- 91 Bulls average £5,539
- Bulls gross £504,049
- 31 Junior Bulls average £6,713.23
- 3 Bulls at 20,000gns and over
- 7 Bulls at Five Figures and Above
Haltcliffe Imperial from Haltcliffe, Hesket New Market, Wigton made 28,000gns and topped the trade at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s Spring Sale held on Saturday February 14th 2015 at Borderway Mart, Carlisle. An embryo calf, Haltcliffe Imperial is by Ampertaine Elgin and is out of the highly noted dam Cloughhead Romany. August 2013 born, this calf had placed as Reserve Junior Champion in the pre-sale show judged by Eric Gethin of the Camlas Herd at Cwmcaebitra, Newtown, Powys. Purchasing the top price bull was Procters Farm Ltd for their Procters pedigree herd at Woodhouse Lane, Slaidburn, Nr Clitheroe.
Commenting, Procters farm manager Gary Swindlehurst said: “It was the depth of breeding first and foremost that attracted me, as we have nothing from that cow family in the herd. We hope he’ll click with the powerful Haltcliffe DJ females we have. He’s a proper Limousin in appearance and type with a good top, great plates as well as an EBV which suggests a little more fat cover as required nowadays.” The bull will likely have semen taken off on-farm with a view to going out with cows in May whose Procters Herd numbers 70 pures and 30 recipients.
The 110-strong pedigree herd of breeding females at Haltcliffe had previously won two Overall Championships at this February fixture with the 100,000gns Haltcliffe Vermount and the 72,000gns Haltcliffe DJ – both purchased by Procters Farms. The dam of the top price here, Cloughhead Romany, was purchased privately from breeder George Hutton and has bred bulls at to 15,000gns (Haltcliffe Dynamo) as well as others at 10,000gns, 9,500gns and the privately-sold Haltcliffe Dancer. The 32,000gns sire, Ampertaine Elgin, is a Glenrock Ventura son, who was purchased by Haltcliffe at the May 2011 Carlisle Sale when Reserve Senior Champion. Late in the sale, the first prizewinning Haltcliffe Ivanhoe also sold for 7,200gns to DH & ER Strong & Son, Well House, Hesket New Market, Wigton, Cumbria.
It was a terrific couple of days for Eric & Elaine Norman, Little Orton Farm, Little Orton, Carlisle who from a fine pen sold bulls at 22,000gns and 20,000gns respectively and seven in all to gross 68,000gns! At 22,000gns was Norman Inventor. This October 2013-born bull, who stood second in his class to the Normans’ Junior Champion, is by the herd’s prolific sire Claragh Franco and is out of the Heathmount Trojan daughter Norman Crystal. This bull went for export when sold to Michael Phillips, Doon West, Gurteen, Co. Sligo, Eire.
At 20,000gns was the Norman’s Junior Champion & Overall Supreme Champion Norman Infusion, another by the Wilodge Vantastic son, Claragh Franco, who was purchased for 24,000gns in May 2011 when Junior Champion at Carlisle. Also October 2013 born, Norman Infusion is out of the Glangwden Bigboy daughter Norman Elsie. This was the first Supreme Championship for the Norman Herd of 120 breeding females which is run by Eric & Elaine together with their sons Craig & Michael. Norman Infusion went one better than their Reserve Overall, the 18,000gns Norman Aphrodite back in 2007. Purchasing the Champion here was James Tennant Ltd who run 150 suckler cows alongside the 20-strong Lissett pedigree herd at Manor House Farm, Fraisthorpe, Bridlington, East Yorkshire. Commenting, Nick Tennant said: “This was a typical modern Limousin, a good mover with a great second thigh, and whose sire is breeding very consistently.”
The judge Eric Gethin was also quick to praise his Champion and said: “When this bull came into the ring he just caught your eye with his terrific presence and style and he was very much my type of bull. He’s got length and scope, has good legs and moves well, and is very well muscled but not extreme. Just an outstanding Limousin bull.” Mr Gethin also said that it had been a great honour to judge at what he described as the ‘pinnacle of Limousin sales’ and congratulated breeders on presenting a very good show of bulls both for breeders and commercial producers.
