BROCKHURST PEDIGREE LIMOUSIN CATTLE Saturday 15th March 2008

6,500gns Brockhurst Vanquish Tops Brockhurst Limousin Sale

Total Clearance of 130 lots – 13 Senior Bulls Average £2725

Topping the on-farm production sale from the Brockhurst Herd of WJ & M Mash Ltd held at Torrington Farm, Chesham, Bucks on Saturday 15th March 2008 was the rising four year old bull Brockhurst Vanquish who boasts a tremendous back pedigree. His sire is the Ronick Matador son, Brockhurst Revere, the 2003 Royal Welsh Show Supreme Champion and his dam is the 2003 Royal Welsh Female Champion and 2004 Royal Show Supreme Champion, Ronick McAinsi. McAinsi was purchased by Doug Mash for a then record price for a maiden heifer of 28,000gns at Carlisle in November 1997. Brockhurst Vanquish sold for 6,500gns to BL & HL Hughes, Ystrad Fawr, Llangwm, Corwen, Clwyd for their Medrad pedigree Herd.

With the sale brought forward to beat the BTV movement deadline, there was no shortage of buyers and a solid trade was underpinned by a total clearance of the 130 lots catalogued. Overall, 12 senior bulls sold to an average of £2813 with 46 cows served and/or suckling averaging £1,593. There was also a sale of commercial cattle mainly sold in calf to Limousin bulls and the trade demonstrated continued demand for Limousin genetics – both male and female – with a broad range of new and established buyers present from all four corners of the UK.

The day’s second highest price of 3,700gns went to the rising two-year-old bull Brockhurst Bullet, full brother to Brockhurst Bolshoi, Overall Junior Champion, Royal Welsh Show 2007. April 2006 born, this embryo calf is out of the mating of Ronick McAinsi and Grahams Samson, the Limousin bull who sold for a then world record price of 55,000gns in February 2003. This same pairing had rewritten the Limousin record books at the April 2005 Brockhurst Sale when a recipient heifer carrying an embryo calf went under the hammer for a world record 5,500gns. Purchaser was RE Humphries, Pinchgut Farm, Potterspury Road, Towcester, Northants. The same Samson-McAinsi combination led to a 2,800gns final bid from Messrs Robertson, Ashlea Farm, Maple Ridge Lane, Horton for another full brother, the April 2006 born Brockhurst Buccaneer.

Miller Bros, Folly Farm, Haddenham, Aylesbury, Bucks forked out 3,400gns for the May 2006 born bull, Brockhurst Bob, sired by the Ronick Hawk son, Brockhurst Stoke and out of Brockhurst Uriana. Senior stock bull Brockhurst Premier was next at 2,500gns when knocked down to Morris Farms Ltd, Blounts Farm, Allens Green, Sawbridgeworth, Herts. By Ronick Lenor, a Broadmeadows Cannon son, and out of the Royal Show Champion, Broadmeadows Didi, this eight year old senior sire will now go to work on the purchaser’s Blounts Herd.

Two further bulls made 2,400gns apiece. Brockhurst Amnesty, August 2005 born, and sired by Loosebeare Superman and out of Beeches Oast heads to Napper Farm Services, Inghams Farm, Chilton Road, West Hagbourne whilst Brockhurst Byron, a Brockhurst Stoke son and out of Beeches Urchin, was purchased by Messrs Chantler & Sons, Waclett Court, Headcorm, Ashford, Kent.

Trade for females was also good with the highlight being a recipient dam carrying an embryo calf by the Royal Show pairing of Ronick McAinsi and the French-bred bull, Samy – the record three time winner of the Burke Trophy at the 2005-2007 Royal Shows. Due to calve in September 2008, this unique combination was snapped up for 3,200gns by DB Mairs, Hillhead Road, Ballyclare, Co Antrim, N Ireland.

Top priced pedigree female was the ten year old cow, Brockhurst Ontibet, when selling to prolific Limousin buyers Smiths of Bloxham, Newlands Farm, Bloxham, Banbury, Oxon for 3,000gns. Sired by the Broadmeadows Cannon son, Spage Master, and out of the French dam and show cow Himalaya, Brockhurst Ontibet was sold with her June 2007 born bull calf at foot, Brockhurst Comet. Her calf is by Glenturk Ultrasolid, the Junior and Reserve Supreme Champion Carlisle October 2004, when purchased by Doug Mash for 21,000gns. Brockhurst Ontibet was sold in calf to Springside Amazon.

Causeway Rosy was purchased for 2,600gns by AS & LD Adam, Garraron Farm, Ardfern, Lochgilphead, Argyll for their Garraron Prefix. Bred by Mrs LA Flint T/A LA Burton, Haddenham, Cambs this 2000 born cow by Fenrose Oliver and out of Fenrose Joline was sold with her Brockhurst Timbuktu sired heifer calf at foot, Brockhurst Carmen.

A bid at the 2,400gns mark secured the eleven year cow Tredon Nita for P Carr’s Hill View Farm holding, Kimblewick, Aylesbury, Bucks. Tredon Nita was bred by DG Granger, Tredon Farm, Willingham, Cambs and is a very good brood cow by Broadmeadows Jet and out of Lodge Helen. Scanned in calf to Springside Amazon, she was sold with her twin bull and heifer calves at foot.

Averages
46 cows served and/or suckling £1,593.59
14 maiden heifers £ 747.75
2 recipients carrying embryos £2,400.00
12 senior bulls £2,813.13
14 junior bulls £ 769.64
42 commercial cows & calves and maiden heifers £672.02