A PENRITH businessman helped set a new Limousin world record price when a fourteen-month-old maiden heifer went under the hammer for 250,000gns (£262,500) in Carlisle.

Allan Jenkinson, who owns the Whinfellpark herd, based at Clifton Moor, Penrith, bid for British Limousin maiden heifer, Wilodge Poshspice, in a joint purchase with Charlie Boden of the Sportsmans herd, based at Mellor Hall Farms, Stockport.

Bred by Christine Williams and Paul Tippetts at Lodge Hill Farm, Park Lane, Shifnal, Shropshire, Wilodge Poshspice is by Ampertaine Elgin and out of Milbrook Gingerspice.

A combination of stunning visual appeal and a pedigree packed full of breeding lines convinced joint purchasers, Mr Jenkinson and Mr Boden.

As well as a new Limousin record, the 250,000gns price tag was a new all-breeds UK and European world mark for a bovine animal eclipsing the 140,000gns paid for the Limousin bull, Trueman Jagger in October 2015.

The record-breaking price also beat the previous record of 125,000gns paid for Glenrock Illusion at the Illingworth family from Eaglesfield’s Glenrock dispersal in 2014 at Carlisle.The family took the decision to disperse herd, with the exception of the herd’s matriarch Glenrock Spangle, to help fund the purchase their tenanted farm at Howgillside.

Christine Williams said: “We are overwhelmed and equally delighted to have achieved this fantastic result with what is a great young heifer.” The sale at Borderway Mart represented a Major Reduction of the Wilodge Herd, with the entire crop of served and maiden heifers used for pedigree breeding, put up for sale.

The herd was established in 1989 by Christine and her late father, Don.

In addition, a top draw of heifers and a small selection of bulls were sold on behalf of the Brockhurst herd from WJ & M Mash Ltd, Torrington Farm, Buckinghamshire.

The British Limousin Cattle Society Breeders’ Sale had a catalogue entry of 68 pedigree Limousin cattle saw a strong clearance across the two herds.

Covid-19 restrictions may have been in place, but this didn’t restrict the demand for the top-class cattle on offer.

The British Limousin Cattle Society Breed Secretary Will Ketley commented, ‘The society is delighted to offer its congratulations to the team at Wilodge for this incredible iconic achievement that marks a wealth of breeding over the decades. I would also like to thank all the buyers that made this sale a fantastic success for not only the breeders but the breed itself.

‘It is not just the record breaker worthy of note, the sale was truly a success from start to finish for both Wilodge and Brockhurst alike achieving both clearance and strong averages. I wish all the successful purchaser’s good luck and look forward to seeing these bloodlines continue to flourish’.

Moving on to the later part of the sale, where the Brockhurst Herd sold a top draw of heifers from the Mash family based in Buckinghamshire.

The focus of the herd was and still is to predominantly focus on breeding great females.

Bloodlines notably stem from Ronick McAinsi whose phenomenal breeding includes Bolshoi, Batik and Littlegem as well as being granddam to Heavenly, Howzat and Lucy.

The family also mentioned that the purchase of the Fenrose Herd from Tom and Rita Evans has had a major impact, the excellent breeding which they established can be found in the back pedigree of a lot of the herd’s females.

Brockhurst Prudence punched her way to the top selling for 15,000gns. She is sired by Proctors Mitsubishi, a Glenrock Humdinger son and is out of homebred Brockhurst Misty. The March 2019 born heifer stood strong and sharp in the ring and was scooped up by H G Perkins from Radstock, Bath.