Averages: 24 senior bulls, £4861; 32 intermediate bulls, £5952; 28 junior bulls , £6489. Overall 83 bulls, £5826

DESPITE the uncertainty surrounding Brexit and continuing low prices for finished cattle, the 83 Limousin bulls forward for the autumn show and sale at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, met a buoyant trade and averaged £5826 – up £246 on the corresponding year, with a clearance rate of 64% in the ring.

With a good show of bulls on offer, there was something to suit all budgets, said auctioneers H and H. There were more than 50 bulls sold in the 2000-5000gns bracket, with a total of nine bulls made five figures.

Leading the trade at 40,000gns was the junior and overall pre-sale show champion, Ampertaine Opportunity, from William, Jean and son, James McKay, Kilrea Road, Upperlands, Maghera. He's the fourth Ampertaine bull to stand overall champion at Carlisle and is backed by home-bred genetics on both sides. Sired by Ampertaine Gigolo and out of Ampertaine Juliet, this bull was jointly purchased by three pedigree herds – Bob and Kay Adam, Newhouse, Glamis; Bruce Goldie, Townfoot, Dumfries; Andrew Burnett, Spittalton, Blair Drummond.

The pre-sale show judge, John Lynch, of Dovea Genetics, in the Republic of Ireland, said of his choice of champion: "Opportunity is a stand-out bull that is functionally correct with a super body and back end. For such a powerful bull, he has great locomotion, shape and size, whilst retaining all the desired characteristics of the Limousin breed."

Next in the trade stakes, at 26,000gns, was Foxhillfarm Ourbest from Michael and Melanie Alford, Wayside Farm, Blackborough, Cullompton, Devon.

Made up from a selection of championship-winning genetics, he is sired by the Carlisle 2016 junior and supreme overall champion, Foxhillfarm Lordofthering – a bull which has previously stood as the 2016 junior and male champion at the Royal Highland, reserve junior champion at the Royal Welsh and junior champion and reserve male champion at the National Limousin Show – and is out of the 2017 Devon Country Show inter-breed champion, Corranhill Krystal.

Forking out this cash for this show-stopping bull was Gordon Cameron, from Newton Cottage, Acharacle, Argyll, to use in his commercial herd.

Another red ticket winner from the intermediate section was the 12,000gns Calogale Oxide, from Gareth Lee and Catrin Lloyd, Ger-Y-Coed, Four Roads, Kidwelly, Carmarthen, which was knocked down to Donal Moloney, Roo West, Ardnacrusha, Republic of Ireland. An April, 2018-born embryo calf, he is a son of the record-breaking 140,000gns Trueman Jagger and out of Calogale Izzy.

After a successful show season, this stand-out bull has picked up numerous rosettes, including the 2019 Royal Welsh reserve overall Limousin champion, the Elite Signet recorded junior bull inter-breed winner and part of the duo in the reserve supreme for the Fitzhugh Pairs competition.

The fourth leading price of 11,500gns went to Ian Nimmo, Bogside Farm, Newmains, Wishaw, for Maraiscote Oxford, a bull which is in the top 1% in the breed for growth traits. He stood second in his class to the intermediate champion and is the first son offered at auction sired by the 50,000gns Bassingfield Machoman, and is out of a Goldies Comet-sired dam, Maraiscote Holdon – she stood third in the 2013 Royal Highland. He was bought for commercial work by Robert Neill, Upper Nisbet Farm, Jedburgh.

Two bulls hit the 11,000gns mark, the first being Whinfellpark Oz from AW Jenkinson, Clifton Moor, Penrith, which sold to Thorndean Farms, Cowbeech, Hailsham, East Sussex. As one of the first sons forward for sale by the herd's stock bull, Gunnerfleet Lion, he was junior and overall male champion at the Royal Highland, back in June.

At the same figure was Brontemoor Oasis, consigned by JM and SM Priestley, Cracrop, Kirkcambreck, Brampton, Cumbria, when knocked down to another commercial buyer, R and J Johnston, Hewan, Shapinsay, Orkney. Having won the penultimate junior class, this June, 2018-born youngster is an AI son of Uptonley Livingthedream and out of Brontemoor Juicycouture, by Goldies Comet, and sold with a beef value in the top 1%.

Senior champion and reserve overall was the 10,500gns Barrons Oslo, brought out by Willie Barron, Morrow Edge Farm, Burnhope, Co Durham. "This bull was a worthy winner in the senior section. He is a modern bull which is very square with super plates and breed characteristics," commented the judge.

Sired by the Lowerffrydd Empire son, Homebyres Jamie, and out of Barrons Icho, he headed home with CV and E Lewis, Buttington, Welshpool, to be used in their Garyvaughan herd.

Following in the trade stakes was the 10,000gns Cairness Onside from first time exhibitors, William and David Moir, Home Farm, Cairness, Fraserburgh. This black-coated bull is sired by the Wilodge Vantastic son, Goldies Goldfinger and out of Knock Ingrid and was purchased by W Walker and Son, Camregan, Girvan, Ayrshire.

