PEDIGREE LIMOUSIN CATTLE Friday 2nd & Saturday 3rd May 2008

HALTCLIFFE BRAVEHEART LEADS LIMOUSIN SALE AT 25,000GNS

125 bulls average £5,048 - 83% clearance - 24 bulls over £6,500 - Averages up £567 - Sale Grosses £700,000+ - Females Reach 13,000gns

The prolific Haltcliffe herd of Messrs Ridley, Haltcliffe, Hesket New Market, Cumbria provided the outstanding highlight of a buoyant 25th Annual British Limousin Cattle Society Sale on Saturday 3rd May 2008. A tremendous line-up Haltcliffe bulls with shape, muscle and top bloodlines saw the Ridleys – father and son Matt & Craig – gross £120,330 from their team of 12 bulls to average a truly mighty £10,028 apiece.

A measure of the quality of the Ridley team was reflected in the fact that a half share in one of them took the day’s top price of 25,000gns! Haltcliffe Braveheart had been placed as the pre-sale Show Reserve Junior Champion by the judge Aberdeenshire breeder Michael Massie, Mains of Elrick, Auchnagatt, Ellon Aberdeenshire. This sixteen month old calf had the combination of tremendous shape and conformation underpinned by high quality breeding. Braveheart, with a Beef Value of LM+26, is sired by Cloughhead Umpire who was purchased for the Haltcliffe herd for the sum of 42,000gns at Carlisle in February 2005. A heifer’s first calf, Braveheart out of the dam Haltcliffe Voluptuous, who is a full sister to the 100,000gns world record priced Limousin bull, Haltcliffe Vermount.

Haltcliffe Braveheart

Purchaser of the half share was Keith Redpath of Redpath Farms, Spylaw, Kelso, Roxburghshire whose immediate plans are to collect semen from Braveheart at his newly established collection facility at Kelso which has been set up in partnership with UK Sire Services.

The line up of Ridley bulls secured a number of leading sale prices including 25,000, 19,000, 15,000, 14,000 and 10,000gns respectively!

As a whole, a tremendous demand for the 151 bulls offered saw averages jump £567 to level at over £5000. Two bulls made 20,000gns or over, with 11 five-figure prices in all and 40 lots making 5,000gns or more. The junior section was again strong with 39 bulls averaging just under £6000. In a sale full of depth right through the catalogue, 125 bulls were sold from the 151 forward representing an excellent clearance of 83% exactly in line with the previous year’s clearance. The sale grossed a very respectable £710,060. On the Friday evening, a sale of females had set the tone when topping at 13,000gns.

The number of bulls forward at 151 was down on the year at what is traditionally the largest Society Sale. This was due in the main to the ongoing Bluetongue situation and the related increase of bulls sold privately. To accommodate bulls in the Bluetongue areas, two early year sales had been held at Newark resulting in the sale of almost fifty Limousin bulls.

Commenting on the sale, BLCS Chief Executive Iain Kerr said; “There was a tremendous depth in demand for the bulls offered and this demonstrates the commercial producer’s confidence in the breed. Ease of management and ease of calving were the buzz words as you spoke to buyers around the market. These economically important traits, added to the production of a top end carcase product are what continue to drive the Limousin breed forward”, he said.

Another strong contingent of bulls from Northern Ireland made their mark with no fewer than five class winners and some suitable prices to follow. Best of these was the Southern Irish bred Carrefour Ben brought out by John McGrane who runs the Drumeland Prefix at Annvale Rd, Keady, Co Armagh. Carrefour Ben is the son of Elite Popsi and is out of the dam Marlhill Stasia. Ben was bred by John Kenny, Loughan, Dunkerrin Birr, Co Offaly, Eire and his purchaser at 20,000gns was undisclosed.

Third top price at 19,000gns was the Reserve Senior Male Champion, the August 2006 born Haltcliffe Bravo, again from Messrs Ridley, Haltcliffe, Hesket-New-Market, Cumbria. Another bull with extreme muscle, he is a son of the prolific French sire Sympa, whose progeny to date has sold for 43,000gns, and out of Ronick Ricole, a Broadmeadows Cannon daughter. With a Beef Value of LM+40, Haltcliffe Bravo is a full brother to Haltcliffe Underwriter, Junior Champion Carlisle May 2004 when selling for 10,000gns and sire of the 30,000gns Craigatoke Apache - top price at Carlisle in May 2007. Again, this bull combined visual appeal, breeding and figures and this combination attracted the buyers JW & ME Fieldson, Poplar Farm, Corringham, Gainsborough, Lincs who run the Fieldson herd of pedigree Limousins.

