Dairy & Beef

Strong trade for Limousin continues at Carlisle sale

19th February 2025

A top price of 25,000gns was achieved for bulls at the the 47th National Early Spring Sale of pedigree British Limousin cattle this month.

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Lot 185 Bernish Unstoppabull with red white and blue rosette, and handler in the background — *^{Reserve Overall Male Champion, Lot 185 Bernish Unstoppabull, made the top price of the day, selling for 25,000gns.}*

A total of 88 bulls and 11 females were sold at the Limousin sale at Harrison and Hetherington Auction Mart, Carlisle, on 15^th February.

Top prices were 25,000gns for bulls and 16,000gns for females, with average prices of £8788.98 and £5641.36 respectively.

Clearance rates were 68% for the bulls and 85% for the females.

Incredible show of Limousin bulls

Twenty-five bulls sold for between 10,000gns and 25,000gns.

The judge for the day was Kim Montgomery who farms the Ballyrobin pedigree Limousin herd alongside her aunt Joan Gilliland, which was founded in 1994.

Kim commented: “There was an incredible show of Limousin bulls which were a credit to the exhibitors and the breed.

“A lot of the bulls displayed outstanding growth rates complemented by impressive carcases.

“It was an honour to judge, and I look forward to seeing what progeny comes from the sale in the future.”

Top price for Unstoppabull

The top price for the day was the Reserve Overall Male Champion, Lot 185 Bernish Unstoppabull – selling for 25,000gns – brought forward by Mr Kieran McCrory, Omagh, Co Tyrone.

This natural born calf was born in May 2023 and has double F94L myostatin.

Unstoppabull is sired by Goldies Goldfinger who won intermediate champion at Carlisle in 2013 and sold for 21,000gns.

He is a heifer’s calf, out of the home bred Bernish Roslyn, who is sired by the renowned Ampertaine Elgin.

Upstoppabull was purchased by AJ Smith Farming in Buckinghamshire, new members to the Society under the Brakes prefix.

Kieran McCrory commented: “Bernish Unstoppabull was a heifer’s calf that showed promise from an early age.

“We have had a great few days in Carlisle and topped it all off with a fantastic price for the bull.”

This is the top price for the herd to date and is a fantastic achievement to follow on from winning supreme champion Carlisle May 2024 with Bernish Toplad.

Ultimate choice

Selling for 24,000gns was the Reserve Senior Champion for the day Lot 135 Lissett Ultimate, brought forward by J H Tennant, Bridlington, East Yorkshire.

Ultimate is an April 2023 natural born calf with double F94L myostatin and a Beef Value of LM45 which is in the top 10% for the breed.

He is sired by the homebred bull Lissett Osten and out of the homebred cow Lissett Rhonda.

He was the ultimate choice for buyer Mr J Nimmo of the Maraiscote pedigree Limousin herd, based in Wishaw, North Lanarkshire.

Lot 219 Maraiscote Upshot with a red rosette and handler to the side — *^{Lot 219 Maraiscote Upshot sold for 20,000gns.}*

Six bulls sold from one herd

In a fantastic day’s trading for the Maraiscote herd, Mr J Nimmo sold six bulls in total averaging 11,250gns with three of those bulls selling for 10,000gns or more.

First in his class and selling for 20,000gns was Lot 219 Maraiscote Upshot. Next up, Lot 165 Maraiscote Ukraine sold for 18,000gns and was placed first in his class.

Two other bulls also sold for 20,000gns – Lot 144 Wilodge Ubet from the Wilodge herd, Shropshire, and Lot 213 Shaws Umpire, presented by M and F Burns, Ayrshire.

Other top prices included 18,000gns for Lot 113 Ampertaine Urban 15,000gns for and his twin calf, Lot 112 Ampertaine Ulrich.

Also selling at 18,000gns was senior champion Lot 123 Garrowby Umbongo, from Garrowby Farm, Bugthorpe, York.

*^{The top price female for the day was 16,000gns, for Lot 6 Huntershall Ursula.}*

85% clearance for females

11 females were sold on the day, achieving an 85% clearance rate and an average price of £5641.36.

The top price female for the day was Lot 6 Huntershall Ursula presented by Stephen J Nixon, Wigton, Cumbria.

Ursula sold for 16,000gns online to the Bottleshall pedigree herd of East Anglian Trailers Ltd, Colchester.

Ursula is sired by Milbrook Playboy and out of Huntershall Orchid. She was April 2023 born and has a back Pedigree full of renowned sires including Lowerffrydd Empire, Wilodge Vantastic, Ampertaine Gigolo and Haltcliffe Vermount.

Garrowby Farm sold four females achieving an average of £5,675. Their top price female was Lot 8 Garrowby Unique, who headed out the ring at 7,500gns to T Common of the Lowardley pedigree Limousin herd, based in Hexham.

Born March 2023, she is sired by Grahams Rooney and out of Gunnerfleet Munas.