Eden businessman Alan Jenkinson was part of a partnership which paid a world record price of 180,000gns for a Limousin bull at Borderway mart, Carlisle, on Saturday.
Following a flurry of bidding, Mr Jenkinson, whose Whinfellpark herd is based near Penrith, and Boden and Davies Ltd, of the Sportsmans herd, Stockport, Cheshire, handed over the record sum for Graiggoch Rambo, from Gerwyn Jones, Conwy.
The 180,000gns paid (£189,000) for Rambo smashed the previous record price for a Limousin bull of 140,000gns, which was bought for this amount in 2015 by a syndicate which included the Whinfellpark herd.
Commenting on behalf of the partnership, Iain Scott, farm manager at Whinfellpark, said: “Rambo is possibly the best bull we have ever seen offered for sale at Carlisle. His breeding line is exceptional. He has width, depth of muscle as well as being correct on his feet and legs.
“With all the previous attributes, he still retains his breed character through his head. Rambo will be going straight to stud to have semen taken.”
Prior to the sale, Rambo was described by judge Patrick Greaney, of the Whiskey Limousin herd, as the best bull he had ever seen. “I slept well the night before the judging, but I didn’t sleep well once I had seen him,” he said. “I knew an incredible sale would be coming.”
On Friday at the pre-sale show, Rambo had been placed as intermediate and overall champion. Going back to some classic bloodlines including Broadmeadows Cannon, Broadmeadows Ainsi, Ronick Gains and Wilodge Vantastic, he is a November 2020-born bull and by Ampertaine Elgin out of Sarkley Glorianne.
Mr Jenkinson was also a vendor at the British Limousin Cattle Society sale, with one of his bulls, Whinfellpark Ralphie, selling for 9,000gns to Neil Pearson of the Eldon pedigree herd, Eldon Lane Farm, Derbyshire.
With double F94L myostatin, this September 2020-born bull is by the noted sire Lowerffrydd Empire and out of Whinfellpark Noodle, descended from the herd’s stock sire Foxhillfarm Jasper.
This world record was the highlight of a remarkable sale which saw an overall sale average of £10,651, up by £2,348 on 2021. Some 21 bulls made £10,000 or more, and the clearance rate was a phenomenal 90 per cent.
