RECORDS were set at the show and sale of Limousin weaned calves on Friday, when an 11-month-old heifer set a sale record of 38,000gns, which combined with 41 others to set a record heifer calf average of £3987.

Having already secured the championship and top price of 25,000gns at the Red Ladies Derby staged earlier in the day, the celebrations continued for Robert and Jean Graham when their first prize heifer, Grahams Natalie, went on to set that 38,000gns record. Notably, this year’s ET-bred calf leader is a full sister to last year’s champion and sale topper at the Derby, the 32,000gns Grahams Lilly, being by Claragh Franco and out of the Millington Vascular-sired Grahams Coffee. Adding to this money making line, she is also a full sibling to the 40,000gns Grahams Lorenzo and the 16,5000gns Grahams Lizzie. 

Natalie, which was brought out by stockman Drew Hyslop and sister Jennifer, who is to start at the Stirling-based herd in February, has already made a name for herself in her short but highly successful show career, standing junior Limousin champion at the Stars of the Future Calf Show where she also stood junior inter-breed champion and was part of the winning junior pairs team. With 200 and 400-day growth rates that rank in the top 1% of the breed and a beef value of 38, she caught the eye of Christine Williams, who was impressed with Natalie’s strong maternal line as she goes back to Brockhurst Option, a cow Ms Williams has always admired, and will join the Wilodge herd at Lodge Hill Farm, Park Lane, Shifnal. 

The Grahams herd also secured the bull calf title with Grahams Nashville, a full ET brother to Natalie, which was the other half of the winning pairs duo at the Stars of the Future when he also stood reserve junior champion to his sister. Also born in January, he sold to the Harris family for their Saltbrook herd at Swallows Barn, Alkmonton, Ashbourne. 

Just two lots after the record setter, Grahams Nova went on to realise 5500gns when sold to the Richardsons at Ghyll House, Dufton, Appleby-in-Westmorland. Another bred by ET out of Grahams Coffee, which also bred the 37,000gns Grahams Murphy, this April-born lass is by the 28,000gns Kilcor Iceman which is proving his worth at Grahams. She’s also collected a haul of prizes in the show ring, having stood reserve Baby Beef champion at the Agri-Expo as well as reserve commercial calf at LiveScot. 

Selling for the third highest price of 15,000gns to Gareth Corrie, best known as one-third of the JCB Commercials team from Northern Ireland, was Glenrock Northernstar, from Stephen Illingworth and daughter Vicky, who run just two cows and followers in the Glenrock herd at Howgillside, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie. She was also bred by ET with her dam, the Haltcliffe Vermount-sired Glenrock Fantastic, which was reserve champion at the Royal Highland and Great Yorkshire shows as a heifer, out of the same Glenrock Spangle cow that bred the 126,000gns heifer, Glenrock Illusion. Heading to her new home at Drumhilla Farm, Newtownards, Co Down, the April-born Northernstar is by the 15,000gns Haltcliffe Doctor. 

Glenrock Illusion was also in the breeding of the next highest lot at 12,000gns when Swalesmoor Nessa from Danny Sawrij, Kedzlie Farm, Blainslie, Lauderdale, sold to Gary Bell, Haas Side, Lockerbie. Brought out by freelance stockmen Alistair and Fraser Cormack, and out of the Goldies Comet-sired Illusion, this embryo calf is by the 35,000gns Foxhillfarm Jasper, and two full sisters and a brother have been retained in the 30-cow Swalesmoor herd for showing next year. 

A full sister to the 160,000gns world record holder, Trueman Jagger, was next in the trade stakes when Paul Dawes saw his Dinmore Nefertiti, which was brought out by herd manager Richard Bartle, sell all the way south to Cornwall with AK and JK Smith, South Park, Jacobstow, Bude, for 8000gns. Another embryo calf, this January-born heifer is sired by Ampertaine Gigolo and out of Trueman Grazia, another Haltcliffe Vermount daughter. 

Selling for 7000gns was Michael and Melanie Alford’s Foxhillfarm Naughtybutnice, a Neuf-sired ET heifer born in January in the herd at Blackburough, Cullompton, Devon. Selling across the Irish Sea to Clonmoney West, Newmarket on Fergus, County Clare, with John McInerney, her dam is the Wilodge Vantastic daughter, Foxhillfarm Izzy, which won a number of calf championships at just 10 months of age. 

There was similar genetics in George and Pat Long’s Millbrow Naomi, when the Vantastic-sired 10-month-old sold to Esmor Evans for his Esmors herd at Monfa, Gwernaffield Road, Mold, Clwyd, for 6500gns. She is the result of a flush from the Sympa-sired Millbrown Faith, a heifer who goes back to the Longs’ original show cow and winner of numerous championship, Millbrow Magic, from the herd at Skelwith Bridge, Ambleside, Cumbria.

From Mains of Burnbank, Stirling, the Graham family – Doug and Lynda together with sons, John and James – received 5600gns from Anita Padfield for Burnbank Natalie, a March-born daughter of Dinmore Jonesy, a Requin son retained at Dinmore for breeding, while the dam, the Burnbank Frank-sired Burnbank Inspire, is a maternal sister to the 9000gns Burnbank Maggiemay sold at last year’s Red Ladies sale. Natalie heads to Brambles, Potter Heigham, Great Yarmouth, to join Anita's Brambles herd.

Back among the bull calves and Willie Barron brought in 4700gns for Barrons Ninja, a January-born son of Lodge Hamlet which sold to Gavin Scott, of Gateside, Linlithgow. He is out of Barrons Julipa, a Loosebeare Fantastic daughter in the herd at Morrow Edge, Burnhope, Durham. 

Selling for 4200gns back across the water to J and K Connell, Newcastle, Oldcastle, County Meath, was Collegeland Nancy from Thomas Clancy, Aughanlig Road, Moy, Dungannon, County Tyrone. She is by Ampertaine Elgin and out of the Casimir daughter, Culnagechan Halfpenny.