Loosebeare Tommy quickly finds his bearings in Carlisle

The British Limousin Cattle Society held its annual show and sale in Carlisle on 9-10 February, where 150 bulls and 39 heifers were entered for the event. Eighty-six bulls sold to an average of £9,590 (€11,237.47), while 21 heifers averaged £3,325 (€3,896.20). Another impressive highlight from the sale saw 30 bulls achieve five figures on the day.

Topping the trade at Friday’s sale was the intermediate and overall champion from the Quick family, Loosebeare Tommy. The July 2022-born bull is a son of Ampertaine Jeronimo, who in turn in a son of Plumtree Fantastic and is bred from a Wilodge Jetsetter cow. His maternal grandsire is Gerrygullinane Glen, who was bred by Gerry Walsh from Ballina, Co Mayo. Tommy sold for 35,000gns (€38,759.69) to the Allanfauld and Dyke herds.

The second highest-priced bull at Saturday’s sale was Gorrycam Turbo from the Northern Ireland-based herd of Stephen Reel from Co Down. Turbo was one of 10 bulls that travelled from Northern Ireland to Carlisle for Saturday’s sale and was tapped forward by judge Paul Rainey as the reserve senior champion. The April 2022 born-bull was sired by the homebred Lodge Hamlet stock bull, Gorrycam Phantom and his dam is sired by the renowned Ronick Hawk. Turbo sold to Gordon Cameron for 32,000gns (€35,437.43).

Next best was Foxhillfarm Terminator from the herd of Melanie Alford. The August 2022-born bull was sired by Ampertaine Elgin and his dam, Foxhillfarm Natasha, was sired by Trueman Jagger, who was bred by Henry Savage from Newry. Terminator caught the eye of the Westpit herd, which secured their purchase of the junior and reserve overall champion for 28,000gns (€31,007.75).

The Foxhillfarm team continued its leading ways with a September 2022-born heifer Foxhillfarm Tequilla, sired by Ampertaine Foreman. Tequilla is out of the homebred Foxhillfarm Mamma Mia and her grand dam is the 1250,000gns Glenrock Illusion. The hammer fell for Tequilla to Co Laois breeder Garrett Behan, for 13,000gns (€14,396.65).

Irish connections

Other notable prices in Saturday’s sale with Northern Ireland connections included C & F McAuley’s Carmorn Tigeroll that sold for 12,000gns (€13,289) to Messrs Clayton from Bradford. The May 2022-born bull was sired by Westpit Omaha and his great grand dam was bred by Cahir McAuley of the Larkhill herd in Northern Ireland. Tigeroll is a maternal brother to Seanita Superhero, that sold for 11,000gns in Ballymena in February 2023. M J Conway’s Craigatoke team from Co Tyrone had two bulls in Carlisle last weekend, both of which secured five figure sums in the sale. September 2022-born Craigatoke Tan was up first and sold to Messrs Gibbons from Anglesey for 12,000gns (€13,289).

Tan was sired by Foxhillfarm Ourbest and was bred from an Ampertaine Elgin dam. Back to claim another five-figure sum, the Craigatoke herd had a second Foxhillfarm Ourbest son for sale, Craigatoke Tigeroll. Tigeroll was out of Craigatoke Irishlas and sold to the Haltcliffe herd for 10,000gns (€11,074.20).