- 84 bulls sold, up by 9 on the year, to average £5,570
- 11 bulls sell at 10,000gns or more
- 33 bulls in all sell at 5,000gns or more
- 61% clearance rate of bulls forward
Loosebeare Iain, the pre-sale show Supreme Champion from Messrs EW Quick & Son, Loosebeare Manor, Zeal Monachorum, Crediton, Devon sold for 27,000gns and led a solid trade at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s Autumn Sale of Bulls, held on Saturday 18th October 2014 at Borderway Mart, Carlisle.
January 2013 born, Loosebeare Iain is the first animal offered at sale by the homebred sire Loosebeare Fantastic, a Wilodge Vantastic son, and is out of Loosebeare Elite a Haltcliffe Anzac daughter. A heifer’s calf, this bull arrived at Carlisle with a strong summer show record having stood as Breed and Interbreed Champion at the Royal Cornwall, Mid-Devon, and Okehampton Shows respectively.
At the pre-sale show, the judge Joan Gilliland of the Ballyrobin Herd, Antrim, Northern Ireland placed Loosebeare Iain as first in the high-quality third class and Champion in the Senior section before tapping him out as the Overall Supreme. Commenting, the judge said: “This Loosebeare bull was just a stand-out Champion. He has everything you would look for in a modern Limousin being well grown, packed with muscle, having length and width, and being a great walker. He’s a real bull but is very showy. This is an outstanding breeder’s bull that could do a great job for any market.”
Combining visual appeal, top performance figures, and depth of pedigree, the Supreme Champion was purchased by Tony Booth for his pedigree Sevengun Herd at Hardwick Hall Farm, Aston, Sheffield. The 27,000gns paid represented the top price that Messrs Quick have had to date at sale from their 90-cow herd with Mark Quick saying that Loosebeare Iain represented the ‘best bull that they had brought to sale to date.’ The Quicks’ team of five bulls here grossed an impressive 49,000gns with two further Fantastic-sired bulls making 6000gns, and 3500gns, and three Aghadolgan Emperor sons making 7000, 6000, and 5,500gns respectively.
At the close of the sale, 84 bulls in all had been sold, an increase of 9 on the year, to average a solid £5,570. The clearance rate for the sale was a respectable 61% of the bulls forward. The senior section led the way with 25 bulls averaging £5,838. 11 bulls made 10,000gns or more with 33 in all selling for 5,000gns and more. Commenting on the sale, British Limousin Cattle Society Chief Executive Iain Kerr said: “There was a really good show of bulls forward full of quality and consistency, very commercially relevant, and offering a depth of choice in type and for every market. Selling 84 bulls, up by nine on the year, and to a good average of over £5,500 represents a very solid sale and is entirely realistic for the number of bulls needed in the back-end and in the economic climate of the industry.”
Four bulls made 13,000gns. The first of these was the impressive Rahoney Isaac, a March 2013-born embryo calf from H & D MacFarland, Rahoney, Trillick, Co. Tyrone. Taking the red ticket in the opening class of the Intermediate section, this bull is by Haltcliffe Dancer and is out of the seven-year-old Tanat Mostyn-sired cow Rahoney Velma. Purchasing the bull was Harry Emslie for his Emslies prefix at Kinknockie, Mintlaw, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire who noted that Rahoney Isaac was ‘clean-bred and a complete outcross to the Emslies herd.’ The 18-cow Rahoney herd also produced the day’s Reserve Intermediate Champion, Rahoney Isiah, the first-prize bull in the second intermediate class. Another sameway-bred embryo calf by Haltcliffe Dancer and out of Rahoney Velma, this bull who was in the top 1% for muscle depth also went north when selling for 10,000gns to WJ Jack & Sons, Woodend, Muir of Ord, Ross-shire.
Another herd to achieve their top price at sale to date was Messrs Jenkinson, Clifton Moor, Clifton, Penrith, when selling Whinfellpark Iago for 13,000gns. The March 2013-born Iago, who placed third in the opening class of Intermediate bulls, is by the herd’s 30,000gns stock bull Lowerffrydd Empire and is out of the Wilodge Cerberus-sired Whinfellpark Flair. Purchasing this bull with a Beef Value of LM+46, was the pedigree Norman herd of ES & E Norman, Little Orton Farm, Little Orton, Carlisle.
