Tunnelby Cow Tops Sparkling Limousin Sale at 10,500gns
26/07/05

Tunnelby Patience & Tunnelby Annapurna

Harrison & Hetherington's Borderway Mart, Carlisle was the venue for a spectacular sale from four leading pedigree Limousin herds on Monday 25th July 2005 which saw tremendous averages for the cattle forward and a top price of 10,500gns. This went to Tunnelby Patience, a December 1999 born fourth calver, by the prolific Ronick Hawk and out of Fieldhouse Ruby, who was sold with her heifer calf at foot, Tunnelby Annapurna, by Haltcliffe Olympus.  Purchasers were Procters Farm Ltd, Woodhouse Lane, Slaidburn, Clitheroe, Lancs for inclusion to their Procters pedigree herd.

At the close of the sale across the four herds, 108 head was sold to gross £236,670 with seven lots making over 5,000gns and one over 10,000gns.  A vast crowd turned up to see this much anticipated sale from four noted herds and buyers were an even mixture of established breeders and new faces from a wide UK geography.

Furious bidding underpinned the Tunnelby consignment which was undergoing a major reduction sale on behalf of Miss EA Thompson, Beechwood, School Lane, Onneley, Cheshire, eager to add some outstanding bloodlines whether in the shape of cows, heifers or bulls.

Going under the hammer for 6,000gns was the March 2004 born maiden heifer, Tunnelby Valenciennes, a daughter of the French bull Otan got by A.I. and out of Tunnelby Florrie, she sold to the Dinmore pedigree herd of P Dawes, Kipperknowle Barn, Dinmore Manor Estate, Hereford.  The same buyer also purchased Lot 2, the eight year old cow, Tunnelby Nuisance, by Ronick Cosmos, out of Tunnelby Bungle, and guaranteed in calf to Nobel, for 5,800gns.

A daughter of Tunnelby Nuisance, Tunnelby Vindalanda, made 4,500gns when selling to the Cracrop herd of DT & M Stobart, Cracrop, Kirkcambeck, Brampton, Cumbria.  Sired by Ronick Hawk, this maiden heifer was born on 9th August 2004.  Tunnelby Pickle, a six-year-old cow by Tanholm Claus made 4,200gns and heads off to the Isle of Man home of Mr&Mrs PA Kermode, Orrisdale Farm, Ballasalla and their Orrisdale pedigree herd.  This cow is out of Tunnelby Mustrad who goes back to Newsham Fancyfree, one of the herds foundation cows.

Following the Tunnelby consignment was an important sale from the well-known Normande herd for Messrs N&E Cruickshank, Cowford Farm, Cleghorn, Lanarkshire established some 27 years ago. Again, bidding was fierce as buyers readily purchased the quality lots available.  Seven animals made 5,500gns or over .  Leading this consignment was their stock bull, Scorboro Regius, by Scorboro Olympian and out of Scorboro Lace. This five year old bull with a beef value of LM+43 - putting him easily in the top 1% of breed - was knocked down to an undisclosed buyer for 8,800gns.

Selling at 5,100 and 5,000gns respectively were 2 Normande cows: the first was the rising five year old Normande Rischia, by Aldwyck Orpheus and out of Normande Ischia. She was sold with her heifer calf at foot the Scorboro Regius daughter, Normande Varischia, to J Thomson, Hilton of Beath Farm, Kelty, Fife.  The second was the seven year old Normande Organza, sold with bull calf at foot, Normande Atlas, also sired by Regius. This Normande Judge daughter who is out of Normande Edna was purchased by WJ Bradley, Knockloughrim, Magherafelt, Co.Londonderry, N. Ireland. 

Also making 5,000gns was the served heifer Normande Uptowngal.  This Scorboro Regius daughter is out of the Tarvis sired Normande Ladybird whose previous progeny included Normande Tuscan a bull sold for 13,000gns.  With a huge beef value of LM+40, stylish animal, who was second in class at the 2004 ILC National Show, was purchased by AR Lindsay, Kepscaith, Longridge, Bathgate for their Clydeside pedigree herd.  The last lot in the Normande consignment, Normande Ukraine sold for the same price, 5,000gns, to an undisclosed buyer.  This November 2003 born heifer is by French stock bull Ravageur, an Ionesco son who had been placed Junior Champion at the Royal Highland in 2002.  Out of the Shire Handsome sired female Normande Loretta, this animal again sported a big beef value of LM+36.

David Baillie, Calla, Carnwath, Lanark, snapped up the three-year-old first calver Normande Tangodancer for 4,800gns.  This Tarvis daughter is out of the Rake Terence sired Normande Huladancer and was sold with her first calf-at-foot, Normande Athlete, a bull calf sired by Ramier.

The very first lot in the ring from this consignment, Normande Nirvana, had got the sale off to a fine start when she sold for 4,500gns.  This Normande Judge daughter is out of Normande Irma and was sold with her twin heifer calf at foot to Sinclair, Swanson & Son, Banks Lodge, Watten, Wick, Caithness.

The Kype consignment on behalf of Mr R Cruickshank, Little Kype Farm, Strathaven, Lanarkshire realised a healthy average of £1365 for the 7 yearling & maiden heifers forward, the best of these the aptly named Kype Valuable, born September 2004, and sired by Cloughhead Lord and out of the homebred dam, Kype Gold. She heads to Mr & Mrs PA Kermode's Orrisdale Herd, Ballasalla, Isle of Man for 1,800gns.

Topping the Gunnerfleet offering brought forward by Messrs J & I Handley, Gunnerfleet Farm, Chapel-le-Dale, Ingleton, Lancs was the 2,000gns maiden heifer, Gunnerfleet Ubeat, sired by Tunnelby Monkeytricks and out of Waverbank Grecian. New owner is Mrs R Stevenson, Howgill Foot, Kaber, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria.

Averages -

Tunnelby Herd
16 cows and heifers served and/or suckling £3,635.63
12 served heifers £1,715.00
7 maiden and yearling heifers £2,497.50
7 bulls £2,445.00

Normande Herd
18 cows and heifers served and/or suckling £2,800.00
13 served heifers £2,003.08
7 maiden and yearling heifers £1,080.00
3 bulls £3,430.00

Kype Herd
7 maiden and yearling heifers £1,365.00

Gunnerfleet Herd
18 maiden and yearling heifers £1,082.08