A new record price has been set for a Limousin heifer sold at an official auction in Northern Ireland.
The record price of 25,000gns (guineas) went to a heifer owned by William Gabbie from Crossgar, Co. Down.
The first-time exhibitor and two-cow herd owner was first secured the pre-sale show’s reserve intermediate championship, before the home-bred Hollowdene Ulay topped the sale to a huge round of applause from the ringside audience.
The 13-month-old heifer was sired by the Ampertaine Foreman and Millbrook Gingerspice son, Claddagh McCabe, and bred from Norman Lacey, purchased for 5,500gns at Carlisle seven years ago. She has NT821 and Q204X myostatin genes.
Hollowdene Ulay was purchased by Mary Cormack, for her noted Rougemont Herd based in Hereford.
The top-priced heifer was described by Scottish judge Stephanie Dick as “a great example of the breed with a big top, square plates, and a lovely head”.
The record price was secured at the Northern Ireland Limousin Cattle Club’s Ladies in Red show and sale.
The sale was the Limousin club’s second Ladies in Red event in Ballymena and was sponsored by Norbrook. The sale was conducted by Harrison and Hetherington in conjunction with JA McClelland and Sons.
There were three five-figure prices and five heifers sold for export to England, Wales and the Republic of Ireland.
Auctioneer James Little said: “There was a fantastic interest in the sale, resulting in a packed ringside audience and a strong online following.
“The top-quality females were easily sold. There was strong competition from pedigree breeders who were intent on buying something to either add a new family or improve their herds.”
James McKay who runs 130 pedigree cows at Maghera claimed the junior championship and supreme overall Ladies in Red plaudits for the second year in succession.
The nine-month-old Ampertaine Ujlo ET has F94L and Q204X genes and came under the hammer at 20,000gns, selling to Tony and Jo Smith for the Smithy Herd based at Jacobstow in Cornwall.
Ampertaine Ujlo ET is by Whinfellpark Lomu and bred from the Ampertaine Elgin daughter, Ampertaine Jlo – maternal sister to the 38,000gns Ampertaine Foreman and full sister to 20,000gns Ampertaine Jackpot.
Ampertaine Jlo also bred Ampertaine Squire sold for 20,000gns at Carlisle in February 2023.
Judge Stephanie Dick, who runs the 20-cow Stephick Herd alongside her family’s 250-cow Ronick Herd at Stirling, said: ”It has been a strong show with a very good top-end in every class.
“The overall champion is a very stylish young heifer, well-grown for her age. She has a lovely ahead and is a fantastic example of the breed with a bright future ahead of her.”
The NI Limousin Club chair Kieran McCrory from Sixmilecross, Co. Tyrone secured the day’s intermediate championship and reserve supreme award with the thirteen-month-old heifer Bernish Uptowngirl ET.
Boasting an NT821 and Q204X myostatin pairing, she sold for a herd female record of 19,000gns and joins the Collegeland Herd owned by Thomas Clancy from Moy, Co. Tyrone.
Sired by the 19,000gns Maraiscote Lothario, her dam is the home-bred Bernish Rihannajuli, winner of the best year-old heifer in the club’s 2021 herd competition; while her granddam Bernish Julifortune bred the 22,000gns Bernish Memphis and is also granddam of the May 2024 Carlisle champion Bernish Toplad sold for 16,000gns.
Stephanie Dick added: “The reserve overall champion is another very stylish and well-fleshed heifer.”
Kieran McCrory’s first-placed Bernish Pippa ET sold for 6,500gns to Raymond Savage, and daughter Louise Cowan, for their 20-cow Aghadolgan Herd based at Drumahoe, Co. Derry.
Sired by Meadowrig Pedro, this 11-month-old heifer is bred from the Ampertaine Foreman daughter, Bernish Pippafortune – one of the herd’s proven and prolific cow families. This heifer has F94L and Q204X genes.
Will and Gareth Corrie from Newtownards, realised 8,000gns for the senior champion Drumhilla Utopia.
Born in May 2023, she is a Westpit Omaha daughter bred from Ampertaine Matilda. This heifer has two copies of the Q204X gene and sold to the Lurgankeel Herd owned by Malachy Byrne from Forkhill, Newry, Co. Down.