Buying one at the same money was A Bunting and Son, Midtown Farm, New Abbey, Dumfries, who bought McParlands Ozzy from MacParlim Genetics, Shaughan Road, Beleeks, Newry. A heifer's calf got by AI via Ampertaine Gigolo, this second prize winner is out of Dyfri Judith and had previously stood as inter-breed champion at Newry Show and winner at the Northern Ireland Limousin championships, in Antrim, this year.

The reserve senior champion, Westpit Oban, from Andrew Gammie, Drumforber, Laurencekirk, Aberdeenshire, sold for 9000gns to N Pearson, Eldon Lane Farm, Peak Forrest, Buxton. A son of Jalex Itsallgood – a sire bought privately after standing as junior champion at the 2014 Royal Highland – Oban is out of home-bred dam, Westpit Harmony, which is by the 20,000gns stock sire Netherhall Doubleoseven.

This stylish bull has had a successful show season, standing as reserve male at the Royal Highland earlier this year, as well as a member of the team of five Limousins that were victorious in the teams at the Royal Welsh Show. His half-brother, Westpit Landlord, sold for 17,000gns at the 2017 sale at Carlisle.

Another bull hitting the 9000gns mark was Steven Wilson’s Impulsive Orlando from his holding at Corby Hill, Carlisle. A son of Loosebeare Justin and out of Mullary Isabella – by Plumtree Fantastic – this easy-calving bull was purchased by DA Harrison, Hill House Farm, Aldoth, Wigton.

Achieving 8200gns was Petteril Oz, from Stephen and Ann Morley, Bankdale Farm, Wreay, Carlisle. Got by the AI sire, Foxhillfarm Irishlad, he is out of a Dolcorsllwyn Fabio-sired cow, Petteril Lucy and has stood as inter-breed beef champion at this year’s Cumberland Show. Having been placed second in his class to the senior champion, he sold to C Fearon, Hollows Farm, Grange, Keswick.

The reserve junior champion, Loosebeare Owen, was snapped up by J Leiper and Sons, Bank Top, Middleton, Morpeth for 8000gns. By Ampertaine Jeronimo – whose first crop of calves have averaged £7000 – and out of Loosebeare Ianna, he was sold by EW Quick and Sons from the 120-cow herd at Loosebeare Manor, Zeal Monachhorum, Crediton, Devon.

On other bull reaching 8000gns was the intermediate reserve champion, Maraiscote Olympus, another from Ian Nimmo. Sired by Bassingfield Machoman, Olympus is out of the Virginia Andy-sired dam, Maraiscote Intrigue, and was bought by AG Kirton and Sons, Severn Lodge Farm, Kinlet, Bewdley, Worcs, for the Ashledge herd.

Maraiscote also got the reserve honours in the 'Carlisle Three' award for the best pen of three home-bred and performance-recorded bulls – the winning team were Maraiscote Oxford (11,500gns), Maraiscote Olympus (8000gns) and Maraiscote Orkney (5000gns).

However, winning the 'Carlisle Three' for a third time was William, Jean and James McKay’s Ampertaine herd, made up by Ampertaine Opportunity (junior and overall champion at 40,000gns), Ampertaine Opus (intermediate champion at 7000gns) and Ampertaine Oarsman (2500gns).

OTHERLEADINGprices

7500gns – Bruce Goldie's Goldies Oak, by Goldies Fandango, to JA Wood and Sons, Ratlinghope, Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

7000gns – EW Quick and Sons' Loosebeare Objat, by Ampertaine Jeronimo, to DH and JM Murray, Gilsland, Brampton, Cumbria; Gordon Hendry's Aultmore Ozzy, by Lodge Hamlet, to Murray Stephenson, Dailly, Girvan, Ayrshire; William and James McKay's Ampertaine Opus, by Loosebeare Fantastic, to PR Walker and Son, Lund, Driffield, Yorkshire.

6500gns – Allan Campbell's Strawfrank Ozzy, by Fairywater Haig, to JW Storey and Son, Haltwhistle, Northumberland; JW and MC Fieldson's Fieldson Onsort, by Trueman Iglesias, to Messrs Heald and Co, Grove, Retford, Nottinghamshire; WJ and M Mash's Brockhurst Oddbull, by Gunnerfleet Hicks, to T and J Leslie, Balfour, Orkney.

6200gns – J Logan's Homebyres Oisin, by Larkhill Julius, to GH Bayliss and Son, Kerry, Newtown, Powys.

6000gns – JW and MC Fieldson's Fieldson Oakley, by Ampertaine Jamboree, to Messrs Beckwith, Barras, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria; J and A Milroy's Cairnvalley Orion, by Allanfauld Jehovah, to R Dunlop, Barr, Girvan, Ayrshire.