A Video of the Pre-Sale Judging can be seen HERE
The Normans’ third Claragh Franco son, Norman Ionesco, stood third in its class and sold for 7,500gns to Messrs Dowson & Sartin, Battle Hill Farm, Lartington, Barnard Castle, Co Durham. All three bulls go back to the foundation cow, Rawlesbury Amethyst, purchased when the Normans secured the Stacey Herd. In October 2014 the bulls had been displayed on the Limousin stand at the Borderway Agri-Expo.
In all, seven bulls made 10,000gns and over with 33 making 5,000gns or more. Commenting on the trade, BLCS Chief Executive Iain Kerr said: “It was a solid sale that saw a 71% clearance of the 129 bulls forward for sale. Averages from the high set last year were back a bit but very much in line with 2013. Following on from the Stirling sale last week that’s over 150 bulls sold to average over a very healthy £5150. Breeders had brought forward a good show with plenty of choice for the commercial man. Purchasers have been able to secure some first class bulls at sensible prices and offering real value.”
Fresh from taking the top price at the Society’s Dungannon Sale on the Monday, Henry Savage & Sons, Altnamackin, Newry, Northern Ireland sold two further ET sons combining the same breeding of Ampertaine Elgin and Trueman Euphonium for 17,000gns and 12,500gns respectively. At the 17,000gns mark was the third prize-winning bull, Trueman Idol, who now heads to the Garnedd Limousin herd of KI & E & HI Jones, Bryn Ddraenan, Padog, Betws-y-Coed, Gwynedd. An August 2013-born embryo calf, Trueman Idol is by Ampertaine Elgin and is out of the homebred dam Trueman Euphonium, a Wilodge Vantastic daughter who won the National Limousin Show in 2011. Realising 12,500gns was the same-way bred Trueman Iglesias, a red ticket winner who sold to the Fieldson prefix of JW & ME Fieldson, Poplar Farm, Corringham, Gainsborough, Lincs.
The second bull at 12,500gns, Millgate Invest, was purchased by Kevin Watret,Northfield Park, Annan, Dumfriesshire for his Annanview prefix August 2013-born, Millgate Invest was consigned by Michael Loughran, Dungate, Dunamore, Cookstown, Co Tyrone being a Swarland Eddie son and out of Millgate Emma, a Mas Du Clo granddaughter, who is full sister to the 18,000gns Millgate Caesar, Supreme Champion at Carlisle in February 2009.
A second bull heading for export to the Republic of Ireland was the Senior Champion Goldies Informer from Bruce Goldie, Townfoot, Mouswald, Dumfries when snapped up for 10,500gns by Dan Tynan, Beechhhill Farm, Doon, Mountrath, Co Laois. Informer is by the Wilodge Fantastic-sired Goldies Fortress, a bull retained as stock sire in the herd and being a full brother to Goldies Fandango. The dam, Goldies Elisa, is a daughter of Ampertaine Bravo (by Sympa). Goldies sold two further bulls at 7,200gns and 7,000gns respectively. At the 7,200gns mark was Goldies Idol, sired by Haltcliffe Doctor (by Rossignol) and out of Goldies Enchanted who sold in a half share to HD Brown, Auchmaladdie, Maud, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire & Balfour Baillie, Sebay Cottage, Tankerness, Orkney. Securing a final bid of 7,000gns was the first prizewinning bull Goldies Inverurie, another by Haltcliffe Doctor and this time out of Knock Fairlady, who now heads to A Paton & Co, Craig Farm, Straiton, Maybole, Ayrshire. The 6,000gns junior bull Goldies Index later sold for 6,000gns to C & SF Thomas, Hurstley Court, Kinnersley, Hereford.
