A cracking pen of Limousin bulls from Dumfries-shire breeder, Bruce Goldie, produced what is believed to be a new show record at the society’s spring event at Carlisle - breeding full ET brothers that went on to scoop both the champion and reserve honours.

In addition, Mr Goldie, his wife Linda and young family of Thomas and Isla, who own the 70-cow Goldes herd from Townfoot, Mouswald, Dumfries, produced three of the top four highest priced bulls with their pen of six cashing in at a whopping £17,000 per head.

Add to that the top two prices at 30,000gns each for the champion and reserve and it was certainly a day to remember for the family.

Notably, five of the six Goldies bulls are grand-sons of the top breeding cow, Goldies Vitality, with the top three from the herd being full ET brothers.

First to hit the 30,000gns bracket was the pre-sale champion, Goldies Olympia a June 2018-born calf that first stood intermediate champion before going on to win the big one.

Bred from the top female line in the herd, Olympia is the result of a flush from the Wilodge Vantastic daughter, Goldies Fragrance, which is a full sister to the top breeding sires, Goldies Comet, Fantastic and Goldfinger, and has also bred sons to 25,000gns.

The sire is Ampertaine Foreman, an AI bull that sold for 38,000gns here in 2012 and has since produced numerous high priced bulls.

Olympia, which sold with the F94L/Q204X myostatin genes was knocked down to Allan Jenkinson, buying for the Whinfellpark herd from Clifton, Penrith, managed by Craig Douglas.

Although most impressed by his choice of champion, the judge, Mike Alford and his wife, Melanie, from Foxhillfarm, Devon, bought Olympia’s full ET brother, Goldies Owain, which was reserve overall for the same money, as he sold carrying a double copy of the easy calving F94L gene.

“There were some tremendous intermediate and junior bulls and the champion and reserve were easy winners with great power, conformation and plates. They both had real breed character too.”

The third prize winner from the same class, Goldies Oxo, and from the same flush as the champion and the reserve, sold carrying a single copy of the F94L gene, for 14,000gns to an undisclosed buyer.

Outwith the winning Foreman x Frangrance combination, the Goldies received 10,000gns for their red ticket holder, Goldies Outlook, a similarly aged bull, this time backed by Wilodge genetics on both sides. Outlook is by Wilodge LJWey, a Gerrygullinane Glen son bought privately from Christine Williams, and out of Goldies Fairytale, another bred from Vitality but sired by Wilodge Tonka. Messrs Swinson, Denstone, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, were the final bidders.

Outwith these flying sales, a further 12 sold at or above the 10,000gns bracket.

Third top price was 15,000gns paid by Dumfriesshire producers, WD Wright and Son, Hunthills, Parkgate, for the 15-month-old Pabo Oldspice from Peredur and Llyr Hughes’ 110-cow herd from Rhosgoch, Anglesey. National pedigree calf champion at the English Winter Fair, this red rosette holder is the first son sold by Derrygullinane Kingbull, a €10,800gns purchase at Roscrea. He is bred from Pabo Mared, a Norman Harvest daughter, out of Pabo Icemaiden ¬- a cow that has bred sons to 17,000gns and 8000gns.

Two bulls sold for 13,000gns to include the second prize intermediate, Huntershall Outlaw, from local breeder Stephen Nixon, Southerfield, Wigton. This muscly boy carrying a double Q204X gene is the first son sold by the Ampertaine Gigolo son, Claragh Mufasa, a bull purchased for 10,000gns, and bred from the Loosebeare Fantastic-sired Huntershall Julietta. Outlaw headed home with the firm of JRD and JA Short who breed show calves from their 65-cow Limousin cross herd from Ouston, Whitfield, Hexham.

Bulls from Andrew Gammie’s 70-cow Westpit herd from Laurencekirk, proved popular with sales at 13,000gns and 12,000gns to average £11,375 for three.

Dearest here was Westpit Oklahoma, the reserve junior champion and the first bull calf sold by Jalex Itsallgood, a Swarland Eddie son bought privately at the Highland Show after standing reserve overall junior. Allan Campbell, Strawfrank, Carstairs Junction, Lanark, forked out the cash for this September 2018-born bull out of the Netherhall Doubleoseven-sired cow, Westpit Julie which is a daughter of Greenwell Dior.

David Wilson, Kirkmabreck, Creetown, Newton Stewart, bought Mr Gammie’s 12,000gns bull in Westpit Orlando, the overall continental champion at the Stars of the Future and first prize bull in the 2018 Scottish Herds Competition. Bred from the 5500gns Newark purchase, Brockhurst Holy, a Wilodge Vantastic-sired cow that has bred bulls to 17,000gns and stockbulls for the Ronick and Haltcliffe herds, this second prize ET calf is by the AI sire, Goldies Jackpot.

