An eight-month-old bull calf from James Alexander's up and coming Jalex herd from Northern Ireland, topped the British Limousin Cattle Society's 50th Anniversary sale, selling for 26,000gns.

The select event which featured 18 hand picked lots, was also the first sale to be conducted through the new 'Ring 3 The David Thomlinson Ring' following an opening tribute given by H and H Group non-executive Dawn Harrison.

The late David Thomlinson is remembered for his outstanding dedication to the livestock auctioneering world, particularly as an integral part of the H&H team.

“David was an integral part of our society and is greatly missed by everyone. He was an inspiration to many and was always happy to help and support in any way he could. It is a great honour to be involved in celebrating his life in this way and is a very fitting way to open our 50th anniversary celebrations at Borderway,” Craig Ridley, honourary president of the British Limousin Cattle Society said.

Living up to his name, Jalex Superb, the sale leader is an embryo calf bred from the Bassingfield Hobama daugher, Jalex Missy, which on the dam side, is a daughter of Trueman Isabella that made 9500gns as a nine-month-old heifer calf in May 2014, at Carlisle. His sire is Derrygullinane Kingbull – the reserve overall chamion at the International Limousin Congress in Ireland that has since bred sons to 19,000gns and 18,000gns for the Pabo herd. Polled, Superb sold with a F94L/NT821 myostatin reading to Gordon Cameron, Newton Cottage, Acharacle, Fort William.

The Irish eyes were smiling again when Henry Savage and Sons' Trueman herd from Newry, Co Down, took 22,000gns for the 15-month-old heifer, Trueman Serenata. This natural born polled entry with NT821/Q204X myostatin is another backed by the best of genetics, with the dam, Trueman Layla being a former best heifer calf in the NI herds competition, while her grand-dam, Trueman Feis, is a full sister to the dam of the 140,000gns Trueman Jagger. Serenata by the Lodge Hamlet son, Telfers Munster was knocked down to Andrew Ewing, Drumbretton, Annan.

Next best at 18,000gns, John and Ben Richardson, Ghyll House, Appleby, bought Stephen Nixon's 17-month-old bull, Huntershall Sancho, from Southerfield, Wigton. Another ET-bred entry, he is the result of a flush from the Elite Forever Brill daughter, Allanfauld Jolene which was overall champion at the Stars of the Future in 2015, and sired by Gunnerfleet Hicks. He changed hands with a F94L/Q204X myostatin.

Two lots came under the hammer for 16,000gns with the first being the January 2021-born bull, Cowin Supreme from WD Dyfan and Carol James, Blaencowin, Carmarthenshire. A natural calf by Ampertaine Foreman, Supreme is bred from the Loosebeare Fantastic daughter, Cowin India and sold with two copies of the F94L gene, to Messrs Hughes, Middleton St George, Darlington.

Matching that 16,000gns price tag was Charlotte Martin's Charlottes Sapphire, the junior inter-breed champion at Balmoral Show in May. This 15-month-old heifer from Dromara, Dromore, Co Down, is an ET bred from the Castleview Darren-sired cow, Roundhill KMelodie and sired by Elite Forever Brill. She sold back across the Irish Sea to a new home with Messrs Moloney, Ardnacrusha, Co Clare, Eire.

Adding an international flair to the proceedings, Messrs Joaquin, Villaviciosa, Spain, bought the first lot in the catalogue for 15,000gns. This was Craig Ridley's Haltcliffe Rachel, a rising two-year-old by the 65,000gns Auldside Meanmachine, out of Haltcliffe Madison, a daughter of the 15,000gns Haltcliffe Gentry. She sold served in April to Westpit Omaha.

Minutes later, Haltcliffe Ruth, from the same home, made 10,000gns to Messrs Shields, Newry, Northern Ireland. This similarly aged entry is by Westpit Omaha and out of the Gentry daughter, Haltcliffe Maybe. She sold served in May to Sympa.

Top price for Ian and Moyra Nimmo and son Andrew's Maraiscote herd from Wishaw, was 9000gns paid by Jonathan Watson, Bowsden Moor, Berwick upon Tweed, who gets for his money, a January 2021-born bull. Maraiscote Schnapps is by the 50,000gns Bassingfield Machoman and out of the Goldies Comet daughter, Maraiscote Lemonade.

Breeders also got the chance to purchase the exact same genetics as the 180,000gns world record priced bull, Graiggoch Rambo, which Gerwyn Jones, Conwy, sold in May, when two embryos from EH Pennie and Son's Sarkley herd sold for 7000gns. The frozen embryos are from the Wilodge Vantastic-sired Sarkley Glorianne, with the sire being Ampertaine Elgin. They sold to Messrs Cormack, Stoke Prior, Leominster.

Averages: Four bulls, £18,112.50; seven females, £12,000.00; four embryos, £6825.00.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.