The Intermediate Champion and Reserve Overall, Maraiscote Ingemar, was the next leading price at 9,000gns which represented another Championship rosette at Carlisle for Ian Nimmo, Bogside Farm, Newmains, Wishaw, Lanark following on from Maraiscote Esso (12,000gns Reserve Overall October 2010), Graffiti (17,000gns Supreme Champion October 2012) and Hiphop (12,000gns Junior Champion October 2013). Maraiscote Ingemar is by the prolific sire, Goldies Comet, and is out of the Virginia Andy daughter Maraiscote Duchess. This bull now heads to SJ Smith, Sunnyhill Croft, Turriff, Aberdeenshire.
Two further bulls made 9,000gns: Tweeddale Irnbru, by Goldies Goldmine and out of Tweeddale Bonny, from Jonathan Watson, Bowsden Moor, Berwick upon Tweed when knocked down to R & J Temple, Wyliehole, Tundergarth, Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire; and the black bull Swarland Black Igolo, by Emslies Enigma and out of Swarland Rosanna (granddam to the 10,000gns Swarland Eddie), from A&D Proctor, Swarland Old Hall, Morpeth who sold to Robert Neill & Partners, Upper Nisbet Farm, Jedburgh, Roxburgh.
A strong pen of bulls from Messrs EW Quick & Sons, Loosebeare Manor, Zeal Monachorum, Crediton, Devon met with an excellent trade with the five bulls overall averaging £7,203. Topping their consignment at 8,800gns, when going under the hammer to DJ MacArthur, Mid Fleenas, Nairn, was Loosebeare Ivanhoe, by Loosebeare Fantastic and out of Loosebeare Crimrose, dam of the 10,000gns Loosebeare Frosty. Three bulls then made 6,500gns apiece: Loosebeare Ipad (by Loosebeare Fantastic) to MM Gollop & Sons, Slough Farm, Willand, Cullompton, Devon; Loosebeare Inspector (by Plumtree Deus) to the Firm of J Shennan & Sons, Knockgerran Farm, Girvan, Ayrshire; and Loosebeare Indigo (by Aghadolgan Emperor) to DJ MacArthur, Mid Fleenas, Nairn. The Quicks’ final bull was Loosebeare Inspired, another by Aghadolgan Emperor, who took a last bid of 6,000gns from W & I Gunn, Murza, Bower, Wick, Caithness.
Whinfellpark Impressive from Messrs Jenkinson, Clifton Moor, Penrith sold for 8,000gns to RP & DL Hutchinson Ltd, Greenhill Farm, Balderton, Newark, Notts for their Beaconsfield Herd. Having stood Senior Male Champion at Stars of the Future Show in November 2014, Impressive is by Lowerffrydd Empire and is out of the Dinmore Bandit-sired Whinfellpark Eileen.
Two bulls went under the hammer for 7,500gns. First of these was Gunnerfleet Imortal from Ian Handley, Gunnerfleet Farm, Ingleton Lancs being sired by Plumtree Fantastic and out of Gunnerfleet Oster, a Muirhouse Lagonda daughter. New owners are D Cadzow & Co Ltd, Duncrahill Farm House, Pencaitland, Tranent, E.Lothian. The second black-coated bull, Hackney Black Idpea, from Paul Tippetts, Lodge Hill Farm, Park Lane, Shifnal, Shrops secured the same price from commercial producers LH Attewell & Partners, Chapel Farm, Undy, Caldicot, Gwent. July 2013-born, Black Idpea is by the top-rated sire Bailea Black BMW (LM+76) and is out the Ronick Iceman granddaughter Hackney Caress.
VIDEO FOOTAGE of the top 12 priced bulls can be viewed HERE.
Other Leading Prices
6,500gns Calogale Irresistable GJ lee & CM Lloyd to J Robertson & Co, Newton of Logierait
6,000gns Millington Inspire Asghcourt Farms Ltd to PA Walker, Easterside, Dunnottar, Stonehaven
6,000gns Cloughhead Indiana George Hutton to GG & HE Sevenoaks, Parc Lodge, Abergavenny
Averages
23 Senior Bulls £4,231.96
37 Intermediate Bulls £5,369.19
31 Junior Bulls £6,713.23
Overall 91 Bulls £5,539.62
Auctioneers: H&H
