Everbright and Tillside top Carlisle Limousin trade at 50,000gns and 40,000gns

Add to that a record breaking average in excess of £8300 and an 84% clearance, and it was a day to remember for all.

"It was a good sale from start to finish," said breed secretary Will Ketley. "There is a huge amount of confidence in the breed when Limousin cattle regularly top the store and prime cattle sales and that is what the breed is all about. We have seen a lot of new buyers here and established breeders keen to invest."

Notably, it was first time consignors that produced the top two sellers too. Dearest at 50,000gns was father and son team, Jonathan and Tom Waring's Everpark Partylight, the intermediate champion at the pre-sale show selected by Scottish judge, Archie MacGregor, Allanfauld. A 20-month-old embryo-born entry, he is bred from the Waring's foundation cow, Millington Highlight, a Wilodge Vantastic daughter that has bred progeny to 30,000gns, purchased for 50,000gns at the herd dispersal in partnership with the Woodmarsh herd.

The sire is the top breeding bull, Ampertaine Foreman which has bred numerous champion winners and five-figure priced bulls. Partylight, which carries the F94L easy calving gene, sold to Welsh vet, Esmor Evans, who runs 60 Limousins and 150 pedigree Charolais, at Monfa, Mold, who paid three-quarters of the bill, with the remainder selling to new breeder, Will Tomlinson. His 35-cow Millington herd, now managed by Ashley McInnes, is based at South Leverton, Retford, Notts.

Team Wilodge sold their best Wilodge Perriman for 17,000gns

On the other side of the equation, the Warings, who also run a large arable and broiler chicken enterprise, went to 17,000gns for Paul and Christine Tippetts' Wilodge Perriman, a 19-month-old bull from the 10-cow herd based at Lodge Hill, Shifnal, Shropshire. Perriman is by the AI sire, Whinfellpark Lomu, a bull that has bred heifers to 10,000gns for the Woodmarsh herd, and out of Wilodge Eyecontact, a daughter of Ronick Gains that made 3200gns as an in-calf heifer at the herd sale and goes back to Ravenelle – the dam of Wilodge Vantastic. He sold with a double copy of the F94L gene.

Tillside Predator made 40,000gns for young Tom Summers

Wilodge, who sold three to average £12,425, also bought the second top priced bull at 40,000gns, Tillside Predator, a 17-month-old third prize winner from young Tom Summers, who was also selling here from the 15-cow herd from Hall Farm, Somerby, Gainsborough, for the first time. His best, which carries a double copy of thee F94L easy calving gene is son of the 40,000gns AI sire, Mereside Godolphin, and out of Homebyres Nigella, a Larkhill Julius-sired cow bought at the Red Ladies sale as a heifer in 2018 for 3000gns.

Christine Loughran and her father Michael's Millgate Rob sold for 30,000gns

The gavel came down at 30,000gns for Christine Loughran and her father, Michael's Millgate Rob, from Dunamore, Cookstown, Co Tyrone. Their 16-month-old red ticket holder is an AI son of Norman Ely, a stockbull bought at as a weaned calf at the Red Ladies sale that has bred similarly aged heifers to 7500gns, and bulls to 10,000gns. The dam, Millim Neve, a Lynderg Judge-sired heifer was bought privately from Christine's nephews Michael and Jack Loughran. A polled bull with NT821 and Q204X myostatin genes, he sold to commercial calf producers PJ and TA Jones, Ty-Isaf, Erwood, Builth Wells.

Junior and overall champion Grahams Rooney from Robert and Jean Graham sold for 28,000gns

Supreme champion was the lead junior, Grahams Rooney, from Robert and Jean Graham, Airthrey Kerse, Bridge of Allan. Their February 2020-born bull brought out by Jennifer and Drew Hyslop, is an ET bred calf and the result a flush from the Ampertaine Elgin show winning daughter, Grahams Melody, a former reserve inter-breed champion at the Royal Welsh and the Great Yorkshire, and a full sister to the 250,000gns Wilodge Posh Spice. The sire is Ampertaine Foreman. Clive Rowland, manager of Garrowby Farms, Bugthorpe, York, was the final bidder at 28,000gns.

