A flying trade for Limousin females the evening before the bull sale at Carlisle saw a 100% clearance and averages up by almost £280 on the year, and, for more sold.

Sale leader at 6500gns was Robert and Jean Graham's Grahams Nicky, one of the best bred females in the catalogue, from the couple's Bridge of Allan-based herd, Stirling. Their June 2017-born heifer, an embryo-born calf is bred from the Millington Vascular-sired Grahams Coffee, a 10-year-old cow that bred the 40,000gns Grahams Lorenzo to name but a few, while the sire is Foxhillfarm Jasper, a former Highland Show champion in 2015 and male champion there last year. Nicky was brought out by Drew and Jennifer Hyslop and sold to James McParland of MacParlim Genetics, Beleeks, Newry, Northern Ireland.

Aberdeenshire breeders, Neil and Stuart Barclay, Crathes, Banchory, bought the next three highest priced lots at 6000gns, 5000gns and 4600gns for their expanding Harestone herd.

The heifers, all from Ian Handley's Gunnerfleet herd from Ingleton, Lancs, were topped by Gunnerfleet Nigen, a Ballinloan Jaegerbomb-sired January 2017-born heifer. She is out of Gunnerfleet Imogen, a Dolcorsllwyn Brynmor daughter out of Goldies Floche purchased for 11,000gns as a six-month-old heifer calf.

Another by Jaegerbomb, Gunnerfleet Nation, an August 2017-born heifer bred from the Gunnerfleet Eros daughter, Gunnerfleet Jination, made 4600gns again to Harestone.

No 13 proved anything but unlucky for the Handley family too, when Gunnerfleet Neaster made 5000gns to the Barclays. This rising two-year-old is by the 17,000gns Maraiscote Graffiti and out of the Sympa daughter, Gunnerfleet Easter.

The Handleys enjoyed a cracking trade throughout for their 20 heifers which averaged £2635.

72 females, £2194.79 (+£279.48 for 16 more sold).

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.