Another Ridley bull, this time at 15,000gns was the first prize winner Haltcliffe Chico who sold to well-known Welsh commercial showmen EDE & NEE Jones, Coedmore Hall, Cellan, Lampeter, Dyfed. Another Cloughhead Umpire son and out of Haltcliffe Versailles (full sister to Haltcliffe Ullswater sold Carlisle May 2004 for 43,000gns), Chico was one of the youngest catalogued bulls at a little over 15 months and carried a Beef Value of LM+27.

The aptly named Haltcliffe twins, Bill and Ben, set a record mark for twins at 24,000gns. By Sympa and out of the prolific dam Renoncule this pairing were full brothers to Haltcliffe Ullswater sold Carlisle May 2004 for 43,000gns. Renoncule is also the dam of the 100,000gns Haltcliffe Vermount. Ben made 14,000gns when selling to N & J Matthews, Pyebrook Farm, Sutton, Stanton Lacey, Ludlow, Shropshire whilst Haltcliffe Bill made 10,000gns to joint purchasers BT Goldie, Townfoot Farm, Mouswald, Dumfries and Castlewigg Farming Co Ltd, Castlewigg Farm, Whithorn, Newton Stewart, Wigtownshire.

Messrs Matthews also purchased the two top priced females at the Limousin Ladies Sale on the Friday evening which saw a top price of 13,000gns and a near total clearance. Highlight was the Female Champion, Unicite, a French-bred cow from AW Owen & MW Grieves-Owen, Cwm Farm, Llandygarn, Llanerchymedd, Anglesey. Unicite was sold on the back of a successful flushing programme which had yielded 13 embryos, two of which formed part of the sale.

Back to the bull sale and the Show’s Overall Supreme Champion was Normande Bruce from N&E Cruickshank, Cowford Farm, Cleghorn, Lanarkshire came from the Senior Section. This was the second time the Normande herd had secured a Supreme Championship at Carlisle, the first being with Normande Jack in 1995. Normande Bruce was sold for 13,000gns to the Shire Herd of DBD & CA Edgar, Fellside, Ousby, Penrith, Cumbria. By the French sire Ravageur and out of the home-bred dam Normande Ribbon, one of the herd’s milkiest cows, he had impressed judge Michael Massie in the pre-sale Show held on the Friday when putting him up as his Senior then Overall Champion. An outstanding 21 month old bull, he was sold with a Beef Value of LM+35 putting him towards the top 1% of breed. His sire, Ravageur, was bought in France by the Cruickshanks and subsequently sold to Northern Ireland in a private deal for £14,000 in August 2006. He has since been bought at auction and brought back to the mainland by Welsh breeders Messrs Watkins for 8000gns. His progeny include the 18,000gns Normande Arapaho sold at Carlisle in February 2007 and the £7,500 Normande Urquhart selected for the Young Bull Proving Scheme in 2006.

JJ & P Kearney, Carhill Road, Garvagh, Co Derry, N Ireland paid 12,000gns for the youngest red ticket winning bull in the show in the shape of Carntogher Carlos from L McEldowney, 39 Slaughtneil Road, Maghera, Co. Derry. By Woodhouse Vince, who has Goldies Oswald and Greensons Gigolo in his back pedigree, and out of Carntogher Unique, a Jockey granddaughter, the February 2007 born bull was sold with a Beef Value of LM+27. The day was rounded off in style for Mr McEldowney as two lots later he sold Carntogher Captain, another Woodhouse Vince son, for 6,400gns to Thomas W Bell & Son Ltd, Hill Top Farm, Keswick, Cumbria.

Senior bull and first in class 8 was Cowin Benboyr, brought out by WD & C James, Blaencowin Bryn Iwan, Cynwyl Elfed, Carmarthenshire when selling at the 11,000gns mark to breeders EH Pennie & Son, Gwern-Yr-Chain, Llandyssil, Montgomery, Powys. By Kype Orkney and out of Preselihill Rose and with a cracking Beef Value of LM+36, this very thick and muscular bull heads to the noted Sarkley Herd.

J Ward Farming, Greetwell Hall, Greetwell, Lincoln paid 10,500 & 10,000gns respectively for two bulls. First of these was KI & E & HI Jones’ Garnedd Bonheddwr from their Bryn Ddraenen, Padog, Betws Y Coed holding. By the French sire, Omer, and out of the homebred dam, Garnedd Vicky, this bull with his exceptional topline was bought for use on the Wards’ nascent pedigree herd. Joining him is the Reserve Intermediate Champion, Loosebeare Bananaman, consigned by EW Quick & Sons, Loosebeare Manor, Zeal Monachorum, Crediton, Devon. With a cracking Beef Value of LM+39, this October 2006 bull is by Rainbow Simon and out of the Greenwell Manager daughter, Loosebeare Rariot. Bananaman’s three-quarter brother Loosebeare Austinpowers had sold at last year’s sale for 7,500gns but Loosebeare Bananaman eclipsed this when knocked down to J Ward Farming for 10,000gns. The first ten sons from the Quick’s Rainbow Simon stock bull have averaged over 7000gns at sale.

