Derg Sassygirl sells for record £36,000 at Welsh Winter Fair

A pedigree Limousin heifer sold for a record £36,000 at the Welsh Winter Fair 2022.

Derg Sassygirl, the reserve champion, was bought by an undisclosed phone bidder on Tuesday 29 November for the highest price of any animal sold at the Winter Fair in its 32-year history.

The May 2021 born heifer was sired by Trueman Idol out of the Rocky-sired dam Ashmara Classygirl, and was also named reserve overall supreme champion.

See also: World Record: Wilodge heifer makes 250,000gns at Carlisle

Sassygirl was exhibited by Allen and Emma Shortt, from Castlederg, County Tyrone, and was jointly owned by James and Katrina Little, from Wigton, Cumbria.

Auctioneer Clive Roads, of McCartneys, said: “I was delighted to be in the rostrum at the time and be able to sell such a superb heifer.”

The supreme cattle champion was Baby Guinness, a Limousin heifer exhibited by Edwards Brothers, Clywd, North Wales. It sold for £8,600 to Kathryn Jones of Castell Howell Foods.

Mr Roads added: “People will ask why the reserve champion sold for that much more money than the champion. The champion was also a superb heifer, but it was a cross-breed, not a pedigree-registered heifer.

“One is going to go for slaughter and the other is going to go for further breeding.”

Sassygirl co-owner Katrina Little said: “We were disappointed after coming second yesterday [Monday], but today has definitely made up for it.”

The owners are delighted the pedigree Limousin lived up to her name. “It’s what she deserves,” Mrs Little said.

Sassygirl was also named supreme champion at Harrison & Hetherington’s Borderway Agri Expo in Carlisle last month, and she had previously taken first prize at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s 50th anniversary show in July.