An impressive line-up of six bulls grossed 51,200gns for James McKay, Upperlands, Maghera, Co. Derry. Leading the way at 13,000gns was the May 2013-born Ampertaine Interest. This calf is by the Glenrock Ventura-sired Ampertaine Elgin and is out of Ampertaine Finesse, an Ampertaine Abracadabra daughter. This third-prize bull was purchased by EH Pennie & Son for their Sarkley pedigree herd at Gwern-Yr-Ychain, Llandyssil, Montgomery, Powys. Another Ampertaine Elgin son, Ampertaine Impact, also made 13,000gns when selling to the Turville herd of HB & LJ Lear, Creslow Manor, Whitchurch, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. Impact, a maternal brother to the 20,000gns Ampertaine Commander, is out of the Sympa cow Ampertaine Annabella. June 2013-born, Ampertaine Impact stood second in the second last class of Juniors in the pre-sale show.
The sire of the Champion, Loosebeare Fantastic, was again to the fore as the AI sire of the 8,000gns Ampertaine Invader. This June 2013 bull, out of the Fieldson Alfy-sired Ampertaine Duchess, is a maternal brother to the 6,500gns Ampertaine Goldcard. Winner of the second last class of bulls, Ampertaine Invader went on to place as Reserve Junior Champion. Purchaser of this bull was noted commercial producer DR Owen & Son, Sandilands Farm, Tywyn, Gwynedd. Further Ampertaine bulls sold for 6000, 3800, and 2400gns respectively.
Rounding off a successful couple of days, the Ampertaine herd also won the Carlisle Three Award for the best three homebred bulls that are performance recorded. These three bulls grossed 27,000gns.
DR Owen & Son was also the purchaser of the 10,000gns Parkwall Impossible from James McParland, Beleeks, Newry, Northern Ireland. Another bull from the strong Class Three, Parkwall Impossible also arrived at the sale with a strong show record behind him featuring breed and interbreed awards at Lurgan, Newry, Castlewellan, Clogher, and Armagh Shows respectively. This January 2013 bull is an embryo calf by the noted Carmorn Copilot and is out of the 12,500gns Wilodge Navette a Broadmeadows Cannon daughter.
The second prize bull from the same class, and the Reserve Senior Champion, was Culnagechan Ibrox from Derek Hume, Randalstown, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland. Another calf by Carmorn Copilot, the herd’s stock sire, Culnagechan Ibrox had stood as the Reserve Supreme Champion at this year’s Northern Ireland Limousin Championships at Antrim Show where he also won the Interbreed Beef Stakes Championship. Out of the Ampertaine Abracadabra daughter Culnagechan Espana, the January 2013-born Culnagechan Ibrox sold to Gaich Farms, Lower Gaich Farm, Dulnain Bridge, Grantown-On-Spey, Morayshire for 10,000gns. Later in the sale, the second prize Culnagechan Istanbull, an Ampertaine Commander son, sold for 6,000gns to J Leslie, Odinstone, Shapinsay, Orkney.
Emphasising the strength of Class Three in the senior section, the first five bulls in this class grossed a collective 60,800gns. The third prize bull in the class, Allanfauld Ibrox from A MacGregor, Allanfauld, Kilsyth, Glasgow, contributed to this when selling for 10,000gns to the newly-established commercial beef herd of A Bunting & Son, Midtown Farm, New Abbey, Dumfries. This bull, who had stood Reserve Male Champion at the Stars of the Future Show in 2013, is by the prolific Wilodge Tonka and is out of the seven-year-old Allanfauld Cortina.
ES & E Norman, Little Orton Farm, Little Orton, Carlisle, grossed 22,500gns for a pen of three bulls by their stock bull, the 24,000gns Claragh Franco. Their top price was the 10,000gns paid for the second prize junior bull, the May 2013-born Norman Ivan. Sired by Franco, this bull is out of Norman Delight, a daughter of the herd’s noted Heathmount Trojan. Buyers of Norman Ivan were BG & DE Marrs who run the Elvaplain herd at Elva Plain Farm, Setmurthy, Cockermouth, Cumbria. The first-prize-winning bull, Norman Irish, out of the Rombalds Rebel daughter Norman Violet, was purchased for 7,500gns by Michael Cursiter for his Lagas pedigree herd at Laga Farms Ltd, Arwick, Evie, Orkney. Early in the sale, Norman Igor, out of the Trojan daughter Norman Eternity, was sold for 5,000gns to PJ Dale, Mirey Leys Farm, Loscoe-Denby Lane, Ripley, Derbyshire.
