The British Limousin cattle society held its premier May show and sale at Borderway mart, Carlisle, over the weekend, with nearly 150 bulls on offer.
Continuing his run after a fantastic few years was James McKay of the Ampertaine herd in Northern Ireland. His star lot was Ampertaine Majestic, which along with claiming the overall championship the day preceding the sale went on to make the leading price of 35,000gns. Majestic’s sale-topping price marks the third time the Ampertaine herd has led proceedings out of the last four premier sales, the highlight being the 100,000gns Ampertaine Mozart which sold at the May premier sale last year.
Good run
While the McKay family continued their good run, the sale can be looked upon as tougher than previous years. The average for bulls dropped by nearly £1,200, to settle at £6,523.
However, this can be in a big part attributed to a lack of high-end sale toppers helping to boost the average. At the same sale the previous year, a total of four bulls sold for 35,000gns or more, including the aforementioned 100,000gns Mozart.
Matching the reduction in average was a drop in clearance to 80% from the 88% witnessed last year. In short, the 2017 sale sold a further 11 bulls.
The show champion and sale leader Ampertaine Majestic is doubly bred to Wilodge Vantastic with the sire Plumtree Fantastic and the maternal sire Goldie’s Fantastic. James describes the dam of Majestic as being one of the best looking and breeding cows in the herd. She is a maternal sister to the 13,000gns Ampertaine Interest and Majestic is her first calf – and what a way to start. Positive for calving ease and growth, the December 2016-born bull was knocked down at 35,000gns to Gareth Corrie, Newtownards, Northern Ireland. Gareth runs a small pedigree herd at home, and will use Majestic on his own cows; however, his intention is to offer Majestic’s semen for sale as soon as possible.
Majestic wasn’t the only bull offered by the McKay outfit, with a total of eight bulls selling to average £9,213.
Junior and reserve overall champion Trueman Newton - 9000gns \ Wayne HutchinsonTrueman Newton. \ Wayne Hutchinson
Northern Irish breeders were again to the fore, when the Savage family secured the reserve championship of the show with Trueman Newton. This February 2017-born bull ticked a number of boxes for judge Dougie McBeath, as he awarded him the junior and reserve overall championships. This bull also came with a wealth of breeding with the sire being the record priced 140,000gns high flyer Trueman Jagger while the dam Trueman Foxtrot bred last year’s Balmoral interbreed champion Trueman Lute. Customers were evidently focusing on calving ease as one of the main criteria in buying decisions, and with a harder than average index, Newton took a hit but still met trade at 9,000gns. Successful bidder here was TH Harrison & son, Cumbria.
Twemlows Morpeth - 20,000gns \ Wayne HutchinsonTwemlows Morpet. \ Wayne Hutchinson
Securing the second top price of the day were Will and Jackie Forrester when they sold Twemlows Morpeth for 20,000gns. This September 2016-born bull is sired by Swarland Eddie while the dam’s pedigree features Cloughhead Ernie and Scorboro Universe. Placed second in the pre-sale show, Morpeth was purchased by George Hutton, Setmabanning, Keswick, Cumbria, for his Cloughhead Limousin herd.
Newtack Maltster - 19,000gns \ Wayne HutchinsonNewtack Maltster. \ Wayne Hutchinson
A further 14 bulls managed to make it between 10,000gns and 19,000gns. The 19,000gns call came for the November 2016-born Newtrack Maltster. This bull came from Grant Morrison, Keith, who will mark the occasion as a memorable debut having never exhibited at Carlisle before.
His natural born calf is by Ampertaine Foreman sired bull Artnagullion Jaggerbomb while the dam is Emslies Insi.
This one found a home with H Annett and Son, Widdrington, Morpeth, for their Widdrington Limousin herd.
Gunnerfleet Merving -18,000gns \ Wayne HutchinsonGunnerfleet Merving. \ Wayne Hutchinson
Ian Handley saw the best of his pen top at 18,000gns for Gunnerfleet Merving. This first prize-winning bull was sired by Ballinloan Jaegerbomb, a bull that made headlines over the previous two months for having an unknown parentage. Luckily for Mr Handley, that was sorted, and bulls from the AI bull are going on to make good money. The dam behind Merving was homebred Gunnerfleet Jennie, sired by the same bull as the champion Plumtree Fantastic. Procter’s farm was the successful bidder behind this one.
Reserve junior champion Loosebeare Nelson - 17,000gns \ Wayne HutchinsonLoosebeare Nelson. \ Wayne Hutchinson
The reserve junior champion Loosebeare Nelson from EW Quick & sons found a new home at 17,000gns. This 16-month-old bull is by Ampertaine Jeronimo, a son of the previously mentioned Plumtree Fantastic, while the dam is homebred Loosebeare Inky. This one found a new home in the southwest, going home with J H Neale & Son for their Nealford Limousin herd at Wilkie Down, Launceston, Cornwall.
