Limousin Red Ladies & Weaned Calves Sale

Shaws Star shines bright selling for 16,000gns at the Red Ladies and Weaned Calf sale.

4 Served Heifers achieved an average of £4,725.00

40 Maiden Heifers achieved an average of £4,331.00

Clearance rate of 86% (+18% on 2021)

On a frosty Friday morning in Carlisle the last British Limousin Cattle Society sale of the year took place at Borderway Mart on 9^th December 2022. 44 females were shown and sold at the Red Ladies Derby achieving an average of £4367.04 and a clearance rate of 86% (+18% on 2021).

The first opportunity for newly appointed CEO Alice Swift to attend an official BLCS sale, Alice commented “There was an impressive show of cattle which created a sense of excitement surrounding the new chapter that lies ahead, following my recent appointment. I was hugely encouraged by the reception I received from members who gave such a warm welcome and really look forward to working closely with members to champion the genetic merit of the breed.”

Dazzling a number of bidders was Lot 33 Shaws Star from M and F Burns, Maybole, Ayrshire, who sold for 16,000gns at 18months old. Placing second in her class, this June 2021-born heifer is sired by Dylans Irnbru and out of the homebred cow Shaws Izzy, who goes back to Plumtree Deus. Star shone bright in the sale ring for Harry Emslie of the Emslie Pedigree Limousin herd, who took her home to Peterhead, Aberdeenshire.

Reserve Champion Female for the day was Lot 54 Sarkley Sybella presented by E H Pennie and Son, Montgomery, Powys, who sold for 14,000gns at 12months old. Born November 2021, Sybella displays a Beef Value of LM31 and is out of the homebred cow Sarkley Isabella. She is sired by the popular AI bull Burnbank Officer who goes back to the 32,000gns Ampertaine Elgin. She travels North to go home with A J Ewing, Annan, Dumfries.

First in her class and brought forward by Bruce T Goldie, Townfoot, Dumfries and Galloway, was Lot 19 Goldies Sophie who went on to sell for 11,000gns at 20months old. The Goldies herd sold a further six females achieving an average of £5,175 for the day. Sophie exhibits double F94L myostatin and a Beef Value of LM47, which is in the top 10% of the breed. She is an April 2021-born embryo calf, sired by the homebred bull Goldies Juggler and out of the homebred cow Goldies Olive, who goes back to Wilodge LJ. Sophie heads home to M Cormack of the Rougemont Pedigree Limousin herd based in Leominster, Hereford.

After a very successful year in the show ring, Lot 30 Calogale Skye presented by G J Lee and C M Lloyd, Kidwelly, Camarthenshire, sold for 8,000gns at 18months old. Born in May 2021, Skye is sired by Carrickmore Maximus who has a strong back pedigree featuring Ampertaine Foreman, Wilodge Cerberus and Baileys Darwin. Skye is an embryo calf, out of the homebred cow Calogale Option and has a Beef Value of LM45, which is in the top 10% of the breed. She goes home with J A Nicholls, Wetley Rocks, Stoke-On-Trent to join the Specs Pedigree Limousin herd.

Next up was Lot 5 Perth Rosario from Sion Wyn Jones, Bangor, Gwynedd, who sold for 6,000gns at 24months old. This November 2020-born embryo calf is sired by Ampertaine Gigolo and out of Ampertaine Orchestra, who goes back to Mullary Intrepid. Rosario is in-calf to 28,000gns Grahams Rooney and due to calve June 2023. Commercial buyer C Oxley, Newton Stewart, Wigtownshire takes Rosario home.

Also selling for 6,000gns at 12months old was Lot 55 Garrowby Savannah from Garrowby Farm, Bugthorpe, York. This embryo calf is sired by the renowned AI bull Derrygullinane Kingbull and out of Gunnerfleet Peloche. Savannah displays a Beef Value of LM24 and was snapped up by the Carruthers Pedigree Limousin herd owned by R G Carruthers, Thornhill, Dumfries.

