Grahams Lilly tops the trade at 32,000gns at the Limousin Red Ladies Day and Show

Held on Friday 9th December 2016 at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, the British Limousin Cattle Society’s annual Red Ladies Derby and Weaned Calf Sale saw a much anticipated catalogue live up to its billing with a quality show of cattle forward.

Averages were up across the board with 37 Red Ladies selling to £5365 up by £1097 on the year.

The pedigree weaned calves, born in the 2016 year, saw 59 sell in all, up by 19, with the bull calves averaging £3990, up by £1139.

The top price weaned calf at 10,500gns set a new record mark for the sale of calves.

Leading the way at 32,000gns was the supreme champion from the pre-sale show in the shape of the maiden heifer Grahams Lilly from R and J Graham, Airthrey Kerse, Dairy Farm, Stirling.

An embryo calf born in May 2015, Lilly is a full sister to the 40,000gns Grahams Lorenzo (the top price Limousin bull in the year) and the 16,500gns Grahams Lizzie who were both sold at the 2016 Sale of Champions following the National Limousin Show.

Grahams Lilly is sired by Claragh Franco and is out of Grahams Coffee, who is a Millington Vascular daughter.

In the pre-sale show Grahams Lilly had been awarded the Championship by the judge Miss Harriet Wilson, Whitecross Farm, Stafford, and of the of the noted Haughton herd.

This outstanding heifer, and the highest priced maiden sold in the year, was purchased by the ever growing herd of elite females bought this year by W Richardson and Son, Ghyll House, Appleby, Cumbria for the family’s burgeoning Mystyle herd.

It was a terrific day for the 50 cow Grahams herd who sold seven animals in all for a mighty £75,600. Other top prices attained included Grahams Lobelia at 10,000gns, the weaned calf Grahams Murphy at 9000gns, and Grahams Lisette at 7000gns.

Commenting, a delighted Robert Graham said: “It’s been a strong sale for the herd and a good follow on with similar breeding to the sale at the National Show in July.

“We are very much using the top end females in the herd for an embryo programme as the standard of the Limousin breed continues to rise year on year.”

Earlier in the week Robert Graham, wearing his Grahams family dairy hat, had picked up the individual award for Outstanding Contribution to the Industry at the 2016 Scottish Family Business Awards held in Glasgow.

Taking the second top price of 12,000gns was the first prize winner Dinmore Lunar from Paul Dawes, Dinmore Manor, Herefordshire.

This October 2015 born heifer is the first calf from the homebred sire Dinmore Immense who was male champion at the Royal Welsh Show in 2015. Her dam Dinmore Eclipse, by Haltcliffe Vermount, is a maternal sister to the well- known sire Wilodge Cerberus. Purchasing this animal was Steven Wilson, Egremont, Cumbria.

Grahams Lobelia made 10,000gns when selling to new buyer Iain Graham, Rose Castle Farm, Dalton, Carlisle.

Again sired by Claragh Franco, this May 2016 born embryo calf is out of the imported dam Cavaliere, who is sired by Rammadan.

Earlier in the sale Mr Graham had also purchased Bangtidy Jadore for 6000gns from Drew Hyslop, Boquhan Home Farm, Kippen, Stirling.

This two-year-old heifer, a first prize in the opening class, is by Dinmore Goldcrest and is out of the 16,500gns Emslies Guerlain the top price at the Emslies Sassy Lassies Sale held in January 2014.

In the weaned calf sale Ian Graham also purchased Burnbank Maggiemay for 9000gns from Dougie and Linda Graham, Mains of Burnbank, Stirling.

Taking the reserve overall championship in the pre-sale show was Beachmount Lady from K and C Knox, Whitehill North, Co Fermanagh, Northern Ireland who sold for 9,100gns to Aileen Ritchie, Whitecairns, Aberdeenshire for her Ritchies herd.

Beachmount Lady was born in February 2015 and is sired by Lowerffrydd Empire and out of the Wilodge Vantastic sired dam Beachmount Favorite.

Presently based in Co Fermanagh the Beachmount herd is imminently moving to Kelso, Roxburghshire.

From there Clive Knox said that the plan was to establish a pedigree enterprise and increase the herd size from its present ten cows.

Beachmount Lady, who was also the first prize winner in the second class, was brought to the sale as “something really good to help promote the Beachmount herd”. At last year’s Red Ladies Aileen Ritchie had purchased both the supreme and reserve supreme champions for 24,000gns and 8,000gns respectively.

At 8500gns was the August 2015 born embryo calf Harestone Ladylike from Neil Barclay, South Road, Insch, Aberdeenshire.

Sired by the 32,000gns Millgate Fame this heifer is out of Glenrock Impulse who is a full sister to the world record breaking 125,000gns Glenrock Illusion. Purchasing Harestone Ladylike was Paul Cairns for his Plumtree herd at Hall Farm, Tollerton, Notts.

Two animals made 7000gns. The first of these was the August 2014 born Romford Jess from the Gordon Brooke Estate, Earlston, Berwickshire.

An embryo calf Romford Jess is by Plumtree Fantastic and is out of the Rocky daughter Ampertaine Ecstasy which was purchased privately from James McKay as a foundation female for the herd.

Purchasing this heifer was MA Harryman for his Hotshot herd at Swainsea Barn Farm, Pickering, North Yorkshire.

Also at the 7000gns mark was another from R and J Graham in the shape of Grahams Lisette.

Yet again by Claragh Franco this young heifer is out of Cavaliere the herd’s top French cow and the mother of the 17,000gns Grahams Gayla.

A first prize winner at the 2016 Stars of the Future the November 2015 born Grahams Lissette was purchased by R F Turner for his Bassingbourn herd at Fordham, Ely, Cambs.

The youngest animal in the Red Ladies catalogue, Lomond Lexie from Andrew Orr, Lomondmuir Farm, Kinross, made 6500gns when selling to Southern Ireland and M D Davis, Castlebrock, Co Longford. December 2015 born Lomond Lexie is by Ampertaine Elgin and out of the Attila daughter Lodge Femme.

Averages:

37 (+12) Red Ladies, £5364.93 (+ £1097)