Limousin cattle enthusiasts in Denmark and the Netherlands were among the buyers of bulls at the breed’s main sale at Carlisle.
Dutch breeder Teus Dekker forked out 45,000gn on Saturday acquiring two for his Cowperation cattle business, which has 20 pedigree cows near Rotterdam.
Mr Dekker, a businessman who ran IT firms across Europe and now devotes his life to his hobby of breeding cattle, paid 28,000gn for the sale leader, Gorrycam Hunter.
Trade on the day brightened for the junior and intermediate bulls but it was sticky at points, especially for bulls at the lower end of the quality scale. The average at £6,322 for 76 was up £22 on last year, when 109 sold.
There had been 192 in the sale catalogue, but only 147 turned up and 33 were rejected at inspection, leaving 114 for sale.
The scale of rejections – 13 alone for veterinary issues surrounding teeth, eyes and testicles – did not please those breeders affected who complained bitterly. But British Limousin Cattle Society chief executive Iain Kerr defended the inspection process. He said all aspects of the sale would, as ever, be analysed rigorously by the society in the coming days.
Mr Kerr, who was conspicuous by his absence for the first time in many years from the auctioneer’s rostrum during the sale, was pleased with the trade.
But others within the breed said the number of rejections should act as a wake-up call for the society. At least 14 of the rejected bulls were sold in private deals from their pens, including one at £8,000.
Gorrycam Hunter, a July 2012 son of Cloughhead Umpire and Gorrycam Dolly, was bred by Stephen Reel, of St Patrick’s Park, Cullyhanna, Newry. The bull, which won the reserve junior championship, was the same-way bred as Gorrycam Hazzard, the supreme at Carlisle’s May sale and which sold for 26,000gn.
Mr Dekker said if there had been a prize for the sweetest bull on show, then Hunter would have won it. He was attracted to him because of his sire and maternal grandsire.
Stuart Barclay, of Harestone, Crathes, and Balfour Baillie, of Sebay Cottage, Tankerness, Orkney, shared at 19,000gn Crossdykes Hercules. The June 2012 son of the 4,400gn Culnagechan Bullseye and Crossdykes Celia will be put to use on their small pedigree herds, as well as commercial cattle operations. Hercules was bred by Allan and Billy Common, of Crossdykes, Lockerbie.
Mr Dekker paid 17,000gn for the senior champion, Withersdale Heros, a February 2012 son of Sympa and Withersale Didi, from D.C. and S.R. Wharton, of Willow Farm, Mendham, Suffolk,
Crofter Gordon Cameron, of Newton Cottage, Acharacle, bid to 13,500gn to secure Garyvaughan Haines, a May 2012 son of Plumtree Deus and Garyvaughan Elaine, from Colin and Elaine Lewis and their sons, Graham and Terry, of Buttington New Hall, Welshpool.
The supreme, Emslies Horny, from Harry Emslie, of Emslies Livestock, Kinknockie, Mintlaw, made 12,500gn to Patrick Greed, who has 130 pedigree cows in the Killerton herd near Exeter.
Horny, an April 2012 son of Emslies Colossus and Emslies Erotic, had a beef value of +49, putting him in the top 1% of the breed. It was the first Carlisle supreme for Mr Emslie, who has 100 cows and will be dispersing some of them at a Sassy Lassies sale he is holding in Carlisle on January 18.
Colossus, the herd’s senior stock bull, goes back to Ballymoney Noisette, the cow that bred Veronica, Mr Emslie’s noted show winner.
Stephen Duncan and son Stephen paid 12,000gn for Culnagechan Hawkeye, an April 2012 son of Carmorn Copilot and Ardbrack Revedenuit, from Derek Hume, of Magherafelt Road, Randalstown. The Duncans will be using him on their 60 commercial cows and half a dozen pedigree females.
Also at 12,000gn was the junior champion, Maraiscote Hiphop, an April 2012 son of Goldies Comet and Maraiscote Disco, from the Nimmos, of Bogside, New Mains, Wishaw, to J. and F. Hartley and Sons, of Low Shipley, Hamsterley, Bishop Auckland.
James Innes, of Dunscroft, Huntly, paid 11,500gn for another of the April 2012 offerings from the Nimmos – Maraiscote Hawk, also sired by Comet but out of Maraiscote Davina.
The last five-figure deal was at 11,000gn for Ampertaine Hallmark, a May 2012 son of Sympa and out of Ampertaine Sandy, from the McKays, of Kilry Road, Maghera, to MacArthur Bros, Mid Fleenas, Nairn.
Grant Laing, of Gaich, Grantown, and Dod McConachie, of Lethendry, Cromdale, shared at 9,000gn Middledale Hendrix, which will be put to use on the suckler cow herds.
The Leslies, of Quoymore, Balfour, Orkney, paid 8,000gn for Spittalton Hero. Also at the same price to the Muirs, of Gorn, Shapinsay, was Tomschoice Hercules.