Limousin cattle breeders enjoyed a better than anticipated trade at the society sale at Carlisle, where despite the uncertainty plaguing the industry, prices peaked at 50,000gns with a further 15 selling at or above the magical 10,000gns bracket.

Furthermore, while averages were back almost £1200 at £6372, on last year's bumper trade, such was the demand for the breed, that outwith the 16 five-figure sales, a further seven sold at 9000gns with another four at 8000gns.

Topping the trade at 50,000gns and producing a personal best for the Hutton family's 80-cow Cloughhead herd from Setmabanning, Kendal, was Cloughhead Neville, a June 2017-born entry, purchased by Christine and Paul Tippetts, who own the 40-cow Wilodge herd from Shifnal, Shropshire.

"He's a cracking bull, with great power, shape and he's good on his legs," said Christine, who was also most impressed by the bull's pedigree which includes full French-bred genetics and Wilodge bloodlines.

For their money they get a second prize son of Gultime – a French bull that bred the 18,000gns Cloughhead Jerry, purchased by the Newhouse herd here in 2016. Equally notable is the dam, Cloughhead Hogmanay, a Wilodge Cerberus daughter and the best cow in the herd. Notably, she goes back to Cloughhead Stella that was a full sister to the herd's previous top seller, Cloughhead Umpire that made 42,000gns to the Haltcliffe herd in 2005.

It was nevertheless a poignant day for the Hutton brothers Tom and Phil, as their father the late Geordie Hutton – a legendary Limousin breeder – who sadly passed away at the end of last year, was not there to see the sale.

Ian Handley's Gunnerfleet herd from Ingleton, Lancs, had two cracking good days amongst the males and the females. Having sold 20 heifers to average £2635 on the Friday, the Handley family's 60-cow herd sold bulls to a top of 17,000gns for the junior champion, Gunnerfleet Next.

This August 2017-born bull is another by 24,000gns Ballinloan Jaegerbomb, a bull that despite his controversy, has already bred several five-figure priced sons. Next is out of Gunnerfleet Jelomie, a heifer's calf by the Broadmeadows Cannon son, Gunnerfleet Eros which sold for 24,000gns with a half share retained for breeding, and was knocked down to Donald MacGregor and his father Jimmy, buying for their Dyke herd at Milton of Campsie, Glasgow.

The Handley family, who sold six bulls to average a whopping £12,000, also sold a rejected bull on locomotion for 15,000gns to Clive Dent, Nateby. This was Gunnerfleet Nathan, an October 2017-born son of Plumtree Vantastic – a 40,000gns purchase whose sons have averaged £9000 to date. Bred from the best female line in the herd, Nathan is the first bull calf out of the Gunnerfleet Eros-sired Gunnerfleet Hecian and a grand-son of Gunnerfleet Ecian cow that has produced more than £100,000 of bull sales.

Another by the same sire, but bred from the Dolcorsllwyn Brynmor-sired Gunnerfleet Genny, made 12,000gns to Messrs Richardson, Bewaldeth, Cockermouth. A third prize winner at the pre-sale show, his maternal brother realised the same money last year.

The Handleys also received 11,000gns for another Jaegerbomb son bred from a Gunnerfleet Eros daughter, when Gunnerfleet Navigator was bought by PW Greed, buying for the Killerton herd based at Columbjohn, Exeter, Devon. This fourth prize winner is a heifer's calf out to Gunnerfleet Lanne, which goes back to the 11,000gns Goldies Annie that has bred sons to 10,000gns.

Bruce Goldie had a cracking day too selling four bulls from his Dumfries-shire based Goldies herd to a top of 16,000gns twice to average £13,388. Notably, all four bulls go back to the herd's top breeding female, Goldies Vitality, a cow that has bred five bulls that sold for more than 20,000gns, with two being sons of the Wilodge Cerberus daughter, Goldies Goldilocks – the dam of the champion at Stirling 10 days previous.

This included the reserve intermediate and reserve overall champion, Goldies Novelty, an ET calf by Ampertaine Gigolo. He sold to Neil and Stuart Barclay, buying for their 30-cow Harestone herd from Insch.

Matching that 16,000gns bid was the red ticket holder, Goldies Nelson, purchased by Messrs Lear, Creslow, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. This August 2017-born bull by Goldies Juggler – an Ampertaine Gigolo son that has bred two 14,000gns bulls and another at 11,000gns – is bred from the Ampertaine Commander daughter, Goldies Iona, one of 70 cows in the herd.

Later, Goldies Nevelle, made 10,000gns selling all the way down to Kent with Messrs Humphreys and Son, Chart Sutton, Maidstone. Second in his class at the pre-sale show, Nevelle is by the AI sire, Kaprico Eravelle and is a heifer's calf out of Goldies Lucy, a Foxhillfarm Irishlad heifer out of Goldies Glamour which bred the 11,000gns Goldies Judge.

Andrew Gammie's 25-cow Westpit herd from Laurencekirk, was another in the money with sales at 14,000gns and 13,500gns for embryo-born juniors. Dearest was Westpit Nevada, a September 2017-born bull, bred from Brockhurst Holy, a Wilodge Vantastic-sired cow bought at Newark for 5800gns that has already bred bulls to 18,000gns. The sire is Dinmore Immense, a former male champion at the Royal Welsh Show that has bred females to 12,000gns for the Dinmore herd and was bought privately from Gwyn Edwards. Second in his class at the pre-sale show, Nevada was purchased by J Thompson, buying for his Hartsideanew herd at Townfoot, Melmerby, Penrith.

