A crowd of pedigree and commercial breeders made their way to Borderway Mart, Carlisle, on Saturday 4th May for the spring sale, where 80 bulls went under the hammer with a clearance rate of 73%. Across the board, bulls averaged £8214, with 20 of the top class bulls on offer selling for five figures.
Topping the sale at 38,000gns was the September 2022-born lot 152 Cowin Tequin from Dyfan, Carol and Rheon James. A son of the noted 19,000gns Ampertaine Jeronimo, he is bred out of a Dinmore Jonesy cow who goes back to Requin. Tequin, a fantastically strong stretchy bull who stood second in his class in the presale show, is easy caving and has growth traits in the top 1% of the breed. This F94L carrier was purchased by Messrs McNee, Over Finlarg, Dundee, to join their Westhall Limousin herd.
Next top priced at 28,000gns was the Junior and reserve supreme champion tapped out at the presale show by judge Henry Savage Junior of the Trueman herd, Cullhanna, Co Armagh. Bred and exhibited by Craig Ridley, of the Haltcliffe herd, Wigton, Cumbria, lot 264 Haltcliffe Umpire, was one of the youngest bulls forward at just 15 months-old. By Hartcliffe Iceman and out of the herds noted cow Haltcliffe Romance, who was the overall female and reserve senior champion at the breeds 50th anniversary show in 2022. With a F94L/Q204X myostatin pairing, he stands in the top 1% of the breed for growth, carcase weight and beef value with a score of LM57. He goes on to work for the pedigree herd of Messrs Jenkinson of Whinfellpark, Penrith, Cumbria.
At 22,000gns was lot 122 Ampertaine Tornado, the presale-show senior champion. One of three red ticket winners for the Ampertiane team from James McKay, Maghera, Co Derry. Born July 2022, Tornado is by the herds homebred and successful 35,000gns Carlisle supreme champion Ampertiane Majestic and out of Ampertaine Miranda, a daughter of the 45,000gns Ampertaine Jamboree, stock sire to the Ronick herd. With myostatin F94L/Q204X and a top 1% beef value of LM55, he also has excellent maternal traits. He heads to the home of H Annett and Son, for their Widdrington pedigree herd, nr Morpeth.
In a second purchase of the day for Messrs Jenkinson of the Whinfellpark herd, they secured lot 226 Sarkley Tyndall, a December 2022-born bull purchased for 20,000gns from EH Pennie and son, Llandyssil, Powys. A bull who stood first in his class Tyndall is a double F94L carrier and has growth traits in the top 10% of the national herd. The sale of Tyndall continues the success of his sire is Foxhillfarm Ourbest, who has sold sons to 52,000gns for last year’s champion at this sale. His dam is the Ampertaine Commander sired Sarkley Leanne, who is a maternal half sibling to the 180,000gns Graiggoch Rambo.
A trio followed at 16,000gns, the first was lot 117 Loosebeare Tesla, reserve senior champion at the previous days show. Tesla, who is sired by the herd successful stock sire Ampertaine Jeronimo, out of Loosebeare Lochness, who goes back to the herd own Loosebeare Fantastic. With outstanding EBV’s a multitude of which feature in top 1%, he has myostatin of F94L/Q204X. Bred and exhibited by EH Quick and Sons, Crediton, Devon, he was purchased by Mark Meldrum, Shenval Farms, Ballindalloch.
A busy shopping day for Jenkinsons, saw their third purchase Lot 144 Brontemoor Theoutsider. Placed first in his class with myostatin F94L/Nt821, this September 2022-born bull has top 1% growth and beef value (LM61). Sired by Haltcliffe Doctor, who goes back to the noted French sire Rossignol, he is out of Brontemoor Nightingale, a Ronick Hawk daughter. Also selling for 16,000gns he was offered for sale by breeders Messrs JM and SM Priestly, Brampton, Cumbria.
The last through the ring at 16,000gns was the days intermediate and supreme champion lot 212 Bernish Toplad, who was described by judge Henry Savage as oozing class and a real breeders bull. Traveling across the water from Omagh, Co Tyrone, he was bred and exhibited by Kieran McCrory. This November 2022-born bull, was a further success for Sire Foxhillfarm Ourbest and out of the herd well known cow Bernish Princessjuli, who was overall champion at the Northern Ireland Rising Stars show in 2022. With growth rates in the top 10%, this stylish bull has a F94L/Nt821 myostatin pairing and was snapped up by Messrs R and C Greenwood, for their new Skiptonmoor pedigree herd in North Yorkshire.
