the Maraiscote Herd which has seen them win a string of titles at the 2012 Royal Highland and Great Yorkshire Shows.

The 17,000gns Maraiscote Graffiti is by the herd sire Goldies Comet and is out of the Tyddyn Mei daughter, Maraiscote Betty, making him a three-quarter brother to the 30,000gns Maraiscote Floyd. Of his Champion, Judge John McInerney said: “Full of style and correctness throughout, my Champion was simply outstanding.  He had tremendous thickness from his plates to his shoulder and really typifies what a modern Limousin is all about.  He is both a pedigree and a top-end commercial bull and is the type of bull that I would aspire to breed myself.”  He sold with a Beef Value of LM+45.

Maraiscote sold further bulls at 12000gns, 11500gns, 7800gns and 4000gns to round-off a tremendous day’s trading. The Nimmos also won the prestigious Carlisle Three Award for a trio of performance-recorded bulls sponsored by Farmers Guardian with Maraiscote Gigolo, Maraiscote Graffiti and Maraiscote Gizmo.

At 12,000gns was their second prizewinner, Maraiscote Gizmo, when snapped up by Laga Farms Ltd, Arwick, Evie, Orkney for the Lagas prefix. Once more by the Wilodge Vantastic son, Goldies Comet, this one is out of Maraiscote Charity and carries a Beef Value of LM+44. Realising 11,500gns to Herries Farms, Bow House Farm, Glencaple, Dumfries was the first prize-winning bull, Maraiscote General, sired by Virginia Andy and out of Maraiscote Bezique. A final bid of 7,800gns by J Burnett & Sons, Upper Spittalton, Blair Drummond, Stirling then secured the 2012 Highland Show Junior Male Champion, Maraiscote Gigolo, another by the 23,000gns Goldies Comet and this time out of Maraiscote Annabell.

Maraiscote Gus heads to E Flett Plant Hire, Hurtiso Holm, Kirkwall, Orkney with the same purchaser taking home the 8,500gns Goldies Grandprix, the first calf born to the 15,000gns Haltcliffe Doctor, when consigned by Mr BT Goldie, Townfoot, Mouswald, Dumfries. Bruce Goldie secured another 8,500gns price tag for his homozygous black and polled Limousin bull, Goldies Black Globetrotter when going under the hammer to ALL Jones, Defaidty Farm, Cwmtirmynach, Bala, Gwyneth. Sired by Edwards Sirloin and out of Goldies Toronto, this three-quarter brother to the 30,000gns Goldies Forever, sold with a Beef Value of LM+45. Towards the end of the sale, Mr Goldie then purchased Kaprico Germander for 10,000gns, July 2011 born, Germander was brought out by AK & C Stafford, Sancroft Drive, Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne & Wear. By the noted Sympa and out of Kaprico Erica, who carries Wilodge Tonka and Ronick Hawk bloodlines, this heifer’s calf sold with a Beef Value of LM+48.

Back to the leading prices, and it was a final bid of 16,000gns from Clarks Farms, Blackhill Farm, Cross Ford, Carluke, Lanark which secured the first prizewinner Homebyres Guthrie brought forward by Messrs J Logan, Humebyres, Kelso. Sired by the homebred Homebyres Vanhee and out of the Homebyres Arnott daughter, Homebyres Dollie, he sold with a Beef Value of LM+35.

The Reserve Senior Male Champion, Procters Gunner, was next best at 15,000gns when heading to Mr P Cummings, Holme Field, Burton Road, Holme, Carnforth, Lancs who runs the Greenmeadows Herd. Gunner is by Haltcliffe DJ and is out of a daughter of the 100,000gns Haltcliffe Vermount, Procters Connie.  All five bulls from Procters Farms found homes at an average of £10,227 with the Reserve Carlisle Three Award to boot for Procters General, Gunner and Genesis.

Next at 14,000gns came in the shape of Brims Gains from W & A Oag, Brims Mains, Forss, Thurso, Caithness. Having stood second in his class, this senior bull – who weighed in at 1,050 kg – is sired by the noted Wilodge Tonka and is out of the Ballynahone Arni-sired dam, Brims Dusty, representing the first grandson of Arni offered for sale. Purchasers were M & J Labbett, Church House Farm, Michaelchurch, Kington, Herefordshire.

Mr A Booth, Hardwick Hall Farm, Aston, Sheffield paid 12,000gns for Moloskey Ger, consigned by H & D McFarland, Rahoney, Tonnagh Road, Trillick, Co. Tyrone who run a herd of 18 pedigree cows and 20 sucklers alongside a 100-head dairy herd in N Ireland. Ger was bred by Mr B Clancy, Moloskey House, Mullagh Innis, Co Clare, S Ireland and is by Wilodge Vantastic and out of the Gamin daughter, Moloskey Ursel.

