Meanmachine tops Limousin sale at 65,000gns

While all classes sold well, it was nevertheless the juniors that attracted the real fireworks, with the section averaging not far off £11,000 per head backed up by top prices of 65,000gns, 30,000gns and 28,000gns.

“The Limousin breed is ticking all the right boxes at the minute as the calves hit the ground running,” said Iain Kerr, chief executive of the Limousin Cattle Society.

“Easy calved, Limousin cross calves are well sought after as they hit the right weights and grades demanded by processors,” he added.

It was a real meat machine that topped the trade too, when the overall champion, Aultside Meanmachine realised 65,000gns for Garry Patterson’s Aultside herd from Keith.

Producing a first supreme overall and a personal best here for Mr Patterson who runs just a handful of pedigree cattle, to include Simmentals, Charolais, and British Blues was a full brother to the herd’s previous top, Aultside Hulk, the intermediate champion at the 2014 May sale at Carlisle, which sold for 55,000gns.

An embryo calf, Meanmachine which first won the junior championship, is bred from Spittalton Flush, a Hargill Blaze daughter bought at the Stirling Bull sales for just 2000gns after standing female champion. The top breeding female in the herd, Flush which Garry said: "always has a good calf," is the dam of the 18,000gns Aultside Mystique and a 10-month-old heifer calf that sold for 9800gns.

A show winner into the bargain Meanmachine, was also senior inter-breed champion at last year’s Stars of the Future. Bred from an easy calving line, this big boy is by the AI sire, Wilodge Cerberus, a bull that sold for 50,000gns to Whinfellpark in 2008.

Meanmachine sold in a two way split to Matt and Craig Ridley buying for their Haltcliffe herd from Heskett New Market and Procters Farm, Slaidburn, managed by Gary Swindlehurst.

“I saw the bull at Turriff Show last year and thought he was a cracker there and he still is," said Craig Ridley after the sale. "He has exceptional width, power and shape and he's tremendous on his legs – he never stands wrong.”

Four other bulls sold for 20,000gns or more, with an internet bid of 30,000gns claiming Ian Handley’s Gunnerfleet Mongo, a first prize junior bull and embryo born calf from Gunnerfleet, Ingleton, Lancs. Bred from the herd’s top cow, Gunnerfleet Ilocks, a Plumtree Fantastic daughter that also bred the 22,000gns Gunnerfleet Lion and the 14,000gns Gunnerfleet Landmark, Mongo is by AI sire, Ampertaine Gigolo and sold to Anthony Renton of the Meadowrig herd based at Stuartslaw and Whitedamhead, Berwickshire.

Shropshire breeders, Christine Williams and Paul Tippetts, Wilodge, Shifnal, also made their mark, forking out 28,000gns for Kilrea auctioneer, Mark Stewart’s Lenagh Morpheus, a September 2016-born embryo calf bred from the Broadmeadows Cannon-sired Lenagh Chanel. First in his class at the pre-sale show, Morpheus is by the AI sire, Plumtree Fantastic, a bull that has bred numerous five-figure sales for his owner, Mr Handley. Equally well bred on the mother’s side, Chanel, which is a daughter of the privately purchased show heifer, Kype Ulay, has bred sons to 13,000gns for the Co Antrim-based small herd from Randalstown.

Minutes later, Co Tyrone-based civil engineer, Kieran McCrory received 22,000gns for his similarly aged ET calf, Bernish Memphis, bred from the show heifer, Bernish Julifortune, an Ampertaine Elgin daughter that was female champion at the NI Calf Show and first at Balmoral Show in 2015. He is by the 23,000gns Fairywater Haig and sold in a two-way split to AH and KJ Booth, Hardwick Hall Farm, Aston, Sheffield and Calogale Beef Semen Sales, Gerycoed, Four Roads, Kidwelly, Dyfed.

It was also a good day at the office for free-lance stock couple, Malcolm Telfer and Helen Claxton, too, when they received 20,000gns for their first Limousin bull sold at auction. Telfers Munster, a natural born calf is by the AI sire, Lodge Hamlet and bred from Telfers Imagination which is the first home-bred female from the couple’s two-cow herd, being out of their foundation female, Goldies Florist, bought as a yearling five years ago 6000gns. The bull, from Newton Hill House, Newton, Stocksfield, sold in a two-way split to Irish breeders, Henry Savage and Sons, buying for their Trueman herd from Altnamackin, Newry, Co Down, and Dan Tynan, Beechhill Farm, Doon, Mountrath, Co Laois, Eire.

