Haltcliffe Vermount with Stockman Kevin Bates

A huge ringside audience at Carlisle’s Borderway Mart were part of livestock history on Saturday 18th February 2006, when the Limousin bull Haltcliffe Vermount rewrote the cattle record books in selling for the sensational sum of 100,000gns.

A hush descended on the crowd as the 21-month-old bull raced past the previous Limousin record mark of 55,000gns before smashing the magical six figure barrier. It was a landmark moment for the British pedigree livestock sector as the 100,000gns price set an all breeds World, European and British record at auction.

Breeders of the new world record bull were Messrs Ridley in the shape of father and son Matt and Craig from Haltcliffe, Hesket New Market, Wigton, Cumbria. Haltcliffe Vermount was purchased for the pedigree herd of Procters Farm Ltd, Woodhouse Lane, Slaidburn, Clitheroe, Lancashire.

A world record not withstanding, it was overall a terrific sale with commercial producers driving the principal demand and trade for the quality bulls on show. Averages were over £600 up on the year for five more bulls sold to level at £4029.46. Equating this year’s top price with last year’s, averages were still up by over £100. In all, twenty-one bulls made 5,000gns or more with four five figure prices and one six figure price. 55 intermediate bulls averaged an amazing £5,069.59. At the end, 129 bulls sold equating to a 66% clearance and the total gross was over half a million at £519,800.34.

British Limousin Cattle Society Chief Executive Iain Kerr commented: “This was another tremendous day for the Limousin breed and for the British pedigree livestock sector. To set a world record at a six figure price was quite incredible and the heartiest congratulations are due to the Ridley family as breeders and to Procter Farms as buyers. On the sale as a whole, it is quite apparent that with the subsidy influence reducing, buyers are looking for the highest quality bulls to breed superior cattle for the marketplace that give all round added value and a premium return. Limousin is fitting that bill. The production of calves with shape and conformation and efficient, quality suckler cows, all adds up to profitable economics.”

Haltcliffe Vermount - 100,000gns

Haltcliffe Vermount was certainly a unique bull with extreme qualities of width and muscling. As well as visual appeal, he had some tremendous and proven bloodlines behind him. Vermount is out of one of the Ridley’s top breeding cows, the French bred Renoncule, by Ludo. Her three sons to date have sold for 18,000gns, 43,000gns and now 100,000gns. She is rapidly becoming a golden cow for the Haltcliffe herd! The sire of Vermount is Penyrheol Sam, a bull purchased at Carlisle in 2003 for 13,000gns. He is by the prolific Ronick Hawk - a son of the famous Broadmeadows Cannon. Good figures of LM+26, first class bloodlines and the pre-sale Supreme Championship ticket all created a tangible sense of anticipation prior to the sale itself. Having a first bid of 10,000gns, auctioneer David Thomlinson rapidly raced through the gears. Eventually, a stunned crowd saw the hammer fall at 100,000gns to new owners Procter Farms.

In the pre-sale show, another packed audience had seen judge Peter Kirton, Severn Lodge Farm, Buttonbridge Lane, Kinlet, Bewdley, Worcestershire place the Haltcliffe bull as his Intermediate Section Champion before awarding him the Overall Supreme Championship.

Purchasing on behalf of Procters Farm was Farm Manager Gary Swindlehurst. By coincidence, it was almost ten years to the day since the Procters pedigree Limousin herd was founded. It has now grown to a herd of seventy cows. Mr. Swindlehurst was delighted to have secured his purchase: “I have never seen a Limousin bull in Carlisle like that before. He was simply outstanding for width and muscle development and was well balanced right through with first class locomotion. He is out of an outstanding cow, a truly proven breeder. I have looked very closely at the bulls she has produced to date and I am very pleased to have bought Vermount,” he said.