Two at 15,000gns then followed, the first of those was lot 161 Swarland Topaz, an October 2022-born bull and double F94L carrier, sold by Messrs A and D Proctor, of the Swarland herd, Morpeth, Northumberland. A blue ticket winner, he caught the eye of Robert Neill and Partners, Jedburgh, for their pedigree and commercial herd. By the stock sire, Ronick Nissan, who has fathered just under 100 progeny into the Swarland herd since his purchase in October 2018, he is out of the black coated Swarland Macey, who goes back to Emslies Enigma.
The second at 15,000gns was the November 2022-born bull Anside Tonto (lot 199), consigned by Mr and Mrs S Irvine, Keith, Banffshire. Standing first in his class, Tonto is by the prolific AI sire Ampertaine Elgin and his dam is the Powerful Irish daughter Anside Owena, an impressive breeder for the herd who also produced the reserve champion at last year’s Stirling May sale, which sold for 14,000gns. With a myostatin pairing of F94L/Q204X and top 10% carcase traits, he goes on to be the new stock sire for WM Dick and Sons, Ronick herd, near Stirling.
Other Leading Prices
14,000gns – Lot 141 Lodge Timothy sold by WI & AW Callion, Stirling, to RJ Shennan, Farden herd, Girvan.
14,000gns – Lot 169 Ampertaine Texas, reserve intermediate champion, sold by WJ & James McKay, Co Derry, to Page Bros, Elkington herd, Northampton.
14,000gns – Lot 208 Glenrock Timetoshine, sold by Mr S & Mr T Illingworth, Eaglesfield, Dumfries & Galloway, to I & C Rutler, Burradon, Northumberland
13,000gns – Lot 203 Westpit Tizallgood sold by A & J Gammie, Laurencekirk, to AJ Ewing, the Fairywater herd, Annan.
12,000gns – Lot 184 Wilodge Topbrass, sold by Wilodge Limousins, Shifnal, Shropshire, to WF Cruikshank & Sons, Clury herd, Grantown-on-Spey.
11,000gns – Lot 157 Pointhouse Terry, sold by Mr M Diamond, Co Derry, to GL Howatson, Plas herd, Denbigh.
10,000gns – Lot 174 Maraiscote Topjob, sold by Mr J Nimmo, Wishaw, to AJ Kirton & Sons, Ashledge herd, Worcestershire.
10,000gns – Lot 236 Millgate Triumph sold by Mr Loughran, Co Tyrone, to AC Fotheringham, Dunkeld.
10,000gns – Lot 252 Rosellie Ulmas sold by Peter R Walker & Son, to Bradley Robertson, Mayen herd, Keith, Banffshire.
10,000gns – Lot 280 Beachmount Umpire, sold by Clive Knox, Kelso, to WI Suddes & Sons, Cornsay herd, Durham.
Females
The sale also featured a small consignment of 19 females, which averaged £3,548. The top priced at 6,000gns was lot 21 Frogmore Ursula, presented for sale by Clive Knox and bred by Chris White, Morton-in-the-Marsh, Gloucestershire. Sired the 12,000gns and Southwest herd competition best stockbull Loosebeare Master, her dam is Frogmore Ruby, a Ampertaine Magnum daughter. A double F94L heifer, the January 2023-born Ursula was purchased by Mary Cormack, in Chepstow, Monmouthshire, to join her Rougemont pedigree herd.
Moments later, lot 24, the 23 month-old Haltcliffe Topsy, was knocked down sold at 5,000gns to DE Ayres and Co, Ludlow, Shropshire, for their Woofferton pedigree herd. Bought forward for sale by her breeder Craig Ridley, Wigton, Cumbria, she is a daughter of the renowned Westpit Omaha and the Sympa-sired Haltcliffe Nobility, Topsy has a myostatin status of F94L/F94L and a top 1% carcase weight EBV.
The other top priced heifer was lot 17 Goldies Tiara, a September 2022-born daughter of Wilodge LJ, out of the Ampertaine Commader daughter Goldies Iona. Purchased by Stephen and Thomas Illingworth, for their Glenrock pedigree herd, Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire, she was offered for sale by Brice Goldie, Mouswald, Dumfries and Galloway. Tiara who is a full sister to both the 10,000gns Goldies Strongbow and 10,000gns Goldies Topper, has top 10% EBV’s for gestation length, growth, muscle depth and carcase wight and a myostatin status of F94L/Nt821.
Averages
80 Bulls – £8213.63, 19 heifers £3,547.89.
