The Graham dairying family from Airthrey Kerse at Bridge of Allan sold a Limousin bull for 40,000gn at the National Limousin Show at Borderway Mart, Carlisle.
The reserve junior champion May-2015 born Grahams Lorenzo won the interbreed beefbreeder title at this summer’s Royal Highland Show, and has also won many local show titles.
This son of Claragh Franco, out of home-bred Grahams Coffey, was bought by the Wilodge herd at Lodge Hill Farm, Park Lane, Shifnal, in Shropshire.
The second-top price was 16,000gn paid for the heifer Grahams Lizzie, which was another embryo calf from the Grahams herd and bred the same way.
Buying this May 2015-born animal was Jonathan Watson for his Tweeddale Limousin herd at Bowsden Moor, Bowsden, Berwick.
Meanwhile, north-east breeder Garry Patterson of Upper Forgie, Aultmore, Keith, achieved 9,800gn when his second-prize heifer Aultside Lambrini went under the hammer.
Lambrini is a daughter of the Vantastic son Loosebeare Fantastic and out of Hargill Blaze daughter Spittalton Flush. She was bought by John Richardson for his developing Mystyle herd at Ghyll House near Appleby.
Thereafter, another young bull from the Grahams herd, Grahams Lamont, made 5,000gn, selling to the Lagas pedigree herd of Michael Cursiter, Laga Farms Ltd, Arwick, Evie, Orkney.
Lamont is by Claragh Franco and out of the French-bred cow Cavaliere, which has bred the 17,000gn Grahams Gayla.
In the commercial classes pedigree heifer Randerston Jasmine, from Stewart and Lindsay Bett of Castleton Farm, Airth, Stirling, also made 5,000gn. By Emslies Galileo, and out of Randerston Gilly, this August-2014 born heifer was bought by J Neill from Crossgar, Downpatrick, Co Down, Northern Ireland.
Lastly, Dougie McBeath and Sarah Jane Jessop of Lower Greenyards Farm, Bannockburn, Stirling, made 5,000gn when they offered up an open flush from their multi-title winning October-2013 born heifer Poolehall Iris.
This embryo calf by Haltcliffe Ben is out of the 27,000gn Wilodge Flawless. The open flush was snapped up by Ian Handley who runs the Gunnerfleet herd in Lancashire.
Success for north-east breeders
Limousin breeders from the north-east were out in force at the show with many lifting rosettes in the various classes.
First-prize winners included Gordon Hendry of Heads of Auchinderran, Keith, with 15-month-old maiden heifer Powerful Kango. By Haltcliffe Dancer and out of Liscann Fantastic, she was reserve champion at the New Deer and Nairn Shows.
Aileen Ritchie, of Tamala, Burnside, Whitecairns, also lifted first in the young cow section with Emslies Ieryl. Bred by Harry Emslie and purchased for 15,000gn in January 2014, Ieryl is by Procters Cavalier and out of Emslies Eryl. She stood reserve champion at Echt and her heifer calf, Ritchies Merly, is the first home-bred calf to come out from the Ritchies’ herd.
Other breeders taking home rosettes included: Garry Patterson who runs the Aultside herd at Upper Forgie, Keith; Forbes MacDonald who runs the Aspenbank herd near Turriff; the Irvine family who run the Anside herd at Drummuir, Keith; and Harry Emslie who runs the Emslies herd at Mintlaw, Peterhead.
Scottish breeders also reigned supreme in the regional group of six section.