J K Hunter, Huntly, Aberdeenshire, brought forward Lot 23 Wedderburn Sally, who sold for 5,500gns. At 19months old, Sally born April 2021, displays double F94L myostatin and a Beef Value of LM40, which is in the top 25% of the breed. This embryo calf is sired by the 16,000gns Goldies Novelty and out of the homebred cow Wedderburn Johanna. Sally was purchased by John Taylor, St Margarets Hope, Orkney.

Champion Female for the day was Lot 8 Lowflan Suzie from Ian Wilson and Carol Wood, Mansriggs, Ulverston, who sold for 5,000gns at 22months old. She is sired by the 24,000gns Gunnerfleet Eros and out of the homebred cow Lowflan Ivey. This January 2021-born heifer has a Beef Value of LM22 and heads home to the Ritchies Pedigree Limousin herd owned by Alieen Ritchie, Whitecairns, Aberdeenshire.

Weaned Calves

12 Bull Calves achieved an average of £2086.87

20 Heifer Calves achieved an average of £4357.50 (+£1,129.73 on 2021)

Clearance rate 84% (+ 11% on 2021)

Topping the Weaned Calf sale was Lot 82 Castlemill Tori from P Weir and Son, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire, selling for 15,000gns at 6months old. Tori who was born in May 2022, is sired by Huntershall Ppendragon and out of the homebred cow Castlemill Oasis, who goes back to Derrygullinane Kingbull. She was the first female to be offered for sale from the Castlemill herd. Tori was the pick of the day for Mr M Nelson of the Bullandcave Pedigree Limousin herd based in Clapham, Lancaster.

Following on from the sale of Sarkley Sybella, E H Pennie and Son went on to sell a consignment of eight weaned calf heifers achieving an average of £4,068.75 for the day. First up was Lot 100 Sarkley Tenrietta with the hammer falling on a final telephone bid of 10,000gns. Tenrietta has a Beef Value of LM29. She is sired by the 14,500gns Carnew Millreef and out of the homebred cow Sarkley Lenrietta. Born April 2022, at 7months old Tenrietta was snapped up by B E Williams, Sennybridge, Powys.

Lot 90 Goldies Topgirl exhibited by Bruce T Goldie, sold through an online bid for 8,000gns at 8months old to H C Jewitt, Barnard Castle, Co Durham. Placing second in her class, this embryo calf is sired by Ampertaine Opportunity and out of the homebred cow Goldies Glamour. She has a Beef Value of LM41, which is in the top 10% for the breed.

Andrew John Harrison Appleby, Cumbria, presented Lot 94 Noble Tinkerbell for sale, she went under the hammer for 6,500gns at 8months old. This embryo calf won Overall Champion Calf Westmorland Show 2022. She is sired by Pabo Oldspice and out of the homebred cow Noble Diana. This March 2022-born heifer now resides in Aberdeen with B Duffton, Huntley.

Walking into the ring was Lot 99 Sarkley Tamelia from E H Pennie and son. Tamelia achieved the second top price for the Sarkley herd that day, selling for 4,800gns at 7months of age. This heifer is sired by the aforementioned Carnew Millreef and out of the homebred cow Sarkley Nimelia. Tamelia, born April 2022, has a Beef Value of LM32 and goes home to the Ruaig Pedigree Limousin herd owned by A and I MacInnes, Isle of Tiree, Argyll.

S and T Illingworth, Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway, brought forward Lot 81 Glenrock Tinkerbell who sold for 4,500gns at 6months old. Tinkerbell is sired by the 14,000gns Goldies Oxo and out of the homebred cow Glenrock Nespresso, who goes back to Lodge Hamlet. She has a Beef Value of LM45, which places her in the top 10% of the breed. Steven Wilson owner of the Impulsive Pedigree Limousin herd took Tinkerbell home to Corby Hill, Carlisle.