Glenrock Memphis - 16,000gns \ Wayne HutchinsonGlenrock Memphis. \ Wayne Hutchinson
Second prize winner to the overall champion was Glenrock Memphis, which realised 16,000gns for breeder Stephen Illingworth, Lockerbie. This bull was sired by Ampertaine Gigolo, while Haltcliffe Vermount and Glenrock Spangle make up the dam’s side. With maternal brothers to Memphis having made 15,000gns, successful bidders G & AE Mars & Son had to dig deep to secure the blue rosette winner for their Kinniside Herd in Cumbria.
Ian Handley of the Gunnerfleet herd was back in the money when he secured a bid of 15,000gns for not one but two bulls. First at the money was Gunnerfleet Mars, an October 2016-born bull by the aforementioned Ballinloan Jaegerbomb. Matching him at the money was the first prizewinning Gunnerfleet Nato. Sired by Gunnerfleet Hicks, Nato is a full brother to the 30,000gns Gunnerfleet Mongo and the 22,000gns Gunnerfleet Lion. This one was secured by the Breconside herd.
Females
There was a big reduction in the number of females present, with average again taking a hit in this ring. Maiden heifers made up the majority of the lots, with 59 selling to average £3,691, back from £4,294 in 2017. In-calf heifers also saw a drop, with 14 selling to average £3,307 back from just shy of £4,000 at the equivalent sale last year.
Nicely leading the way at 26,000gns was Grahams Nikita, from the Graham family in Bridge Of Allan, Scotland. Sired by Claragh Franco, Nikita is a daughter of the prolific Grahams Coffee, making her a full sister to the 40,000gns Grahams Lorenzo and the 32,000gns Grahams Lily. This one was secured by R & A White for their Ladybowers herd. Top of a strong lineup of Foxhillfarm heifers was the 9,000gns Foxhillfarm Nathalie. This yearling heifer is out of the record priced Trueman Jagger and out of homebred Foxhillfarm Isla. Natalie is a full sister to Foxhillfarm Naomi, reserve junior female champion at last year’s stars of the future.
This was just one of numerous lots knocked down to Teus Dekker for his Dutch Limousin company Cowporation.
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The British Limousin cattle society held its premier May show and sale at Borderway mart, Carlisle, over the weekend, with nearly 150 bulls on offer.
Continuing his run after a fantastic few years was James McKay of the Ampertaine herd in Northern Ireland. His star lot was Ampertaine Majestic, which along with claiming the overall championship the day preceding the sale went on to make the leading price of 35,000gns. Majestic’s sale-topping price marks the third time the Ampertaine herd has led proceedings out of the last four premier sales, the highlight being the 100,000gns Ampertaine Mozart which sold at the May premier sale last year.
Good run
While the McKay family continued their good run, the sale can be looked upon as tougher than previous years. The average for bulls dropped by nearly £1,200, to settle at £6,523.
However, this can be in a big part attributed to a lack of high-end sale toppers helping to boost the average. At the same sale the previous year, a total of four bulls sold for 35,000gns or more, including the aforementioned 100,000gns Mozart.
Matching the reduction in average was a drop in clearance to 80% from the 88% witnessed last year. In short, the 2017 sale sold a further 11 bulls.
The show champion and sale leader Ampertaine Majestic is doubly bred to Wilodge Vantastic with the sire Plumtree Fantastic and the maternal sire Goldie’s Fantastic. James describes the dam of Majestic as being one of the best looking and breeding cows in the herd. She is a maternal sister to the 13,000gns Ampertaine Interest and Majestic is her first calf – and what a way to start. Positive for calving ease and growth, the December 2016-born bull was knocked down at 35,000gns to Gareth Corrie, Newtownards, Northern Ireland. Gareth runs a small pedigree herd at home, and will use Majestic on his own cows; however, his intention is to offer Majestic’s semen for sale as soon as possible.
Majestic wasn’t the only bull offered by the McKay outfit, with a total of eight bulls selling to average £9,213.
Junior and reserve overall champion Trueman Newton - 9000gns \ Wayne HutchinsonTrueman Newton. \ Wayne Hutchinson
Northern Irish breeders were again to the fore, when the Savage family secured the reserve championship of the show with Trueman Newton. This February 2017-born bull ticked a number of boxes for judge Dougie McBeath, as he awarded him the junior and reserve overall championships. This bull also came with a wealth of breeding with the sire being the record priced 140,000gns high flyer Trueman Jagger while the dam Trueman Foxtrot bred last year’s Balmoral interbreed champion Trueman Lute. Customers were evidently focusing on calving ease as one of the main criteria in buying decisions, and with a harder than average index, Newton took a hit but still met trade at 9,000gns. Successful bidder here was TH Harrison & son, Cumbria.
