Scottish breeders were out in force at the national autumn show and sale of Limousin cattle at Carlisle.
Averages were back by more than £2,600 a head, however last year’s sale saw a new world record set when a bull went under the hammer for 140,000gn.
Leading the charge at this year’s fixture, where 11 lots sold for 10,000gn or more, was the pre-sale supreme champion selling for 35,000gn to Kedzlie Farms Ltd, Lauderdale, Galashiels.
The top price was paid for May-2015 born Foxhillfarm Lordofthering from Mike and Melanie Alford, of Foxhill Farm, Blackborough, Devon.
Prior to his sale at Harrison and Hetherington’s Borderway Mart, he won a string of show rosettes including beef interbreed champion at the Devon County Show and junior and male champion at the Highland.
An AI son of Guards Boomer, Lordofthering is out of Bankdale Alice which has bred more than 300,000gn of progeny so far.
Next best at 17,000gn was May-2015 born Westpit Landlord from Jim and Andrew Gammie at Drumforber, Laurencekirk.
Landlord is the first bull to be sold from the herd sire Jalex Itsallgood. He sold to an undisclosed buyer.
Next best at 14,000gn was May-2015 born Swarland Larry from A and D Proctor, Swarland Old Hall, Morpeth, Northumberland.
He is one of the first sons of Fairywater Haig to be offered for sale and sold to E. Jones and daughter, Coedmor Hall, Dyfed, Wales.
Three lots then sold to 12,000gn including the senior champion from the Irvine family’s Anside herd at Braehead Farm, Drummuir, Banffshire.
March-2015 born Anside Loki is the first son of Powerful Irish to be offered for sale by the family, which featured on the This Farming Life TV programme. Loki is a maternal brother to Anside Flint which sold for 30,000gn. He sold to E.S. and E Norman, Little Orton Farm, Carlisle.
Perthshire breeder Stuart Fotheringham, who runs the Ballinloan herd near Dunkeld, sold both of his entries for 10,000gn.
First in the ring for Mr Fotheringham, selling to J and J Bannatyne, Drumalbin Farm, Biggar, was the Perth Show interbreed champion Ballinloan Lazer. His other entry – Ballinloan Lethal – sold to D. Baillie, Calla, Carnwath, Lanark.
Keith breeder Garry Patterson of Upper Forgie, Aultmore, sold to a top of 7,500gn for Aultside Lionheart, which is a full brother to the 55,000gn Aultside Hulk.
By Wilodge Cerebrus, Lionheart sold to T Trafford, Peter House Farm, Keswick, Cumbria. Aberdeenshire breeder Albert Howie, who runs the Knock herd at West Knock, Stuartfield, Peterhead, sold to a top of 8,000gn.
In all 93 bulls sold to average £6,104.11.
This is back £2,605.33 on last year’s fixture when 85 sold to average £8,709.44 and a record-breaking top price of 140,000gn was achieved.
Females sold to a top of 10,000gn for a heifer from the Gordon Brooke Estate at Upper Huntlywood Farm, Earlston, Berwickshire.
November-2014 born Romford Jola is an embryo transfer daughter of Carmorn Copilot and out of Sarkley Ola.
She sold to W Richardson and Son, Ghyll House, Dufton, Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria.
The Richardsons also paid the second-best price of the day of 8,500gn for a heifer from Kedzlie Farm Ltd.
Swalesmoor Isla is an embryo transfer daughter of Wilodge Vantastic out of Sarkley Edajen.
In all 15 females sold to average £4,203.50.