Andrew Gammie was also in the money when he sold his reserve junior and reserve supreme from Drumforber, Laurencekirk, for 15,000gns to Nick Oliver, Cawfields, Haltwhistle, Northumberland. This was the youngest bull in the catalogue, Westpit Macgregor, another by Ampertaine Gigolo, this time bred from the Fieldson Alfy-sired Westpit Florence which has bred sons to 5000gns. Another noted show winner, Macgregor was reserve junior male at last year’s Stars of the Future Show, as a yearling.

Heading up to Aberdeenshire at 14,500gns, Aileen Ritchie, Tamara, Whitecairns, bought the Aiken family’s – Jim and sons Jonny and Jeremy – Carnew Millreef, all the way from, Carnew, Dromara, Northern Ireland. He is by Lynderg Hero, a bull retained for breeding by his breeder, Jim Quail, that won the NI Limousin bull derby in 2013, bred from the show heifer, Carnew Erica, by Wilodge Vantastic.

Another bull heading for pedigree breeding was Eric and Elaine’s Norman Marley, from Little Orton, Carlisle, which made 14,000gns selling to Michael Fieldson for his Fieldson herd from Poplar, Corringham, Gainsborough, Lincs.

This 22-month-old beefy boy which stood first in his class at the pre-sale show is one of the first sons sold at auction by the 13,000gns Whinfellpark Iago, and bred from Norman Izzy, a daughter of Claragh Franco – a bull that bred numerous high priced bulls for the herd and has since been sold privately to Robert Graham.

Just behind on 14,000gns, brothers George and Richard Marrs sold Kinniside Mejestic, from their 34-cow herd from Cathow, Kinniside, Cumbria. Third in the NW young bull herds competition, this youngster stood second in his class to the champion at the pre-sale show and heads across to Northumberland with H Annett and Son, Widdrington, Morpeth. The breeding behind this transaction includes the Sympa son, Dylans Irnbru which was bought as a weaned calf in 2013 for 4800gns, onto Kinniside Gracious, a Cowin Victor-sired cow that has bred sons to 9000gns.

The Irvine family’s Anside Mexican was another to make the grade selling for 13,000gns to W and T Nelson, High Kilphin, Ballantrae, Girvan. Senior champion at the pre-sale show, this big fella shown by Stephen Irvine and son Darren, is by the privately purchased Powerful Irish, a bull that has already bred sons to 12,000gns, onto Anside Endor, a Frewstown Breakdance daughter. Mexican is a full brother to the 6500gns Anside Luke.

Two bulls made 12,000gns including the Fotheringham family's Ballinloan Messi, the intermediate champion from Ballinloan, Dunkeld, Perthshire, shown by husband and wife team, Stuart and Gillian. The first son sold by the 29,000gns Foxhillfarm Jupiter, Messi is out of the Millgate Caesar-sired Ballinloan Glitter, one of 160 cows in the herd and heads out to work at Llwynobin, having been purchased by RB Jones and Son, Montgomery, Powys.

Another from the same home and by the same sire then made 10,000gns selling to John Galbraith and Son, Upper Kinneil, Linlithgow, West Lothian. Ballinloan Mickle, a June 2016-born bull and third prize winner is bred from the Nebo Dynamite daughter, Ballinloan Gucci.

Eniver Maybe, a similarly aged bull from Michael McKeefry, Garvagh, Coleraine, Co Derry, also made 12,000gns, heading out to work on A Clark's herd at Hangram Lane Farm, Ringinglow, Sheffield. Bred from one of the best cows in the 23-cow herd, this boy is out of Eniver Alice, a Ronick Hawk daughter that has bred two champion winners at bull sales. The sire is Ampertaine Foreman, a bull that has produced numerous top sellers.