Pedigree and commercial breeder, Glyn Howatson, Tynewydd, Nantglyn, Denbigh, had to wait until the very end for his choice, going to 12,500gns for Ian and Moira Nimmo and son Andrew’s Maraiscote Omalley, from Bogside, Carstairs, Lanarkshire.

Another backed by the best of genetics and carrying a double copy of the F94L gene, this 15-month-old blue ticket holder is bred from the Goldies Comet daughter, Maraiscote Frenchy, which has bred sons to 8200gns and sired by Roundhill Ladysman, a son of the French sire, Ivoire, bought privately in Southern Ireland.

Home-bred genetics were on both sides of the top priced bull from the Quick brothers, Paul, Mark and Andrew’s Loosebeare herd from Devon, when Loosebeare Olaf, sold Messrs Lewis and Son, Old Hall, Llanidloes, Powys.

This June 2018-born bull which stood first in his class is by Loosebeare Fantastic, a bull that has bred sons to 70,000gns and bred from the Aghadolgan Emperor daughter, Loosebeare Gilla, whose first was successfully used in the herd.

Sons of Claragh Franco, a bull purchased by Eric and Elaine Norman for 24,000gns have always proved popular with numerous high four and five-figure sales, and Norman Orkney was no different, selling for 11,000gns to the Shennan family from Farden, Girvan, Ayrshire. Orkney, a similarly aged bull from Little Orton, Carlisle, that stood second in his class, is a polled bull bred from Castleview Imitation, a daughter of the French sire, Ondit.

Heading up to Banffshire with C and J Hendry, Heads of Auchinderran, Keith, at 10,500gns, was the blue ticket holder, Garyvaughan Ojack, from Colin and Elaine Lewis and sons Graham and Terry, Buttington, Welshpool. This show winner which is a former champion junior male at Anglesey and best home-bred bull in the North Wales herd competition in 2018 and 2019, is the first son sold by the 35,000gns Foxhillfarm Manhattan. The dam, Garyvaughan Jackie, is a daughter of the £30,000 Garnedd Gower.

Another four bulls sold at 10,000gns to include Impulsive OMG, a senior bull from Steven Wilson whose shop, Steven Wilson Butchers, won the best butchers shop in Cumbria last year. Mr Wilson who owns a select number of cows, received this money for a son of the 7500gns Loosebeare Justin, bred from the foundation female, Romford Jessica, a Plumtree Fantastic-sired cow bought for 9200gns at the 2015 Red Ladies sale. OMG which stood third in his class goes out to work near Frosterley, Bishop Auckland, having been purchased by Messrs Dobson and Son.

The remainder of the 10,000gns sales came for junior bulls, with the first being Ampertaine Oblivion from Northern Ireland breeder, James McKay, Upperlands, Maghera, Co Derry. Backed by home-bred genetics on both sides, Oblivion, a September 2018-born blue ticket holder is by the 70,000gns Ampertaine Magnum and out of the Ampertaine Elgin-sired Ampertaine Hotproperty. He headed home with Messrs Dent, Brafferton, Darlington, Co Durham.

Steel fabrication businessman, Thor Atkinson, who runs 40 cows in his Arradfoot herd from Ulverston, received the same money from Messrs Macarthur Bros, Mid Fleenas, Nairn, for Arradfoot Ozymandius. A former successful show bull and a red ticket holder at the pre-sale show, this ET calf is bred from the Guards Goshi daughter, Guards Janelle, which was bought privately as a heifer and by the AI sire, Wildoge Joskins.

The last of the 10,000gns bids was given for Michael and Christina Loughran’s Millgate Ohboy, from Dunamore, Cookstown, Co Tyrone. Naturally born, he is by Norman Ely, a bull that has bred suckled calves to £7500, while the dam is the Carmorn Dauphin-sired Millgate Jodie. Stirling-based breeders, David and Ronald Dick, Mains of Throsk, were the final bidders of this red ticket holder.

OTHERLEADING prices

Bulls – 9500gns – GL Hutton’s Cloughhead Oswald, by Delicieux, to Messrs Kitching, Naddle, Keswick.

8000gns – Norman Farming Company’s Norman Oboy, by Anside Loki, to Messrs Thornton and Son, Kirkwhelpington, Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Averages: 31 senior bulls, £4928.23; 29 Intermediate bulls, £8599.14; 31 junior bulls, £6543.87. Overall, 91 bulls, £6648.46 (+£276.10 for 17 fewer sold).

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.