Averages: 81 females, £2894.15 (-£230.85 for 53 more sold compared to the 2019 sale and +£322.68 for 21 fewer compared to the 2019 sale).

New and established breeders made their presence felt at the British Limousin Cattle Society's female event at Carlisle, buying several of the lead priced lots the evening before the breed's main bull sale.

In all, some 81 lots sold to average just shy of £3000, which represents an 88% clearance, with a top price of 12,000gns paid by new breeder, Mark Nelson, who is better known for his Bluefaced Leicesters and Swaledale sheep based at Bull and Cave, Clapham, Lancs.

His purchase, Huntershall Retha, a 16-month-old ET heifer from Wigton-based breeder, Stephen Nixon, Southerfield, is by Gunnerfleet Hicks, a bull that has bred numerous five-figure priced bulls and sons to 22,000gns. The dam is Allanfauld Jolene, an Elite Forever Brill daughter bought in 2014 and one of the best breeding females in the Huntershall herd.

Gunnerfleet genetics were also behind the second equal highest priced lot at 8000gns purchased by show judge, Archie MacGregor and son John, who own the Allanfauld herd from Kilsyth in partnership with the Barclay family from Harestone, Insch. This was Norman Rora, a 14-month-old heifer, by the 22,000gns Gunnerfleet Lion, from Eric and Elaine Norman's herd from Little Orton, Carlisle. Her dam is the Claragh Franco-sired Norman Innocent.

Matching that 8000gns was Bruce Goldie's Goldies Primrose, a July 2019-born ET bred entry from Townfoot, Mouswald, Dumfries, and the sole heifer sold from the Wilodge Cerberus daughter, Goldies Goldilocks that has already bred sons to 16,000gns. Primrose is by Goldies Juggler and was knocked down to Alan and Billy Common, buying for the Crossdykes herd from Lockerbie.

New breeder, Ian Miller, of Miller Farms, Midmar, Inverurie, went to 7500gns for the Gould family's Woodmarsh Pimms, all the way from Shrewsbury. This 26-month-old ET is a full sister to the 38,000gns Forshillfarm Irishlad, being the result of a flush from Foxhillfarm Martini and sired by Ampertaine Gigolo.

Young Tomos Evans, Caersws, Powys, also came up with the goods, taking 6500gns for the August 2019-born ET, Upperffrydd Pippa, by the 140,000gns Trueman Jagger. His dam is the Loosebeare Fantastic daughter, Foxhillfarm Joslyn. Pippa sold locally to TP Atkinson, Ulverston, for the Arradfoot herd.

Just behind on 5800gns was the October 2019-born Gunnerfleet Pocks, bred by the Handley family, but consigned by Garrowby Farms, York. An Ampertaine Magnum daughter, she is out of the Gunnerfleet Hicks-sired, Gunnerfleet Lora and headed home with Northern Ireland breeder, Trevor Shields of the Glenmarshal herd, Co Down.

John Logan and son John, Humebyres, Kelso, sold Homebyres Patsi, for 5200gns to J Knaggs, who owns the Jorica herd from Arlington, Co Durham. The breeding behind this 18-month-old includes the Ampertaine Elgin son, Homebyres Master onto Homebyres Molly by Kaprico Davelle.

OTHERLEADING prices

Heifers – 4500gns – M and JC Gould's Woodmarsh Penni, by Lowerffrydd Empire, to Miller Farms; J Logan's Homebyres Primolly, by Homebyres Master, to J Stevens, The Barn, Upper Milton, Somerset; J Watson's Tweeddale Redhot, by Carrickmore Maximus, to T Shields, Kilkeel, Northern Ireland