Whinfellpark President sold for 24,000gns for Messrs Jenkinson

Sons of the 22,000gns Gunnerfleet Lion, proved popular for the Jenkinson family's 120-cow herd from Penrith, with sales at 24,000gns, 18,000gns and 11,500gns. The farm, managed by Iain Scott and stockmen, David and Craig Douglas, sold their dearest, Whinfellpark President, the reserve junior at the pre-sale show to brothers Tom and Phil Hutton, buying for their Cloughhead herd from Setmabanning, Threlkeld, Keswick. This 17-month-old ET-bred entry is a result of a flush from the Wilodge Vantastic daughter, Ironstone Lavender, that was bought for 17,000gns at the herd dispersal.

Another from Messrs Jenkinson, Whinfellpark Poldark made 18,000gns

Gunnerfleet Lion, a bull that has also bred a former male champion at the Highland and heifers to 10,000gns, was also the sire of the next bull in the ring, Whinfellpark Poldark, a second prize winner that made 18,000gns. Another ET, this time bred from the Wilodge Cerberus-sired Whinfellpark Flair, that has bred sons to 13,000gns and two herd sires for the Norman herd, he was knocked down to Welsh producer, Emily Jones, Coedmor Hall, Cellan, Lampeter, Dyfed.

Senior champion Whinfellpark Paddy sold for 11,500gns

Bootle-based JD and M Capstick, Fellside, in Cumbria, bought the senior champion, Whinfellpark Paddy, which made 11,500gns. This two-year-old is bred from Whinfellpark Minnie, which is also by Cerberus. Whinfellpark sold four bulls to average in excess of £16,100.

Nanthir Rocky from Rhiryd Rogers-Davies realised 19,000gns

It was also a red letter day for Rhiryd Rogers-Davies too, when he produced a personal best in Nanthir Rocky, a blue rosette winner, which made 19,000gns again selling down to Wales, with Emily Jones, Coedmor Hall. Her January 2020-born purchase from the 10-cow herd from Nant Hir, Bala, is an AI son of Mereside Lorenzo out of Brenmick Nia, an Elite Forever Brill-sired cow bought privately from Mick Jones, that is a full sister to Brenmick Joy and Brenwick Rosie, both of which sold for 10,000gns.

One of the last to sell, Broadhead Rustler realised 17,000gns for Turner Farms

Just behind, on 17,000gns Turner Farms' Broadhead herd from Oldfield Road, Honley, West Yorkshire, sold to down to Wales with DA Thomas, Penybont, Dyfed. The last bull sold in the catalogue, this 14-month-old embryo-born entry is bred from the Sablier daughter, Feildson Hustler and sired by Huntershall Nutcracker.

Ronald and Stephanie Dick's Ronick Provence sold for 14,000gns

Two Scottish-bred bulls made 14,000gns with the first of those being Ronald and Stephanie Dick's Ronick Provence, from Mains of Throsk, Stirling, brought out with assistance of stockman, Stewart Bett. Reserve intermediate at the pre-sale show, this October 2019-born entry is a son of the French bull, Mattben which was bought privately from the Lodge herd, and out of the Ampertaine Jamboree-sired heifer, Ronick Nailsa. Provence goes out to work in the Norman herd of Eric and Elaine Norman, Little Orton, Carlisle.

Top for Ian and Andrew Nimmo was 14,000gns for Maraiscote Pomagne

Later, Maraiscote Pomagne, a first prize winner, from Ian and Andrew Nimmo, Wishaw, made the same money, selling up to Aberdeenshire with John and Margaret Penny, Shannas, Mintlaw, Peterhead. Another by the 50,000gns Bassingfield Machoman, a bull that has bred sons to average in excess of £9000, he is out of the Virginia Andy-sired female, Maraiscote Gin.

