Taking Stock: Liam leads Limousin trade at Carlisle with 30,000gns call

A strong demand for Limousin bulls at Carlisle on Saturday (18 February) saw prices rise to 30,000gns and push averages up by £1,058 on the year to £6,668 for the 114 bulls sold.

Sixteen bulls made five figures and over at the society sale with 53 in all making 5,000gns and more.

Leading the day’s trade at 30,000gns was the stylish Swalesmoor Liam from the Swalesmoor Partnership, Kedzlie Farm, Kedzlie Farm, Lauderdale.

This October 2015-born bull is an embryo calf by the noted Cloughhead Umpire and out of Nebo Favourite.

See also: More news from Stirling bull sales 

Purchasing the top price in a two-way split was Messrs Ridley, Haltcliffe, Wigton, along with Richard Harker for his 60-cow Honeymoor herd at Grayrigg Hall, Kendal.

Speaking at the close of the sale, Richard Harker said: “This bull is a very modern Limousin. He has tremendous length, is clean, and good on his legs. He carries a lot of style and has plenty of depth and quality in his pedigree.” 

Two bulls made 22,000gns. The first of these was the junior male champion in the shape of Swarland Likelylad from A and D Proctor, Swarland Old Hall, Swarland, Morpeth.

September 2015-born, this calf is by the 23,000gns Fairywater Haig and is out of Swarland Fanciful, a daughter of the noted female breeder in the herd Brontemoor Apache.

Purchasing this bull was the Harestone pedigree herd of Neil Barclay, South Road, Insch, Aberdeenshire. 

Also at this money was the reserve junior male champion Gunnerfleet Lion from vendors J Handley, Gunnerfleet Farm, Ingleton, Lancashire.

An embryo calf, Gunnerfleet Lion is by Gunnerfleet Hicks and is out of Gunnerfleet Ilocks, whose dam line is quoted as having grossed the herd over £500,000. 

Weighing in with an opening bid of 20,000gns, Gunnerfleet Lion was purchased by the 120-cow pedigree Whinfellpark herd of Messrs Jenkinson, Clifton Moor, Clifton, Penrith, Cumbria. 

Judging the pre-sale show of bulls was Rob Kirton of the noted Ashledge herd at Severn Lodge Farm, Buttonbridge Lane, Kinlet, Bewdley.

After 15 keenly contested classes, Rob tapped up Foxhillfarm Louisvuitton, from Mike and Melanie Alford, Foxhill Farm, Cullompton, Devon, as his intermediate and overall supreme Champion. 

An embryo calf, Louisvuitton, is by the 22,000gns Guards Boomer and is out of the multi-title winning show heifer Foxhillfarm Gracie.

Purchasing this August 2015-born bull for 20,000gns was John Penny and Sons, Leeds Road, Rawden, Leeds.

Following hard on the heels of the champion was the reserve overall supreme, Maraiscote Lothario, from the 150-cow herd of J Nimmo, Bogside Farm, Newmains, Wishaw, North Lanarkshire. 

This bull made 19,000gns when selling to the noted commercial producer, G Cameron, Newton Cottage, Acharrade, Argyll.

July 2015-born, Maraiscote Lothario is a son of the herd’s prolific stock sire Goldies Comet and is out of the Virginia Andy daughter, and second calver, Maraiscote Genie.

Having secured the fourth top price, the Nimmos then invested 18,000gns when buying Westpit Lowry from Andrew Gammie, Drumforber, Aberdeenshire.

A first prize winner in Class 10, Westpit Lowry is by Ardglasson Highlander.

He is out of Brockhurst Holy, who was purchased, in calf to Ardglasson Highlander, for 5,800gns at a sale at Newark Market, Nottinghamshire.

Commercial producers were readily willing to pay five figures including JC and J White, Rigg Farm, Lunedale, Middleton-in-Teesdale, Barnard Castle, who paid 18,000gns for Hightown Leon from John Smith-Jackson, Hightown, Melkridge, Haltwhistle. 

Another out of the junior section, this muscly bull is by the noted show calf sire Waindale UFO and is out of the Hartside Jacko daughter College Unice.

Selling at 17,000gns was the upstanding Culnagechan Lazio from the herd of Derek Hume, Randalstown, Co Antrim. June 2015-born, this calf was got by the AI sire Ampertaine Elgin and is out of Culnagechan Celine who had previously bred the 48,000gns Culnagechan Falcon.

This bull was knocked down to an undisclosed buyer in the north of England.

Taking the reserve senior championship, and selling for 16,000gns, was the April 2015-born Haneve Luigi from John Murray, Glebe Farm, West Butsfield, Bishops Auckland. 

Sired by Powerhouse Elite and out of Haneve Geraldine, a Haltcliffe Doctor daughter, Haneve Luigi was bought by commercial producer Alistair Ward, Rogerley Hall, Frosterley, Bishop Auckland, County Durham.

Following on from a strong sale at the Stirling Limousin Sale a fortnight ago, the Homebyres herd of Messrs John Logan, Humebyres, Kelso, made 14,500gns when selling their first prize winner to the Rhiwllech pedigree herd of  Messrs Howells, Gelli Farm, Cymmer, Port Talbot, West Glamorgan.

The July 2015-born Homebyres Lockett is by the 30,000gns AI sire Lowerffrydd Empire and is out of the Kaprico Davelle daughter Homebyres Freesia.

Mereside Leo from RM Hazard and Sons secured a price of 13,000gns for their third prize winner, Mereside Leo. 

August 2015-born Mereside Leo is got by AI and is by Mereside Godolphin, who the Hazards bred and sold for 40,000gns in May 2013 at Carlisle.

Out of the Haltcliffe Dancer-sired Mereside Hougie, Mereside Leo was purchased by James Cooper for the Tomschoice pedigree herd at Hilltop Farm, Dacre, North Yorkshire.

A and D Proctor, Swarland Old Hall, Swarland, Morpeth, were back in the prices when another Fairywater Haig son, this time Swarland Leon, made 12,000gns.

A heifer’s calf, Leon is out of Swarland Helen, who is a half-sister to Swarland Hansy, who has produced bulls at 14,000gns.

Picking up this bull for their pedigree Hudscales herd was WR and JM Cowx and Son, Hudscales, Hesket Newmarket, Wigton, Cumbria

Money makers

Junior Champion

Res Junior Champion

Intermediate and Overall Champion

Res Intermediate and Res Overall