The Reserve Overall Champion was the Junior Champion, Hannem Bean, a much admired rising 17 month old bull from MS Potter, Blackacres Farm, Goosey, Faringdon, Oxon. Sired by Bailea Vantage and out of Hannem Urma, a Ronick Hawk granddaughter, he sported a 400 day weight of 687kgs and a Beef Value of LM+29. The Potters run a herd of pure bred Limousin females run on a commercial basis with six stock bulls and were runners up in the 2006 South Wales & Mid West Limousin Suckler Herd Competition. December 2006 born, Hannem Bean was purchased for 8,200gns by DB & ID Owen, Rhyd Y Defaid, Trefor, Holyhead, Anglesey.

The May Sale had also been anticipated for the debut of calves by the 100,000gns Haltcliffe Vermount. Vermount breeding had been to the fore in the Ridley’s sale team and this was followed through by Procters Cobra sold by Vermount owners Procters Farms, Woodhouse Lane, Slaidburn. This January 2007 born bull by Haltcliffe Vermount, is out of Procters Tiara, a Neutron daughter, and was sold with a Beef Value of LM+20 for 8,000gns to T Robinson & Sons, Catlow Farm, Slaidburn, Clitheroe, Lancs.

Two bulls made 7,500gns. Messrs J Logan’s first prize winning bull, Homebyres Brodick, by Homebyres Vanhee and out of Homebyres Tansi was sold with a Beef Value of LM+27 to P Balderstone, Nisbet Mill, Jedburgh, Roxburghshire. G Roberts, Tyddynwilym, Ardda, Trefiw, Conwy forked out the same figure for Scotchtown Butler from L&R Allison, Seacoast Rd, Limavady, Co Londonderry, NI. Sporting a Beef Value of LM+31, Butler is November 2006 born and a Homebyres Visitor son and out of a Scotchtown-bred dam with Greenwell and Shire breeding behind her.

Following up his top price purchase in the females, N & J Matthews, Pyebrook Farm, Sutton, Stanton Lacey, Ludlow, Shropshire also snapped up Bridgeford Amber from Bryan McElroy, Enagh Rd, Dromara, Dromore, N Ireland. A Milbrook Tanko daughter and out of Bridgeford Saskia, RUAS 2004 Champion and 2004 ILC Female Champion, she was knocked down for 4,500gns.Three heifers from Mr & Mrs J Callion, Skreen Rd, Shaneragh, Dromore, Co Tyrone, N Ireland grossed an impressive 10,800gns. Melbreak Candy, an April 2007 born heifer by Rocky and out of Sarkley Tarriane – a half sister to the 28,000gns Sarkley Arriane – sold for 4,000gns to DW & EME Armstrong, Highfield Farm, Jolly Tar Lane, Coppull, Chorley, Lancs who also purchased Melbreak Coral, a10 month old heifer calf by Ronick Urinocco and out of Lodge Silves at the 3,600gns mark. Rounding off a great day for the Callions was their Reserve Female Champion, Melbreak Clover, another rising 10 month old heifer by Beaghmore Uday and out of Ashhollow Twinkle when snapped up by J Ward Farming, Greetwell Hall, Greetwell, Lincoln for 3,200gns who went on to buy a number of high-value bulls and females. Overall 33 females sold to average £2,394.

Other leading prices
Ampertaine Colorado 7,200gns to J Orr & Ptrs, Wester Walston Farm, Carnwath
Rahoney Bartimaeus 7,000gns to M Evans, Nant-Y-Creuau, Pentrefoelas, Betws Y Coed
Ampertaine Bailey 7,000gns to GL & D Reid, South Park House, Muthill, Crieff
Anside Benjamin 7,000gns to RA Cadzow, Inland Pasture, Berwick upon Tweed
Culnagechan Bandit 7,000gns to T & B Williams, Cil Mawr, Llangedwyn, Oswestry
Loosebeare Blair 6,800gns to H Williams, Dolau, Llangernyw, Abergele
Craigatoke Bart 6,500gns to J Penny, Shannas, Mintlaw, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire
Homebyres Banker 6,500gns to DG & JA Bell, Low Blaithwaite Farm, Wigton
Hafodlas Caio 6,500gns to A & L Warin, The Lawns, Harden Grange, Bingley, W Yorks

Averages
33 Senior Bulls £4,734.55
53 Intermediate Bulls £4,590.28
39 Junior Bulls £5,936.54
Overall 125 bulls £5,048.40 (+ £567.45)
4 Cows and Heifers served and/or suckling £5,617.50
4 Served Heifers £2,677.50
25 Maiden Heifers £1,833.30

view photographs by Wayne Hutchinson