Millington Choice at Red Ladies Day 2008
RECORD MAIDEN HEIFER AVERAGE AS MILLINGTON CHOICE TOPS
RED LADIES AT 10,000gns
Record maiden heifer average of £3321 – Eleven animals at 5,000gns and over – 74% clearance – sale gross up on the year to £195,217
Millington Choice, a classy maiden heifer from the Yorkshire-based Millington Grange Estate, made 10,000gns and topped the British Limousin Cattle Society’s Red Ladies Derby Sale held at Borderway Mart, Carlisle on Friday 12th December 2008.
The January 2007 born heifer arrived at Carlisle with a big reputation gained through a prolific summer show season. A host of show titles had culminated with the Junior Championship and Junior Interbreed Championship at this year’s Great Yorkshire Show. An embryo calf, Millington Choice is by the noted French AI sire Mas Du Clo and is out of the Ronick Matador sired Brockhurst Option. Sold with a top 1% Beef Value of LM+39, this heifer combined visual appeal with depth of pedigree and performance. In the pre-sale Show, judged by Gill Hamliton of the Alagils Herd, Ronan, St James Street, Dingwall, she placed first in her class. Millington Choice was purchased by DW & EME Armstrong, Highfield Farm, Jolly Tar Lane, Coppull, Chorley, for their Armstrong pedigree herd. On the day the Armstrongs, who established what is now a 35 strong herd in July 2007, purchased the sale’s top three prices.
Commenting, Mr. Armstrong said that he had been very impressed by the overall depth of quality in the maiden heifers and was delighted with his purchases. “In building a pedigree herd I am looking for this level of quality female to be the foundation around which to progress. These type of females are the cornerstone of a herd,” he said. At the Carlisle October Bull Sale, Mr Armstrong had purchased Haltcliffe Chieftain at 16,000gns as herd sire.
The increasingly noted Millington Grange Estate, based at Cold Skin Farm, East Riding of Yorkshire enjoyed a successful day when two lots later Millington Candy sold for 7,000gns to the same purchaser. Again, this heifer had a depth of breeding with her sire being Mas Du Clo and her dam being Ronick Nestle, a full sister to the renowned AI sire Ronick Hawk. Millington Candy, born on 4th January 2007, was sold with a Beef Value of LM+34. The strong sale of Millington animals capped a year in which the herd had secured a number of notable show triumphs.
This traditional end of year fixture met with a strong trade that saw, for the second year in a row, a centre record and allbreeds record average for maiden heifers set at £3321. Good depth in the sale saw 59 animals sold, 1 more than on the previous year, to gross £195,217 which was also up on the previous year. One animal sold at five figures with eleven in all making 5,000gns or more. The British Limousin Cattle Society’s Chief Executive, Iain Kerr, commented: “To finish the sale year with another record mark for maiden heifers is a great credit to the breeders and indicative of the sustained demand for Limousin females.
In 2008, sales of pedigree cattle at auction have now grossed more than £5 Million. Easy calving, easy care females that are efficient and produce calves with shape and conformation continue to drive the market.”
Sandwiched nicely between the two Millington heifers was the day’s second top price at 8,500gns - Grahams Chelsea from Mr. & Mrs. R&J Graham, Airthrey Kersey Farm, Bridge of Allan, Stirling. This February 2007 born heifer, combining size and style, is by Samy, the Grahams all conquering show bull who has sired progeny sold at Carlisle to 26,000gns. Grahams Chelsea, who is out of a French dam Ulala, had also been a prolific first prize winner on the 2008 Scottish show circuit. Again, this heifer was purchased by DW & EME Armstrong.
Southern Irish buyers were also in action at the sale and MD Davies, Castlebrock, Ballinenee, Co. Longford paid 6,800gns for the cow and calf outfit presented by the Woodhouse herd of G&P Blood, Woodhouse Green Farm, Clay Lane, Endon, Stoke on Trent. Woodhouse Angie, a November 2005 born cow, is by the noted French AI sire Nenuphar whose progeny in 2008 have sold up to 32,000gns at Carlisle. She is out of the Jockey-sired Woodhouse Sugar and was sold with her Cloughhead Umpire February 2008 born bull calf, Woodhouse Dan.