At the same figure was Garnedd Grant from KI & E & HI Jones, Bryn Ddraenen, Padog, Betws Y Coed, Conwy when going under the hammer to RS & BA Harker, Overthwaite Farm, Holme, Carnforth, Lancs. By the senior herd sire, Attirant, and out of the Broomfield Regentcey-sired Garnedd Uchelgeisiol who also carries Broadmeadows Cannon on the maternal side, Grant is full brother to the 9,000gns Garnedd Frank sold at the corresponding sale in 2011.

11,000gns secured Windsole Garth who now heads to commercial producer Mr H Rutherford, Low Eshells, Hexham, Northumberland. Consigned by Mr W Lawson who runs a 12-cow herd at Rahalloch, Windsole, Auchterader, Perthshire, Windsole Garth is sired by Dylans Daf, purchased for 3,600gns at Carlisle in May 2009. April 2011-born, he is out of the second calver Windsole Betsy, full sister to the 12,000gns Windsole Chancer and maternal sister to the 12,000gns Windsole Apollo.

The Reserve Junior Male & Reserve Overall Champion, Fodderletter Gatuso, realised 10,000gns when going under the hammer to W Dandie, The Dales, Learielaw Farm, Broxburn, West Lothian. This was only the third time that W Robertson & Son, Fodderletter Farms, Ballindalloch, Banffshire had brought bulls to Carlisle – the first time being in 2011 – and this eclipsed their top price to date of 6,200gns for a bull out of Eden Margaret, the granddam of Fodderletter Gatuso.  Having been put up as Best Calf Born in 2011 in this year’s Scottish Limousin Club Herd Competition, Gatuso had also stood Supreme Champion at Echt Show and is sired by Rocky and out of Fodderletter Vicky.  The Fodderletter Herd comprises of 15 pedigree cows which run alongside 100 suckler cows and was established 18 years ago. Said the Judge: “My Reserve was a similar type to the Champion with great shape, backend and very good on his plates.”

Also at the 10,000gns mark was Emslies Black Gambler from Mr H Emslie, Kinknockie, Mintlaw, Peterhead, Aberdeen when purchased by Gaich Farms, Lower Gaich Farm, Grantown on Spey, Morayshire. Gambler is by the 25,000gns herd sire, Bailea BMW, and is out of Emslies Cocochanel. With a Beef Value of LM+42, this February 2011-born bull was Interbreed Junior Bull Champion at Turriff Show.

The final five-figure bull, again at 10,000gns, was Tomschoice Gladstone from Messrs JM & SP Cooper, Hill Top Farm, Dacre, Harrogate, N Yorks. Gladstone is by the 15,000gns Homebyres Drummie and out of Tomschoice Diamante, by Haltcliffe Novel. Tomschoice Gladstone was Reserve Junior Male Champion at the 2-012 Great Yorkshire and was bought by T & R Harper & Son, South Mains, Skirling, Biggar, Lanarkshire.

A video of Saturday’s top priced bulls can be viewed here.

Other leading prices:

• Norman Gus 9,500gns to EW Quick & Sons, Loosebeare Manor
• Ballyrobin Gazza 8,500gns to AG Kirton & Sons, Severn Lodge Farm
• Dyfri Glyndwr 8,000gns to S McGookin, Carrickfergus
• Allanfauld Gazza 8,000gns to PA Walker, Easterside
• Garryvaughan Gordan 8,000gns to JD Evans & Son, The Lake Farm
• Plumtree Fallon 7,000gns to   A Padfield, Brambles, Norfolk
• Wilodge Granville 7,000gns to   W Dick & Sons, Mains of Throsk
• Frewstown Gifted 7,000gns to A & MJ Trafford, Bassenthwaite Hall Farm
• Sarkley Gordy 7,000gns to H Annett & Son, Widdrington Farm
• Erne Grayson 7,000gns to Messrs Boyling, Crabwell Farm,

Averages:

• 28 Senior bulls                     £6,326.25
• 48 Intermediate bulls          £5,591.25
• 33 Junior bulls                     £7,334.09
• Overall 109 bulls                  £6,307.71  (+£378.56)

Auctioneers: H&H 

The BLOG from Friday’s Pre-Show Sale is available together with an informal Gallery

A couple of Videos of Friday’s Judging are now available on Limousin TV and  HERE