Pedigree Limousins forward for Andrew Burnett’s second major production sale of the Spittalton herd from Stirling met a roaring trade selling to 14,000gns twice with a further three at five-figure prices.
The event at Carlisle, staged following the decision of herd manager of 18 years, Tim Russell, to move on to pastures new, also included a smaller selection from the Ronick and Frogmore herds.
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All the top-priced lots carried the double F94L easy calving gene, with the first to hit 14,000gns being the four-year-old Ronick Rena, a Burnbank Judge daughter, which sold with October-born heifer calf at foot by Westpit Omaha and back in calf to Ampertaine Opportunity. Rena is out of the Spittalton Chopper daughter Spittalton Faith which was flushed at 14 years of age and produced 10 grade A embryos. Allan Campbell of the Strawfrank herd from Carstairs, Lanark, was the final bidder.
Minutes later, Spittalton Ranna, another four-year-old second calver by Judge and with heifer calf at foot, matched the 14,000gns bid when selling to Robert and Wendy Thomson, Cairnbog, Kilsyth, Glasgow. Ranna, which changed hands due to Ampertaine Opportunity, is out of Lodge Equal-sired Spittalton Ianna, while her October-born calf is by Millbrook Playboy.
The Thomsons also forked out 9000gns for the six-year-old Burnbank Judge-sired cow Spittalton Onyx that was the dam of the 8500gns Spittalton Tucker. She is also out of Faith and sold with her third calf, a heifer by Milbrook Playboy and in calf to Opportunity.
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First to hit five figures was the eight-year-old Spittalton Mia, a Huntershall Jeronimo daughter, out of the Sympa-sired Spittalton Happy. The dam of sons to 6500gns, she sold with her fifth calf, a bull by Ampertaine Opportunity and back in calf to the same sire, to W and M Knaggs and Son, East Newbiggin, Sadberge, Darlington.
Selling up to Argyll with NW Littleson, Killegruer, Glenbarr, Tarbert at 10,000gns was the four-year-old second calver, Spittalton Rebecca, a daughter of the Ampertaine Gigolo son Spittalton Omar, out of the home-bred Olga, by Trueman Jagger. Rebecca sold with October-born bull calf at foot by Ampertaine Opportunity and back in calf to the same sire.
Matching that 10,000gns bid was the three-year-old Spittalton Sweetpea and her February-born bull calf by the home-bred Smithy, purchased by Josh Wright, North Grimston, Malton, North Yorkshire. Sweetpea is sired by Whinfellpark Lomu, out of the Dinmore Hitman daughter Spittalton Loreen and sold served to Smithy.
The four-year-old Ampertaine Opportunity daughter, Spittalton Rainbow, sold with her second calf, a bull by Spittalton Sargeant, for 9000gns down to Wales with Messrs Whitley, Spon Green, Buckley Clwyd. Rainbow is from the Bracken family and sold due with her third to Spittalton Smithy.
Smithy, an easy calving rising three-year-old bull carrying a single F94L gene, also made 9000gns when selling to Perthshire-based Alan Doig, East Buchanty, Glenalmond. His pedigree features Mereside Lorenzo onto the Dinmore Jeanpierre-sired Spittalton Oansy.
Another three lots from Mr Burnett made 6000gns with the first of those being the six-year-old Spittalton Oerry, a Burnbank Judge daughter that changed hands with fourth calf, a bull by Milbrook Playboy and back in calf to Burnbank Sargeant. The dam is Spittalton Derry – the best cow in Scottish Limousin Herds competition in 2016 and the granddam of the 19,000gns Stag and 12,000gns Scapa. The buyers were Messrs Graham, Stirling.
Another similarly aged Judge daughter made the same money when selling to Lotherton Estates, Leeds. This was Spittalton Palaxy, out of the Lodge Equal-sired Spittalton Galaxy. She sold with her second calf, a heifer by Playboy and back in calf to Opportunity.Spittalton Sharon, a three-year-old by Dylans Irnbru, out of the home-bred Lodie by Dinmore Hitman, also made 6000gns when selling with Smith-sired heifer calf at foot and back in calf to Burnbank Sargeant. The outfit headed home with Messrs Clayton, 208 Wyke Lane, Bradford, West Yorkshire.
In-calf heifers peaked at 5800gns for the April 2022-born Russells Toots, bred by Fletcher and Caitlin Russell. She is sired by Ampertaine Opportunity, out of Spittalton June and sold served to Spittalton Smithy. This outfit joins the Everpark herd of J and T Waring, Everingham, York.
Ronald and Stephanie Dick’s selective Ronick production sale also hit a top of 6000gns for the four-year-old black Ronick Rumba, a double F94L carrier sired by Wilodge Granville, out of the Tamarvalley Boscastle-sired Ronick Jamaica. She sold with second black calf, a bull by Ampertaine Jamboree and back in calf to Mattben, to Andrew Beattie, Tullywhanland, Forfar.
Averages: Spittalton herd – 47 cows/heifers with calves, £5502; 10 in-calf cows/heifers, £3465; 16 maiden heifers, £3117; five recipients, £2016. Ronick herd – 12 cows/heifers with calves, £3999.
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