A five-year-old home-bred stock bull from the Quick family from Devon, topped the trade at the Autumn Limousin Day at Newark Livestock Market, selling at 9000gns.

The sale, which saw more than 220 head find new homes, representing an 89% clearance rate, was led by Loosebeare Iain, a son of Loosebeare Fantastic, out of a Haltcliffe Anzac dam. He was purchased by Esmor Evans buying for the Maerdy herd from Mold, North Wales.

Second best amongst the bulls was a 5800gns sale for Mereside Hallmark, a six-year-old bred by the Hazard family, Grantham and offered as part of the dispersal of the Gascoines herd for the Gascoines Group. This Dormeue son is out of a Vagabond daughter and was the pick of JF Vance and Sons, Minsterley, Shropshire.

Two Hallmark sons from the Gascoines Group, made 4000gns to include Gascoines Nebraska, purchased by PJ Wilson, Whitwell, and Gascoines Nimrod, was knocked down to J Booth, Doncaster.

Two other bulls came under the hammer for 4000gns to include Calogale Magnum from Messrs Lee and Lloyd. A son of the 145,000gns Trueman Jagger, he was bought by Ian Rowe, North Wingfield.

Matching that was Messrs Heald's Coachhouse Neil from Messrs Heald, bought by Ian Wildgoose, Scarcliffe, Derbyshire.

Top price amongst the females was 8000gns paid for a cow and calf outfit from Darren Wharton, Norfolk. This was Withersdale Jasmine, an Amptertaine Commander daughter out of a dam by Wilodge Vantastic which sold with her heifer calf at foot, Withersdale Oceana and back in calf to Withersdale Invader. The buyer was Anita Padfield, Great Yarmouth.

Next at 5000gns was an in-calf heifer from the same home. Withersdale Miribelle, a Sympa daughter bred from another Vantastic-sired cow, changed hands in calf to Kaprico Eravelle and was the pick of G and S Gilleard, Doncaster.

At 4500gns was the best from the Gascoines dispersal, Cockleshell Misty. Bred by the Pitcher family, she is by Mereside Hannibal and out of a Greenwell Corinthian daughter. This in-calf heifer sold due to Fieldson Beefy and was bought by RN Gent, Laxton, Nottinghamshire.

Another from the Gascoines, Cockleshell Hunice, a Bolide-sired cow made 4000gns selling to Northern Ireland producer, Raymond Lee, Co Fermanagh. She changed hands with her third calf, a bull calf by Mereside Hallmark, at foot.

Averages: 20 bulls £3506.25, 18 young bulls £1513.75, 33 cows and heifers in-calf or with calves at foot £2170, 16 Gascoines dispersal in-calf heifers £2168.91, 38 Gascoines dispersal cows and calves £2344.54, 49 maiden heifers

Auctioneers: Newark Livestock Sales.