“This bull I think is very modern and very much a bull of the time. He represents a committed long term investment in taking the Procters herd forward and further lifting the level of quality right through. In the modern industry it must be an aim to produce progeny that are at least one level beyond average or above.” When asked what immediate plans lay ahead for the bull, Mr. Swindlehurst replied: “to get him to serve some cows!”

Auctioneer David Thomlinson, who also sold the previous record holder Grahams Samson, said: “it was a fantastic bull and a privilege to sell him. The sale overall had strength in depth and again it also shows the value to the industry of livestock being sold in an open market through the livestock auction system.”

The previous world Limousin record for a bull was the 55,000gns paid for Grahams Samson by Penrith breeder Doug Edgar in February 2003. Prior to that, the record for a Limousin bull in the UK was the 21,000gns for Culbeg Andromedes sold by Robert Graham Jnr.

Following the judging pattern very closely, the second top price of the day was the 15,000gns paid for the Senior Section Champion and Overall Reserve, Maraiscote Volt from Mr J Nimmo, Bogside Farm, Newmains, Wishaw, Lanarkshire. This much admired, stylish bull was again a Broadmeadows Cannon son having been sired by Tyddyn Mei whose previous sons had sold to a top of 10,000gns, also at Carlisle. With size and presence, this March 2004 bull featured an excellent pedigree with the dam’s pedigree, Maraiscote Nasmine, featuring Goldies Glenfiddach, Epatant, Trinite and Glespin Classic. Purchasers were MJ Gray, Great Cellws Farm, Llandrindod Wells, Powys who run the noted Fleethill pedigree herd.

From the strong Junior Section of bulls, Loosebeare Voyager from Messrs EW Quick & Sons, Loosebeare Manor, Zeal Monachorum, Crediton, Devon, emerged as first prize in Class 14. A July 2004 born bull, Voyager was sired by Rainbow Simon, a son of Glenrock Onslow, and is out of the Goldies Reservoir sired Nealford Fleurdelys, a fifteen year old cow. This young bull was purchased for 14,500gns, by Mr. C Lewis, Garthvaughan, Cyfronydd, Welshpool.

Making a very successful selling debut at Carlisle was Miss Alison Bradley, 16 Lisgarity Road, Dromore, Co. Tyrone. She had brought Ashhollow Viscount, a May 2004 born son of Ronick Luke, again from the Cannon line. Out of the Cockleshell Olympus sired Ashhollow Sapphire, this intermediate class winner sporting a Beef Value of LM+29 was keenly chased in the bidding to 12,000gns before being purchased by A&D Proctor, Warland Old Hall, Swarland, Morpeth, Northumberland for their Swarland pedigree herd.

A strong showing of bulls from Wales made a distinct impression right through the sale. Leading the way in price terms from the Province was Dafolog Vavavoom at 10,000gns from DA Thomas, Fynnondafolog, Penybont, Carmarthen. A Cockleshell Olympus son out of the Ronick Hawk sired Marlais Princess, this July 2004 born bull was a first prize winner in the junior section. He was snapped up by KD & DE Millar & Partners, Crookholm Farm, Canonbie, Dumfriesshire for their pedigree Crookholm herd.

Bailea Vangogh was placed as a class winner and Overall Reserve Senior Champion for MT Jones, Bailea, Senny, Sennybridge, Brecon, Powys. This April 2004 born bull was sired by Perigord, a son of Janvier, who was purchased at Paris Show in 2003. Out of the Greensons Gigolo sired Bailea Lily, this bull went back to Wales when selling for 9,000gns to TW Roberts & Son, Malt House Farm, St. Mellons Road, Lisvane, Cardiff.

The same purchaser had earlier spent 8200gns in securing Mynach Voodoo from ED Griffiths & Co, Cilgryman-Fawr, Cwmfelin-Mynach, Hen-Dy-Gwyn, Dyfed. Yet another class winner, this June 2004 born bull was by the French bred Sable, a son of Pompier, and a bull that had won the best stock bull and progeny title in the 2005 South Wales Limousin Herd competition. Mynach Voodoo has a Beef Value of LM+39 putting him in the top 1% of recorded Limousin bulls. He is out of Mynach Samsara, a daughter of Oedipe.