From a strong pen of females, the Dinmore herd of Mr. P Dawes, Kipperknowle Farm, Dinmore Manor, Hereford, secured prices of 6,500gns and 5,800gns respectively for consecutive lots. At 6,500gns was the March 2007 born Dinmore Climrose. This heifer is by the 30,000gns sire Wilodge Tonka and is out of Wintercott Primrose whose pedigree features both Broadmeadows Cannon and Uplands Anastasie. Again, this heifer featured a strong 2008 show record, including Reserve Junior Female at the Royal Show, and carried a Beef Value of LM+31. The purchaser for their growing Widdrington pedigree herd was Mr. H Annet & Son, Widdrington Farm, Morpeth, Northumberland.
Next in the ring, and similarly bred, was Dinmore Cureka. Sired once more by Wilodge Tonka, who himself has had progeny sell to 50,000gns in 2008, Cureka is out of Dinmore Ureka, a daughter of Wintercott Rival. Dinmore Cureka, who was also a prize winner at this year’s Royal Show, was sold to the Dentox herd of DF Walker, Oxenriggs Farm, Egremont, Cumbria for 5,800gns.
Four animals made 5,000gns. The first was the first prize winning heifer from Mr. PJ Henshall, Sarkshields Farm, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie. Ringway Christina is a February 2007 born heifer sired by Cloughhead Rocket, the Ringway stock bull that had progeny sell to 7,000gns at the corresponding sale last year. Out of the homebred 1997 born Ringway Natasha, this heifer was purchased for the establishing Cawfields herd of TW Oliver, Cawfields, Haltwhistle, Northumberland.
Also at 5,000gns was the Overall Supreme Show Champion, Haltcliffe Carrie, from the prolific Haltcliffe herd of Messrs Ridley, Haltcliffe, Hesket-New-Market, Wigton. The Ridleys have enjoyed a tremendous run of selling at bull sales with their French bred sire Sympa featuring strongly. Haltcliffe Carrie, the herd’s first Red Ladies Show Champion, is out of the Rachels Neon sired Allanfauld Parry. She was sold, with a tremendous Beef Value of LM+39, to the Howgillfoot herd of Mrs. R Stevenson, Howgill Foot, Kaber, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria.
The emphasis of the day was on the maiden heifer trade and this was continued by Mr. Bruce T Goldie, Townfoot, Mouswald, Dumfries & Galloway when he sold the May 2007 born Goldies Caprice for 5,000gns to the Lunevalley herd of TC Altham, Mill Bank, Sellet Mill, Whittington, Kirkby Lonsdale. This animal, which had stood first in her class, is by the Ideal son, Goldies Terence, whose first five sons at sale averaged over £12,000. She is out of Goldies Uvette, who is a half sister to the 2007 Champions at both Royal Smithfield and the Scottish Winter Fair. Goldies Caprice was sold with a Beef Value of LM+28.
Rounding off a record maiden heifer average was the last animal in the catalogue, Fieldson Cheekygirl, who also made 5,000gns. This December 2007 born heifer was bred and sold by Messrs JW & MC Fieldson, Poplar Farm, Corringham, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. She is by the Imperial son, Goldies Uppercrust, who was purchased for 16,000gns at Carlisle and who has had progeny sell up to 9,000gns. Out of the Gunnerfleet Plunas daughter, Fieldson Sandy, Fieldson Cheekygirl was also purchased by TC Altham for the Lunevalley pedigree herd.
Averages
7 Cows served and/or suckling £3735.00
8 Served Heifers £2874.38
44 Maiden Heifers £3320.63
LIMOUSIN WEANED CALVES REACH 4,300GNS
Total clearance of 63 lots - 20 bull calves average £1668 (+ £604)
43 heifer calves average £1387