Ian Nimmo, Bogside Farm, Newmains, Wishaw, Lanarkshire made 10,000gns when selling Maraiscote Imperial for 10,000gns to W & T Nelson, High Kilphin Farm, Ballantrae, Girvan. Imperial, a first prize winner in Class 15, is another calf by the herd’s prolific 23,000gns Goldies Comet, a Wilodge Vantastic son. June 2013-born, Maraiscote Imperial is out of the Normande Urquhart daughter Maraiscote Cookie. In June this year, Maraiscote Imperial was a first prize winner at the Royal Highland Show.
Securing a final bid of 9,500gns was the third-prize-winning Millbrow Icatcher from G & P Long, Millbrow Farm, Skelwith Bridge, Ambleside, Cumbria. The first son of the Irish sire and Haltcliffe Vermount son, Millburn Foxhall, to be offered for sale, Millbrow Icatcher is out of the homebred Millbrow Tricia who has bred progeny to 13,000gns. Purchasers were PR Walker & Son, Manor House Farm, Lund, Driffield, Yorkshire.
The Intermediate Champion Procters Illusion from Procters Farm, Slaidburn, Clitheroe made 7,000gns when going under the hammer to B O’Loughlan, Gortinure Road, Magherra, Co.Derry, N.Ireland. By the 72,000gns Haltcliffe DJ and out of the Haltcliffe Vermount daughter, Procters Fanita, ProctersIllusion sold with a Beef Value of LM+49.
Also at 7,000gns was Loosebeare Ivanovic from Messrs Quick. Having won third prize in the penultimate junior class, Ivanovic is by the Sympa-sired Aghadolgan Emperor and is out of the Wilodge Vantastic daughter Loosebeare Fudge. June 2013-born, he heads to the commercial enterprise of Monzie Farms, Cuilt Farm, Monzie, Crieff, Perthshire.
Making 6,800gns was the red-ticketed Monkeypuzzle Ideal from TD Wight & Sons, Whitrighill, St Boswells, Melrose. Born in May 2013, this bull had previously stood Reserve Male Champion at Border Union Show, being by the AI sire Ironstone Brandy and out of the 10,500gns dam Dyfri Fioled. Purchasing this bull with a Beef Value of LM+49 were LH Attewell & Ptrs, Chapel Farm, Undy, Caldicot, Gwent.
Tweeddale Igor, an embryo calf from Jonathan Watson, Bowsden Moor, Berwick Upon Tweed was sold for 6,500gns to Herries Farms, Glencaple, Dumfries. Having stood second in class 11, this April 2013-born intermediate bull is by the 22,000gns herd sire Goldies Fandango and is out of the Grahams Trooper-sired Tweeddale Anita. Tweeddale Igor’s full sister, Tweeddale Inita, sold at the Tweeddale Breeders’ Sale in May 2014 at Carlisle for 15,500gns.
To view video of highlights, click here.
Other Leading Prices
6,000gns Haltcliffe Iowa to JA Wood & Sons, Kinnerton Hall Farm, Ratlinghope, Shrewsbury
6,000gns Carmorn Eyecatcher to J Forsythe, 44 Cookstown Road, Moneymore, Magherafelt
6,000gns Twemlows Idol to DG & JA Bell, Low Blaithwaite Farm, Wigton, Cumbria
6,000gns Windsole Ivan to J Leiper & Sons, Black Heddon, Ponteland, Newcastle on Tyne
6,000gns Roxburgh Icarus to J Sloan & Sons, Little Creoch Farm, New Cumnock, Ayrshire
6,000gns Loosebeare Italian to T Laird & Son, Sunnyside Farm, Cronberry, Cumnock, Ayrshire
6,000gns Ampertaine Interrogate to R & J Johnston, Hewan, Shapinsay, Orkney
Averages:
25 Senior Bulls £5,838.44
29 Intermediate Bulls £5,368.10
30 Junior Bulls £5,551.00
Overall 84 Bulls (+9) £5,570.21
Auctioneer: H&H
