THE Northern Ireland Limousin Cattle Club’s Ladies in Red show and sale turned out to be another record-breaking day, with prices soaring to 25,000gns and 14 lots changing hands for a record average £8,115 per head.

The club’s second Ladies in Red event in Ballymena, sponsored by Norbrook, was conducted by Harrison and Hetherington in conjunction with JA McClelland and Sons, writes Julie Hazelton.

There were three five-figure prices and five heifers sold for export to England, Wales and the Republic.

Surpassing last year’s 24,000gns Ladies in Red record, and setting a new 25,000gns record for a Limousin female sold at an official auction in Northern Ireland, was William Gabbie, whose herd is based at Crossgar, County Down.

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.

NI Limousin Club Chairman Kieran McCrory, Sixmilecross, secured the day’s intermediate championship and reserve supreme award with the 13-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, County 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.

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 said: “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, County Londonderry.

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.