His full ET brother that stood first in the same class and reserve junior champion, made 13,000gns selling to Keith Redpath, Redpath Farms, Kelso. Overall senior champion at the Stars of the Future Calf Show, last year, he and Nevada are also full brothers to the Westpit Nando, a bull sold privately to the Ronick herd at 14 months of age.

Commercial producers were also prepared to splash the cash, with Lewis Foster, West Nubbock, Hexham, forking out 12,500gns for the fourth prize winner, Huntershall Nando. This August 2017-born bull from Stephen Nixon and his daughter Alice's 35-cow herd, is an AI son of Ballinloan Jaegerbomb, bred from the Requin-sired Huntershall Jiffy, which in turn is a full sister to the 22,000gns Huntershall Geronimo.

There was more top breeding behind the second prize junior bull, Lenagh Nitro which made 12,000gns selling to Messrs Cairns, Tollerton, Nottingham. Nitro, from Mark Stewart who runs just a handful of cows and is an auctioneer to trade at Kilrea Auction Mart, Northern Ireland, is the second bull sold by Cloughhead Tommy, a son of the French sire, Petunia. The dam is Lenagh Herewecome, a Wilodge Vantastic son and full sister to the dam of Mr Stewart's top seller, Lenagh Morpheus which made 28,000gns.

Another two bulls came under the hammer for 11,000gns to include Trueman Neptune, a red ticket holder from Henry Savage and sons Henry, Benedict, Phelim and Dermot. Bred from the top show cow, Trueman Euphonium, a Wilodge Vantastic daughter whose progeny include Trueman Noreen which was inter-breed champion at Balmoral last year, and Trueman Idol, that made 17,000gns, Neptune is sired by Mereside Lorenzo. A red ticket holder at the pre-sale show, this intermediate bull was knocked down to Adam Neachell, Walsall, West Midlands.

Robert and Jean Graham's Grahams herd from Bridge of Allan, managed by Drew and Jennifer Hyslop, produced the second 11,000gns sale in Grahams Nathan. This October 2017-born embryo, which is a full brother to Grahams Murphy, a nine-month-old calf that made 9000gns at the Red Ladies sale in 2016, is bred from the imported French-bred cow, Cousine. His sire, is Claragh Franco, a bull that bred numerous five figure priced bulls for Eric and Elaine Norman, before being sold privately to the Grahams in 2017. Another first prize winner at the pre-sale show, he was knocked down to Matt and Craig Ridley, buying for their Haltcliffe herd from Heskett New Market, Wigton.

While senior bulls were harder to cash, the best sold to 10,500gns for Impulsive Niall, to produce a personal best for local butcher, Steven Wilson, who runs just 15 females in his Carlisle-based herd established five years ago. His bull, a son of the old stockbull, Loosebeare Justin, is out of Haltcliffe Inlet, a 4500gns purchase by Cloughhead Umpire. Messrs Richardson, Hutton Magna, Richmond, were the final bidders on this third prize winner.

Matching that price was Homebyres Nisbet, from John Logan and his son John, Humebyres, Kelso. Nisbet is an AI son of Lowerffrydd Empire, a bull that has already bred sons to 14,500gns for the Logans, while the dam is the heifer, Homebyres Jaybeth, a daughter of the 15,000gns Homebyres Hawick. He sold to commercial producers, Greystoke Castle Farms, Penrith having stood third in his class.

OTHERLEADING prices

Bulls – 9000gns – GJ Lee and CM Lloyd's Calogale Ninja, by Trueman Jagger, to Messrs Cruickshank, Longmorn, Elgin; JW and MC Fieldson's Fieldson Neutron, by Fieldson Jammy, to Messrs Peacock, Deopham, Norfolk; T Jones' Seisiog Ned by Elite Forever Brill, to Messrs Jones and Son, Montgomery, Powys; BT Goldie's Goldies Norseman, by Ampertaine Foreman, to Messrs Gibbons and Son, Holyhead, Anglesey; S Nixon's Huntershall Neutron, by Ampertaine Jamboree, to Messrs Thompson and Sons, Tow Law, Bishop Auckland, Co Durham; TW Bell and Son's Wanthwaite Nimrod, by Wanthwaite Luckystar, to Messrs Hewetson, Allonby, Maryport, Cumbria; S Wilde's Ewdenvale Noel, by Ewdenvale Lovejoy, to Messrs Cameron, Acharracle, Argyll.

8000gns – J Logan's Homebyres Norfolk, by Wilodge Cerberus, to Messrs Blair and Son, Balmerino, Newport-On-Tay; TW Bell and Son's Wanthwaite Nova, by Ampertaine Commander, to Messrs Sisson and Son, Catterlen, Penrith; TW Bell and Son's Wanthwaite Nobby, by Wanthwaite Luckystar, to Messrs Reed, Frosterley, Bishop Auckland, Durham; WF Cruikshank and Son's Clury Novak, by Mereside Lorenzo, to Messrs Rutter, Burradon, Morpeth, Northumberland.

Averages: 40 senior bulls, £4786.88; 36 intermediate bulls, £7119.17; 32 junior bulls, £7514.06. 108 bulls, £6372.36 (-£1167.45 for four more sold).

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.