There were a string of 11,000gns bids too with the first coming for Esmor Evans’ black bull, Esmors Black Mellor, a son of Knock Glencoe – a bull purchased for 18,000gns that stood champion at the Royal Welsh and bred the top priced bull at Welshpool in November. A twin to a bull calf, this muscly man is bred from the French-bred cow, Fourmi, which has produced twins every year at Monfa, Mold, Flintshire. Forfar-based breeders, WG Beattie and Son, Tullywhanland, forked out the cash for this fourth prize senior bull.

Minutes later, William and Adam Watson received the same money for Saunders Master, one of the first crop of calves sold by Wilodge Inspector – a son of the French bull Branceille, bought as a seven-month-old calf for 3200gns. Bred from the same dam line as the 12,500gns Saunders Logic and the 10,000gns Saunders Stallone, this May 2016-born bull is out of the Rocky daughter, Saunders Classylassie, and was knocked down to T Common, Low Ardley, Hexham.

The next lot in, Burndale Milan from brothers, Mark and Kevin Henderson who run just 11 pedigree cows alongside a larger suckler herd at Allendale, Hexham, also attracted an 11,000gns bid. Reserve senior champion at the pre-sale show, Milan is an AI son of the 32,000gns Huntershall Gladiator and out of the Haltcliffe Vermount-sired Burndale Gemma. He sold back to Hexham with J Hunter and Sons, Steel Farm, Bellingham.

Newcastle upon Tyne beef producers, J Leiper and Sons, Black Heddon, Ponteland, bought the last of the 11,000gns bulls in Loosebeare Masterful, from Andrew, Paul and Mark Quick’s Devon-based herd. This June 2016-born lad is by the herd’s own Loosebeare Fantastic, which has bred sons to 70,000gns and 35,000gns, and out of the Haltcliffe Anzac-sired Loosebeare Dewdrop.

The similarly aged Beachmont Major, a Sympa son from Kelso-based breeder, Clive Knox, Cragside, Hume, was another in the money and the tickets, selling for 10,500gns to A and W Cowx, Hudscales, Hesket Newmarket, Wigton. A blue ticket holder and a full brother to the 9500gns Beachmount Junior, he is bred from the Ardlea Dan-sired Liscairn Goldengirl.

Top price for Bruce Goldie’s Dumfriesshire-based Goldies herd was 10,000gns for Goldies Muskateer, a twin to a heifer, by the 38,000gns Foxhillfarm Irishlad out of Goldies Honeycombe, by Hartlaw Excaliber. First in his class, Muskateer was knocked down to JE Jordon and Son, The Brocks, Longhirst, Morpeth.

Young Thomas Illingworth also enjoyed his best ever day too, taking 10,000gns for the first progeny from the family’s sole female retained from the Glenrock dispersal. Thomas, who retained the Bremore Artist-sired Glenrock Jewel to establish his own Eagleside herd based at Howgillside, Lockerbie, received this money for Eagleside Mustang, an AI son of Ampertaine Gigolo. The buyer of this red ticket holder was J Thompson, Townfoot, Melmerby, Penrith.

OTHERLEADINGprices

Bulls – 9000gns – EW Quick and Sons’ Loosebeare Mertescacker, by Loosebeare Fantastic, to D and DW Prickett, Farleton House, Farleton, Carnforth; CV Lewis’ Garyvaughan Moral, by Emslies Integrity, to Messrs Stephen and Co, Meikle Geddes, Nairn, Inverness; M McKeefry’s Eniver Monk, by Ampertaine Bermuda, to M and S Lloyd-Jones, Pant Y Coed, Llanarmon, Pwllheli, Gwynedd; L Allison’s Scotchtown Master, by Lodge Hamlet, to Doldy Farms, Eastmill, Glenisla, Blairgowrie.

8800gns – S Wilde’s Ewdenvale Monty, by Ewdenvale Everest, to Dunstall Estate, Old Hall, Dunstall, Burton-on-Trent.

8500gns – JCG Bloom’s Scorboro Masai, by Fenomen, to D Cadzow and Co, Duncrahill Farm House, Pencaitland, Tranent, East Lothian.

Averages – 36 senior bulls, £5670.00; 40 intermediate bulls, £6916.88; 28 junior bulls, £10,833.75. Overall, 104 bulls, £7539.81 (+£871.39).

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.