WITH six bulls selling for five-figure sums and a further 27 reaching 5,000gns and above, the 61 bulls sold at the Limousin Carlisle Autumn bull sale last weekend averaged £6,683, with bidding peaking at 35,000gns.

New Society Breed Secretary Will Ketley, who was appointed in July, said: “It is difficult to tell the impact that the restrictions have had on the attendance of potential purchasers, as people are understandably cautious about coming to sales due to Covid.

"The recent uncertainties have caused many more on-farm sales than we would usually expect in the lead up to the Autumn sales, but even so, we are delighted with the quality of the bulls forward and that the average on the year has increased by a massive £858."

The 35,000gns sale topper was March 2019-born bull Ampertaine Punch, with a beef value of LM48 placing him in the top five per cent of the national herd. Punch is the first son to be sold by the 35,000gns Carlisle supreme champion Ampertaine Majestic.

At 18,000gns, Pabo Procters was another high-priced bull to sell. He is a son of International Limousin Congress male champion Derrygullinane Kingbull and his dam, Pabo Jympa, is a daughter of Sympa and full sister of the 13,000gns Pabo Francis. This March-2019 born lad was snapped up by Cumbrian breeder, Messrs Jenkinson, Penrith.

At 14,000gns Redriver Powerful, a 17-month-old bull, bred and exhibited by Mrs J Hunter of Annan, caught the eye of Balfour Baillie and heads on up to work in Tankerness, Orkney.

A 7,500gns price tag was paid by Messrs Charlton of Haltwhistle for Haneve Prince, a February 2019-born son of popular bull Chytodden Conan and Haneve Miranda.

The other bull to secure a final bid of 7,500gns was Haltcliffe Prism (LM40), a July-2019 born son of Aultside Meanmachine, a 65,000gns Carlisle supreme champion, and the 25,000gns Haltcliffe Braveheart-sired Haltcliffe Enigma. Purchased by Denis Cadzow and Co Ltd, East Lothian, a commercial breeder who went on to buy a total of three bulls, he was bred and exhibited by the Ridley family of Hesket Newmarket.

A November 2018-born Mystyle Oberon (LM36), who was offered for sale by W Richardson and Son, Appleby, was sold to winning bidder F Ward, Bishop Auckland. His sire is Carnview Lionheart, and his dam Haltcliffe Juniper, goes back to the French-bred Galant.