Quick brothers' Loosebeare Plymouth made 13,000gns

Selling for 13,000gns was the August-2019-born Loosebeare Plymouth, from the Quick brothers' Devon-based operation. Local breeders, G and AE Marrs and Son, Cathow, Kinniside, Cleator, were the final bidders on this natural-born calf by Ampertaine Jeronimo, out of the Loosebeare Fantastic-sired, Loosebeare Meg.

On the debit side, Loosebeare forked out 10,000gns for Bruce Goldie's Goldies Pilsner, from Townfoot, Mouswald, Dumfries. His 20-month-old entry by Wilodge LJ Wey, is out of Goldies Lovely which is a daughter of the top breeding cow, Goldies Vitality.

Donald Smyth's Homebyres Prefect, a similarly aged bull bought alongside his dam, Homebyres Maisie, at the herd dispersal, made 12,000gns for the Northern Ireland-based Derrylough herd from Corbet, Banbridge. He is by Foxhillfarm Jasper and sold up to Ayrshire with W and T Nelson, High Kilphin, Ballantrae, Girvan.

A personal best was achieved by the Wilsons selling Reddings Paradox for 12,500gns

Superseding their previous best of 11,500gns, Norman and George Wilson, who run 65 pedigree cows in their Reddings herd from Moffat, sold Reddings Paradox for 12,500gns to JJ and M Pickering, Woolpits Hill, Forest In Teesdale, Barnard Castle. The breeding behind this 19-month-old includes the 9000gns Scorboro Magnum, onto the Reddings Elvis daughter, Reddings Laura which has already bred a 5500gns calf.

Brontemoor Paddy from Steven and Richard Priestley made 10,000gns

Three other bulls came under the hammer for 10,000gns with the first of those being Steven and Richard Priestley's Brontemoor Paddy, an October 2019-born son of Knock Msport, from Cracrop, Kirkcambeck, Brampton, out of the home-bred Wilodge Tonka-sired, Airedale Indigo. He sold to JR Peart, Weeds Farm, Westgate, Bishop Auckland.

Two lots later, Llyr Hughes' Pabo Pedro an ET-bred bull from Llanbabo, Rhosgoch, Anglesey, made the same money, selling up to Aberdeenshire with Harry Emslie, Brae of Coynach, Peterhead. He is the first ET calf bred from the show heifer, Pabo Nainsi, a Netherhall Jackpot daughter and full sister to the 17,000gns Pabo Niro. The sire is Goldies Jackpot.

The last of the 10,000gns sales came for James McKay's Ampertaine Parisian, a 17-month-old ET calf from Upperlands, Maghera, Co Derry, Northern Ireland. He is bred from the same family as the 40,000gns Ampertaine Opportunity and is another by Wilodge LJ Wey, but bred from the Glenrock Ventura-sired heifer, Ampertaine Goldie. Parisian sold down to Dyfed with C Jones, Rhyd Y Fallen, Llanarth.

OTHERLEADING prices

Bulls – 9500gns – BT Goldie's Goldies Prince, by Wilodge Cerberus, to CG Simpson and Sons, Square House Farm, Quebec, Co Durham; Wilodge's Wilodge Pushup, by Gerrygullinane Glen, to A and F Watson, Low Cote, Snilesworth, Northallerton; WJ and J McKay's Ampertaine Phantom, by Ampertaine Foreman, to P Cooper and Son, Govals, Kincaldrum, Forfar.

9000gns – JW and DN Eve's Eves Phoenix, by Goldies Jackpot, to E and R Brass and Son, Barnskew, Maulds Meaburn, Penrith; K Watret's Annanview Pavarotti, by Gunnerfleet Lion, to EJ Macarthur, Newton of Budgate, Cawdor, Nairn; Wilodge's Wilodge Profit, by Whinfellpark Lomu, to WM Knaggs and Son, East Newbiggin, Sadberge, Darlington.

Averages – 25 senior bulls, £6073.20; 44 intermediate bulls, £8166.93; 30 junior bulls, £10,360.00. Overall, 99 bulls, £8302.78 (+£2863.37 for 65 more sold compared to the 2020 sale and +£1953.29 for four fewer sold compared to the 2019 event).

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington