WITH a smaller offering forward at this year’s sale, Limousin bulls met a strong demand from commercial buyers and set a clearance rate of 84% when 41 changed hands to level at £5065 – a rise of £120 for one more sold.
The society’s chief executive, Iain Kerr, was buoyant after the sale and highlighted the strong end to a good year for sales of Limousin cattle. 
“While farmers are uncertain about the future regarding Brexit, they are certain about efficiency and were looking for medium-sized bulls with good lengths, tops and easy-calving figures,” said Mr Kerr. 
“There’s been a change on emphasis with regards to carcase classification in abattoirs, so buyers were looking for bulls that will produce to hit that specification in the correct weight range.”
With many of the top prizes going to the Dick family’s Ronick herd at the pre-sale show, when presented by Stewart and Lynsey Bett, it was no surprise that Ronick secured many of the leading prices, including the top price of 11,000gns. 
That was Ronick McKinley, a second prize junior bull by Wilodge Granville, a 7000gns purchase at Carlisle, while his dam is the ET-bred Ronick Grace, a Nebo Director daughter bred from a strong female line. The bidding swiftly rose to 11,000gns and auctioneer, Murray Rainnie, knocked him down at that price to David Walker, for his commercial unit at Camregan, near Girvan. 
Another blue ticket winner from Ronick in the shape of Ronick Montgomery, which combines Wilodge Cerberus and Ronick Gains genetics, sold to LD Carr, Upper Higham Lane, Rushden, for 8200gns. 
He is by one of Steph Dick’s own bulls, Stephick Hero, which has been breeding strong females, and out of the Cerberus-sired Ronick Glossary which was shown successfully as a calf for the herd at Mains of Throsk, Stirling.
Wilodge Granville was also behind the 6500gns Ronick Maine which sold to Ballintomb Farm Partnership, Dulnain Bridge, Grantown. Another second prize bull, he is out of Ronick Hainsi, a Mas Du Clo daughter out of the former show cow and Royal Highland Show winner, Ronick Ainsi. 
The family’s supreme champion, Ronick Moose, went under the hammer at 6200gns. Again sired by Wilodge Granville, his dam is the Sarkley Cromwell-sired Ronick Fallise, and he sold to north to Buce, Orkney, with Terry and Sheena Coghill. 
The junior champion and reserve supreme, Whinfellpark Madora, from Alan Jenkinson and stockman, Craig Douglas, attracted a top call of 9000gns from the Nelson family and goes to work at West Brackly, Kinross. 
Achieving a best show result at Stirling for the duo from near Clifton Moor was a son of the 30,000gns Lowerfrydd Empire bought at Carlisle where he stood champion, while the dam is the Grahams Dublin-sired Whinfellpark Genevieve that also bred the intermediate champion last October. 
It was a good day for the Irvine family – Stephen and Denise, together with sons Martin and Darren – when they received a top of 8500gns and sold another at 8000gns. 
Their dearest when sold to D Geddes, Netherton, Aberlour, was Anside Maximus, the reserve senior champion which is by the privately purchased Powerful Irish. Bred out of the Derriaghy Enfield daughter, Anside Isla, Maximus was reserve junior champion at the Scottish Grand Prix at Dumfries Show as well as male champion at Nairn. 
At 8000gns was Darren’s own bull, Anside Lomnu, which is again by Powerful Irish, whose sons have peaked at 12,000gns, but this time out of Hudscales Eartha, a Pacha daughter bought at Carlisle. This second prize bull from the herd near Drummuir, Keith, caught the eye of D and J Smith and goes to work at Fallaw, Inverkeilor, Angus. 
Just two lots later the Sime family at Bruceland, Elgin, paid 8200gns for Neil and Stuart Barclay’s Harestone Luke, which is the dearest son to date of the 19,000gns Crossdykes Hercules. This red rosette winner is out of the Ormeb daughter, Clarkton Via, which was bought at the Clarkton dispersal to join the Harestone females at South Road, Insch. 
Another North-east herd was in the money when John and Margaret Penny, Mintlaw, Peterhead, sold their Shannas Magnum to J Buchan, Torrax, Lintrathen, Kirriemuir, for 6800gns. His pedigree includes Goldies Emperor on to Shannas Flossie, a Glenturk Astounding daughter. 
Iain Nimmo’s Maraiscote herd, from Bogside, Newmains, received a top of 6600gns for Maraiscote Meerkat, which stood first in his class at the Scottish Grand Prix. He is by Virginia Andy, a bull which has bred sons to 15,000gns, while the mother is Maraiscote Gopeep. Jim Innes was the man behind the cash to take Meerkat back to Dunscroft, Huntly. 
Two lots earlier, S Adams paid 6000gns to take Maraiscote Muzz home to Mahaar Farm, Kirkholm. He is by Macschoice Chris, a private purchase from Ireland which bred Iain’s show heifer, Maraiscote Mistique, while the dam is a Goldies Comet daughter. 
Having gone unsold in the ring, Burnbank Mastermind, from Doug and Lynda Graham, and sons John and James, sold through the back for 6000gns to J and A Galloway, Lochyloch, Biggar. This Haltcliffe Vermount son is out of a home-bred Burnbank Champ daughter from the local herd at Mains of Burnbank, Blairdrummond. 
A further two sold for 6000gns apiece with the first coming from Bruce Goldie, Townfoot, Mouswald. His Goldies Mazda, which sold to Orkney with Messrs Stanger, is full of home genetics, being by Goldies Fortress and out of a Goldies Terence daughter. 
The last to sell at the 6000gns mark was Mike Massie’s Elrick Magnificant, which sold to the Scottish Government Bull Stud, Inverness. He is the dearest so far by the 23,000gns Rahoney Geoffrey while his dam, a Ryedale Paragon daughter, has bred sons to 11,500gns for the herd at Mains of Elrick, Auchnagatt, Ellon.