With lively commercial interest, yet another Limousin sale saw an increase in averages on the year as the spring show and sale of Limousin cattle took place at Brecon in May.

Bulls were bid to 13,000gns and the 16 sold averaged £5,571.56 – £393 up on 2022.

Judge Sarah Priestley, Brampton, Cumbria, of the 120 head Brontemoor pedigree Limousin herd, is no stranger to the judging circuit having previously presided over the Limousin classes at the Balmoral show, Red Ladies and Roscrea.

Commenting on her experience she said: “It was an honour and a privilege to be asked to judge at Brecon, where there was a great show of cattle throughout. My reserve and champion stood out with plenty of ring presence, mobility and breed character."

The top lot of the day at 13,000gns was the pre-sale show class winner Loosebeare Shifty, from EW Quick and Sons, Crediton, Devon.

An August 2021-born lad with an impressive back pedigree, Shifty is sired by the popular AI bull Loosebeare Fantastic, a bull who has produced sons to 70,000gns, while his Dam is Loosebeare Honeybee who goes back to the 17,000gns Aghadolgan Emperor. With a myostatin status of F94L/Q204X he goes on to work for Rowe Farms Ltd, Bridgewater, Somerset.

Next in the trade stakes with a successful bid of 6,200gns from Gwyn Jones and Partners, Newtown Powys, was the September 2021-born reserve junior male champion, Garyvaughan Stinky from Colin Lewis, Welshpool. A bull with a F94L/NT821 myostatin pairing, he is bred out of Garyvaughan Minky, a daughter of the £30,000 Garnedd Gower and the sire here is the 24,000gns Gorrycam Phantom.

Just behind was an entry from AG Kirton and Sons, Bewdley, Shropshire, the first of two to be knocked down at 6,000gns. Ashledge Spearmint, is an April 2021-born son of the herds 7,000gns stock bull Goldies Lookout, who has bred well producing 85 progeny for them since his purchase in 2016.

His dam is the Greensons Gigolo-sired Ashledge Mint and no wonder Spearmint tickled the tastebuds of his new owners J Evans and Sons, Brecon, with a beef value of LM61, 200 day and 400 day growth figures and age to slaughter GEBVs placing him in the top 1%. He also boasts a myostatin status of F94L/F94L.

The second bull to secure a bid of 6,000gns was Brockhurst Sillybilly, who had been tapped out first in his class earlier in the day. An F94L/NT821 carrier and sired by herd successful stock bull Proctors Mitsubishi who has previously bred a 15,000gns daughter, Sillybilly is out of Brockhurst Isabelle, who goes back to Brockhurst Centurion. This June 2021-born bull was exhibited by WJ and M Mash Ltd, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, and goes on to work in Highbridge, Somerset, with new owner J Porter.

Next up was JH Neale and Sons, senior champion and May 2021-born entry, Nealford Sawmill, all the way from Launceston, Cornwall. Another bull with impressive figures he carries double F94L myostatin and has a top 5% gestation length figure and Beef Value of LM47. Messrs Davies and Millichap, Porth Rhondda Cynon, Taff, are his proud new owners of this 17,000gns Loosebeare Nelson son, bred out of the 70,000gns Ampertaine Magnum-sired Nealford Prettygirl.

Another to achieve 5,800gns was Loosebeare Stew, bought forward for sale by the breeders of the top priced lot EW Quick and Sons and who had stood second in his class at the pre-sale show. Stew was snapped up by TJE Jones and Son and didn’t have a long way to travel home to Llangorse, Powys, after the sale. An 18-month-old son of the 7,500gns Dinmore Neptune and the 11,000gns Haltcliffe Anzac-sired Loosebeare Honey, he carries double F94L myostatin.

Dyfri Superior was the next highest price bull of the day, securing a bid of 5,500gns from PJ Dale, Ripley, Derbyshire. Sired by the French-bred and popular AI bull Fenomen, Superior’s Dam is Dyfri Jewel, who goes back to the 50,000gns Carlisle Champion Wilodge Cerberus.

Offered for sale by DG and MJ Edwards, Llandovery, and another with myostatin of F94L/F94L, he has a plethora of EBV’s placing him in the top 10% of the national herd for muscle depth, age to slaughter and 200 day milk and the top 1% for his 200- and 400-day growth figures and beef value of LM52.

At 5,000gns was Ashledge Saint, another top priced lot from the aforementioned AG Kirton and Sons. This time sired by the homebred Ashledge Ontario, he is bred out of the Haltcliffe Iceman-daughter Ashledge Nelly. A top 10% bull for 200- and 400-day growth, muscle depth, carcase weight, retail value and beef value (LM45), he has a myostatin status of F94L/NT821 and this June 2021-born bull caught the eye of successful bidder Eynon Wormbridge, Wormbridge, Hereford.

Heading up the female section at 3,000gns was the reserve female champion Brockhurst Sadie, another entry from WJ and M Mash Ltd, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, and this 16-month old heifer, sired by the French-bred Osiris and out of the Hafodlas Domino-daughter Brockhurst Nutella, has found a new home with Jack Bodily, Llandewi Skirrid, Abergavenny.

Averages: 16 bulls £5,571.56, nine heifers £2,310.