Twemlows Morpeth - 20,000gns \ Wayne HutchinsonTwemlows Morpet. \ Wayne Hutchinson
Securing the second top price of the day were Will and Jackie Forrester when they sold Twemlows Morpeth for 20,000gns. This September 2016-born bull is sired by Swarland Eddie while the dam’s pedigree features Cloughhead Ernie and Scorboro Universe. Placed second in the pre-sale show, Morpeth was purchased by George Hutton, Setmabanning, Keswick, Cumbria, for his Cloughhead Limousin herd.
Newtack Maltster - 19,000gns \ Wayne HutchinsonNewtack Maltster. \ Wayne Hutchinson
A further 14 bulls managed to make it between 10,000gns and 19,000gns. The 19,000gns call came for the November 2016-born Newtrack Maltster. This bull came from Grant Morrison, Keith, who will mark the occasion as a memorable debut having never exhibited at Carlisle before.
His natural born calf is by Ampertaine Foreman sired bull Artnagullion Jaggerbomb while the dam is Emslies Insi.
This one found a home with H Annett and Son, Widdrington, Morpeth, for their Widdrington Limousin herd.
Gunnerfleet Merving -18,000gns \ Wayne HutchinsonGunnerfleet Merving. \ Wayne Hutchinson
Ian Handley saw the best of his pen top at 18,000gns for Gunnerfleet Merving. This first prize-winning bull was sired by Ballinloan Jaegerbomb, a bull that made headlines over the previous two months for having an unknown parentage. Luckily for Mr Handley, that was sorted, and bulls from the AI bull are going on to make good money. The dam behind Merving was homebred Gunnerfleet Jennie, sired by the same bull as the champion Plumtree Fantastic. Procter’s farm was the successful bidder behind this one.
Reserve junior champion Loosebeare Nelson - 17,000gns \ Wayne HutchinsonLoosebeare Nelson. \ Wayne Hutchinson
The reserve junior champion Loosebeare Nelson from EW Quick & sons found a new home at 17,000gns. This 16-month-old bull is by Ampertaine Jeronimo, a son of the previously mentioned Plumtree Fantastic, while the dam is homebred Loosebeare Inky. This one found a new home in the southwest, going home with J H Neale & Son for their Nealford Limousin herd at Wilkie Down, Launceston, Cornwall.
Glenrock Memphis - 16,000gns \ Wayne HutchinsonGlenrock Memphis. \ Wayne Hutchinson
Second prize winner to the overall champion was Glenrock Memphis, which realised 16,000gns for breeder Stephen Illingworth, Lockerbie. This bull was sired by Ampertaine Gigolo, while Haltcliffe Vermount and Glenrock Spangle make up the dam’s side. With maternal brothers to Memphis having made 15,000gns, successful bidders G & AE Mars & Son had to dig deep to secure the blue rosette winner for their Kinniside Herd in Cumbria.
Ian Handley of the Gunnerfleet herd was back in the money when he secured a bid of 15,000gns for not one but two bulls. First at the money was Gunnerfleet Mars, an October 2016-born bull by the aforementioned Ballinloan Jaegerbomb. Matching him at the money was the first prizewinning Gunnerfleet Nato. Sired by Gunnerfleet Hicks, Nato is a full brother to the 30,000gns Gunnerfleet Mongo and the 22,000gns Gunnerfleet Lion. This one was secured by the Breconside herd.
Females
There was a big reduction in the number of females present, with average again taking a hit in this ring. Maiden heifers made up the majority of the lots, with 59 selling to average £3,691, back from £4,294 in 2017. In-calf heifers also saw a drop, with 14 selling to average £3,307 back from just shy of £4,000 at the equivalent sale last year.
Nicely leading the way at 26,000gns was Grahams Nikita, from the Graham family in Bridge Of Allan, Scotland. Sired by Claragh Franco, Nikita is a daughter of the prolific Grahams Coffee, making her a full sister to the 40,000gns Grahams Lorenzo and the 32,000gns Grahams Lily. This one was secured by R & A White for their Ladybowers herd. Top of a strong lineup of Foxhillfarm heifers was the 9,000gns Foxhillfarm Nathalie. This yearling heifer is out of the record priced Trueman Jagger and out of homebred Foxhillfarm Isla. Natalie is a full sister to Foxhillfarm Naomi, reserve junior female champion at last year’s stars of the future.
This was just one of numerous lots knocked down to Teus Dekker for his Dutch Limousin company Cowporation.
Read more
Top price of €5,100 at Tuam Charolais sale
Tullamaine Salers set for full clearance in Kilkenny
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