A Unique Limousin heifer calf from Mike and Melanie Alford’s Foxhillfarm herd from Devon, proved the star attraction at the Red Ladies show and sale at Carlisle, when selling for the top price of 25,000gns.
Foxhillfarm Unique, an 11-month-old ET boasts some of the best genetics in the breed being bred from Foxhillfarm Naomi, a three times National Show winner as a two-year-old in 2019, and female champion and reserve overall at the breed’s 50th National Celebration Show in 2022.
Her sire is the equally well-bred, Foxhillfarm Lord of the Rings, a former male champion at the Royal Highland that has produced sons to 26,000gns. Brought out by free-lance stockman, Drew Hyslop, Unique stood first in her class and was sold to Chris White of the Frogmore herd Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire.
The second top price was 22,000gns paid for the second prize winner to the champion, Garrowby Toffee, a 20-month-old and the first female sold from James Irwin’s Yorkshire-based herd managed by Clive Rowland.
Toffee, a natural-born heifer is a daughter of the 28,000gns Grahams Rooney, out of the Cloughhead Umpire-sired Gunnerfleet Jeloche which was bought privately alongside several other Gunnerfleet females to establish the 65-cow Garrowby enterprise. A big show winner locally, Toffee was purchased by Paul and Christine Tippetts of the Wilodge herd from Wolverhampton.
Judge Mary Cormack of the Rougemont herd, Chepstow, was most impressed by the quality forward and particularly her choice of champion, Sarkley Tenrietta, an April 2022-born heifer from Elfed Williams, Sennybridge, Powys, which she later purchased for 18,000gns.
“There were some exceptional heifers but the champion, Tenrietta is my type of beast. She is a super calf with real potential. She is the complete animal and handles beautifully throughout – a real quality heifer,” said Ms Cormack.
Mr. Williams (80) of Castle Farm Feeds, purchased Sarkley Tenrietta last year here for 10,000gns and now runs the small Sennybridge herd with the assistance of free-lance stockman Neil Lloyd. Bred by the Pennies, Tenrietta is by the 14,500gns Carnew Millreef and bred from Sarkley Lenrietta, a Dinmore Goldcrest daughter. A local show winner, she was also pedigree champion at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair, last month.
Ms Cormack also bought her choice of reserve at 6000gns. This was Burnbank Tangerine, a 13-month-old from Dougie and Lynda Graham, and sons John and James, Mains of Burnbank, Blairdrummond. Sired by the retained Ampertaine Inferno son, Burnbank Overfly, out of Burnbank Mammamia, Tangerine was female champion at the Stars of the Future and also made up part of the winning inter-breed pairs.
Matching the 18,000gns sale was the similarly aged Anside Trinity from Stephen and Denise Irvine, son Martin, and his wife Mel, Drummuir, Keith. Their natural-born show calf goes back to top breeding female, Larkhill Didi, who was bought as a maiden for 4000gns and has bred sons to 18,000gns. An AI daughter of Claragh Franco, Trinity is out of the Powerful Irish-sired Anside Liberty who is a full sister to Anside Oden who has bred sons to 14,000gns twice. She was knocked down by Kevin Cruickshank, Elgin.
Another two heifers sold at 10,000gns, with the first being Robert Graham’s Grahams Trendy from Stirling. Best heifer calf in the 2022 Scottish Herds competition, this April 2022-born entry is the last ET bred from the Millington Vascular-sired Grahams Coffee, and Claragh Franco – a mating that has produced sons to 40,000gns, 38,000gns and 32,000gns. Brought out by Stewart and Lynsey Bett, Trendy stood first in her class at the Royal Welsh and the pre-sale show, and headed home with the Page Farm Partnership, Ripon.
Maraiscote Ubeauty lived up to her name and also made 10,000gns for first time consignors, Ian and Moyra Nimmo and son Andrew, Wishaw, when selling to Rachel Bunting and Harry Potts of the Viewpoint herd from New Abbey, Dumfries. Champion Limousin at the Borderway Babes show staged the previous night, this January 2023-born ET is bred from Maraiscote Gucci, the inter-breed junior champion at the Great Yorkshire in 2012 and sired by the 50,000gns Bassingfield Machoman. Another red ticket holder at the pre-sale show, Ubeauty was also junior champion at the Stars of the Future.
Next at 8000gns was Aileen Ritchie’s 16-month-old, Ritchies Treasure, from Whitecairns, Aberdeenshire. First in her class at the pre-sale show and at the Stars of the Future, Treasure is another by Carnew Millreef, while her dam is Burnbank Nessa, a Huntershall Gladiator-sired cow bought at Stirling in 2018. Treasure was knocked down to Oliver Davies, Ballinalee, Longford.
Allan and Susan Campbell, Crawlaw, Galston, also gave 8000gns for the second prize, Goldies Taboo, a 14-month-old ET from Bruce Goldie, Mouswald, Dumfries. Overall champion of champions at Moffat Show, she is the result of a flush from the Wilodge Vantastic-sired Goldies Glamour, which is bred from the top breeding Goldies Vitality. The sire is the Ampertaine Gigolo son, Goldies Juggler.
The top price for Stephen and Thomas Illingworth’s Lockerbie-based Glenrock herd was 6000gns for the 13-month-old Glenrock Tinaturner, a daughter of the 14,000gns Goldies Oxo, out of Procters Lustrius which in turn was out of the Glenrock Diamante. Tinaturner headed home with Welsh breeders, Messrs Jones, Llanfihangel, Glyn Myfyr, Corwen.
Heifer calves from Chris Pennie and family’s Sarkley herd, Wales, sold to a top of 6000gns for Sarkley Urmadel, a natural-born seven-month-old by Plumtree Vantastic, out of the Haltcliffe Doctor-sired cow, Sarkley Pirmadel. She sold to Messrs Pendlebury, Haigh, Wigan.
Andrew and Jim Gammie of the Westpit herd, Laurencekirk, then went to 5500gns for Sarkley Ulany, a similarly aged calf by their own Johnstown Premier, whose full sister Derg Sassygirl was reserve champion at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair last year and sold for £36,000. Her dam is the Ampertaine Foreman-sired Sarkley Poppy.
Another similarly aged calf from the same stable, Sarkley Ulena made 4500gns selling to Messrs Mcauley, Toomebridge, Antrim. Ulena is a daughter of Burnbank Officer who also bred last year’s reserve winner here, Sarkley Sybella.
Sarkley also topped the bull calf trade at 5000gns when Sarkley Unescoe, a nine-month-old by Sarkley Roscoe, sold to Messrs Hardisty, Ennerdale, Cumbria.
Other heifers from the Red Ladies section reached 5500gns twice and 5200gns. The 17-month-old Pabo Taketime, by the 70,000gns Ampertaine Magnum, out of Pabo Pinnacle, was first to make 5500gns for Llyr Hughes, Rhosgoch, Anglesey. She was knocked down to Malachy Byrne, Newry, Co Down.
Matching that price was the 13-month-old Tomschoice Toptotty from JM and SP Cooper, Dacre, North Yorkshire. She is by Carrickmore Maximus and sold to DE Ayres and Co, Ludlow, Shropshire.
Lin Calcraft’s Devon-based herd took 5200gns for Uptonley Tonic, when Charlotte Martin, Dromara, Co Down, bought the rising two-year-old by Claragh Franco.
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
Averages: 35 maiden heifers, £5550 (+£1219 for five less); 22 heifer calves, £4362 (+£4.50 for two more); five bull calves, £3129 (+£1042.13 for seven less).
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