Averages: Procters dispersal – 37 cows served and/or suckling, £6328.38; six in-calf cows, £4550.00; five recipients with embryo calves, £5922.00; eight served heifers, £4987.50; 18 maiden heifers, £3494.16; three bulls, £5425.00.

Haltcliffe – 13 cows and Heifers served and/or suckling, £9571.15; six served heifers, £4532.50; 12 maiden heifers, £4655.00.

Limousin cattle from Craig and Matt Ridley’s herd, topped a joint breed sale at Carlisle, when their yearling heifer, Haltcliffe Raquel, sold for a whopping 32,000gns.

The sale which featured the dispersal of the Lancashire-based Procters herd due to a change in farm policy and a consignment from Haltcliffe, Heskett New Market, was led by an August 2020-born heifer with two Q204 muscle genes.

Backed by the best of genetics, Raquel is by Westpit Omaha, an Ampertaine Foreman son bought privately from Andrew Gammie, at the Royal Highland Show in 2019, while her dam, Haltcliffe Opal is a daughter of Ampertaine Elgin, which has bred numerous high priced bulls and females.

Raquel sold to Gareth Corrie, Newtonards, while her dam, Opal, bred from the Haltcliffe Fencer-sired Haltcliffe Larissa, made 14,000gns, selling to Claire Ferris, Millisle, Co Down, both Northern Ireland. Opal, a March 2018-born cow, sold due with her second to Haltcliffe Olympus.

Andrew Ewing, Drumbretton, Annan, bought several of the lead priced lots from both herds. Dearest at 12,000gns, was Haltcliffe Nikki, a four-year-old by Ballyrobin Joop, bred from the Sympa daughter, Haltcliffe Bianca, which is the dam of the 18,000gns Haltcliffe Fencer and 15,000gns Haltcliffe Gentry and is still going strong at 15 years of age. Nikki also changed hands served to Omaha.

The Wood family from Popes Farm, Longridge, Dutton, Lancs, bought her nine-month-old heifer calf, Haltcliffe Ritz, by Nectar at 4000gns.

Charlie Boden of the Sportsmans herd, from Mellor Stockport, Bury, was another big spender with his biggest individual purchase at 13,000gns, being on the 19-month-old maiden heifer, Haltcliffe Rose. She is by Grahams Nathan and bred from the Ampertaine Elgin-sired heifer, Haltcliffe Naples which is a full sister to the 13,400gns Haltcliffe Paul.

Also heading south to Sportsmans at 10,000gns was Haltcliffe Raffles, another by the 20,000gns Irish bull, Ballyrobin Joop. This similarly aged heifer is a daughter of the French sire, Bial, being out of Haltcliffe Igls, which was the dam of the 15,000gns Haltcliffe Mike.

Top price from the Procters herd was 16,000gns paid twice, with the first of those bids coming for catalogue No 13, Procters Rdiamante. This 11-month-old ET heifer is the result of a flush from the Objat-sired Glenrock Diamante, which was purchased for 15,000gns and has bred sons to 24,000gns and heifer calves to 8500gns. The sire was the 100,000gns Haltcliffe Vermount.

The buyers were Stephen and Denise Irvine and family, buying for their Anside herd from Drummuir, Keith, who also get for their money, the three-year-old recipient dam which changed hands due to either Aultside Meanmachine or Haltcliffe Orator.

Her maternal sister, Procters Jewellery, a seven-year-old cow by Glenrock Highwayman, made the same money when selling to Mrs S Field, Cornfield Grove, Burnley, Lancs. She sold with May-born heifer calf, Procters Silver by Carrickmore Maximus and served again to the same sire.

Another Diamante daughter, Procters Piamante, a two-year-old in-calf heifer, made 10,000gns. She is by Sympa and sold in calf to Lodge Hamlet for early 2022, to William Tomlinson, Treswell, Redford, Notts.

Glenrock Diamante, herself, a 13-month-old cow, bred from the Festin-sired female, Glenrock Rupee, more than paid her way too, when she made 10,000gns selling back to her breeders, Stephen Illingworth and son Thomas, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie. She was flushed 16 times with 119 embryos collected of which seven remain frozen.

Next best from Procters at 13,000gns was Procters Janita, a similarly aged cow, this time by Ampertaine Foreman and out of the Haltcliffe Vermount daughter, Procters Fanita. She changed hands with her May-born heifer calf, Procters Sjanita by Ampertaine Majestic and served either to Milbrook Playboy of Maraiscote Phil, to an undisclosed buyer.

Procters stockman, Gary Swindlehurst forked out 10,500gns for Procters Nelle, a four-year-old by Haltcliffe Genesis bred from the Hartlaw Excaliber-sired Procters Hannelle. Her April-born heifer calf, Procters Shantelle, is by Maraiscote Phil, with Nelle selling due either to Westpit Omah or Phil.

Another two lots from Procters made 10,000gns. First was Procters Juleiha, a seven-year-old cow by Haltcliffe DJ, bred from the Ronick Gains-sired Procters Caleiha. A grand-daughter of the foundation cow, Greenwell Leiha, she sold with May-born heifer calf, Procters Suleiha, by Maximus and due to Omaha, to Andrew Ewing, Annan.

Later, Sean Mitchell, Grassknop, Skelton, Penrith, went to the same money for Procters Nwen, a four-year-old ET bred from the Haltcliffe DJ-sired Procters Gwen and sired by Ampertaine Foreman. Nwen also sold with May-born heifer calf, Procters Swen, by Haltcliffe Orator, and served to either Milbrook Playboy, or Phil.

OTHERLEADING prices

Procters – Cows – 8200gns – Procters Nawen, by Ampertaine Foreman and in calf to Millbrook Playboy to Mrs SE Field, Cornfield Grove.

7500gns – Procters Mfanita, by Goldies Jurassic and in calf, to Messrs Stanton, Clitheroe, Lancs; Goldies Mermaid, by Cloughhead Umpire and in calf, to Messrs Boden and Davies, Mellor.

7200gns – Procters Lanita, by Ampertaine Foreman and in calf, to Messrs Morris, Llanybri, Carmarthen.

6500gns – Procters Mydavina, by Haltcliffe Dancer and in calf, to Messrs Davies and Co, Aberdyfi, Gwynedd.

Maiden heifers – 8200gns – Procters Peyrens, by Wilodge Cerberus, to Messrs Dick, Mains of Throsk, Stirling. 8000gns – Procters Purmante, by Goldies Jazz, to an undisclosed buyer.

Bulls – 7000gns – Haltcliffe Orator, by Ballyrobin Joop, to J Carruthers, Silloans, Rochester, Newcastle upon Tyne.

Haltcliffe – Cows – 8500gns – Haltcliffe Jolie, by Cloughhead Umpire and in calf to Omaha, to Messrs Wood, Longridge, Dutton, Lancs.

Served heifers – 6800gns – Haltcliffe Penny, by Grahams Michael, and due to Omaha, to Messrs Knox, Cragside, Kelso.

Calves – 4800gns – Haltcliffe Rob, yearling bull by Aultside Meanmachine, to Messrs Wilson, Corby Hill, Carlisle. 4500gns – Haltcliffe Rich, 11-month-old bull by Ballyrobin Joop, to Messrs Booilshuggel, Isle of Man.

Bulls – 8000gns – Haltcliffe Olympus, by Sympa, to Messrs Ewing, Annan.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.