Underlining the consistency of the Mynach offering was the 6,400gns paid by Walter Smith (Farms) Ltd, Chase Farm, Roughley, Sutton Coldfield, W.Mids for Mynach Vable. By the French sire Sable and out of Mynach Savana and sporting a Beef Value of LM+34 putting him squarely in the top 1% of breed, he was again consigned by ED Griffiths & Co.

Winning the first class in the intermediate section was Brontemoor Vertigo from Steven M Priestley, Hill Top Farm, Denholme, Bradford, West Yorkshire. A son of Procters Subaru, this April 2004 born bull was out of the homebred cow Brontemoor Sweetheart. This bull was the first of two significant purchases at 8,500gns for the commercial enterprise of J Leiper & Sons, Black Heddon, Ponteland, Newcastle on Tyne. Later in the day, the same buyers purchased Lowabbey Vernon, a July 2004 born son of Grahams Poncho from TW & J Hunter, Upper Brydekirk, Brydekirk, Annan, Dumfriesshire. Purchase price was 5000gns.

D&L Graham, Mains of Burnbank Farm, Blairdrummond, Stirling secured a price of 8500gns when selling Burnbank Vice, the first prize animal in the last class of the intermediate section. This big, strong young bull was sired by French bull Samovar, a son of Micmac. June 2004 born, Burnbank Vice is out of Balfunning Fortune whose mother is the famous Broadmeadows Tansy and whose sire is Oakley Underwriter who himself sold to USA for 35,000gns. Purchaser was W&T Nelson, High Kilpin, Ballantrae, Ayrshire.

Going under the hammer for 7,800gns was the second prize winner Heathmount Versatile brought forward by McKinney Bros, Craigadick Rd, Maghera, Co Londonderry. By the prolific Broadmeadows Cannon and out of the homebred dam Heathmount Ornate. This powerful rising 20 month old bull with a Beef Value of LM+29 heads to Haulfryn Farming, Spon Farm, Spongreen, Buckley, Flintshire.

AH & GW Roberts, Hafod Las, Ysbyty Ifan, Betws-Y-Coed, Gwynedd paid 6,500gns for red ticket winner of class 5, the Senior bull Garnedd Vance shown by KI & E Jones, Bryn Draenen, Padog, Betws Y Coed, Conwy. This April 2004 born son of Broomfiel Regentcey is out of Winnington Rodile.

Also hitting the 6,500gns mark was Breconside Viper. By the sire Newhouse Sugar and out of Lyles Savannahhe was brought out by Breconside Farming Partnership, Moffat, Dumfriesshire and heads to new owners T Forsyth, Isle Farm, Whithorn, Newton Stewart, Wigtownshire.

Two bulls made 6,200gns. The first of these was Edwards Vanguard exhibited by Penty Farming, Oak Tree, Burneston, Bedale, N Yorks. This Nenuphar son and out of homebred dam Edwards Penny was snapped up by Robert Neill & Partners, Upper Nisbet Farm, Jedburgh, Roxburghshire. Also knocked down at the 6,200gns price tag was another Nenuphar son, the Junior Champion Nebo Viking bred by ML Thomas, Bryn Farm, Nebo, Llanrwst, Conway. Out of Nebo Roberta this 15 month old bull calf with a cracking Beef Value of LM+34 was purchased by Smiths of Bloxham, Newlands Farm, Milton Road, Bloxham, Banbury.

Averages -
37 Senior Bulls £3,024.51 (plus £351.12)
55 Intermediate Bulls £5,069.59 (plus £2,023.34)
37 Junior Bulls £3,524.59 (minus £1,428.94)
Overall £4,029.46 (plus £615.79)

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