Irish breeding behind Limousin world record price

Last Friday’s Wilodge and Brockhurst Limousin herds sale in Carlisle will go down in the history books, with a new world record breed price achieved.

Securing the new record was Wilodge Posh Spice, which sold for a staggering 250,000gns - the equivalent of nearly €300,000.

Bred by Christine Williams and Paul Tippets, Posh Spice is the result of an embryo sold by Irish breeder William Smith of the renowned Milbrook herd based in Oldcastle, Co Meath.

William is no stranger to records himself, currently holding the Irish record Limousin price of €42,000 for Milbrook Senorhita, which goes back to the same herd foundation cow as Posh Spice.

Mating

The new world record-priced Limousin is the result of the mating of the famous Milbrook Ginger Spice and Ampertaine Elgin.

Christine first spotted Ginger Spice at Balmoral Show in 2012, where she judged her overall Limousin champion, despite her being only a year old.

The yearling went on to claim the junior interbreed and overall interbreed titles

Her judgement was later backed, as the yearling went on to claim the junior interbreed and overall interbreed titles the same year.

This was the first of many, as Ginger Spice also stood as interbreed champion for the following two years, making her the only animal to have ever won three interbreed championships at a royal show.

Ampertaine Elgin was sold in Carlisle for 32,000gns and bred by well-known Northern Irish breeder James McKay. Embryos from this mating were very seldom sold, but any that were consistently made the headlines.

Full siblings from the Grahams herd in Scotland secured breed championships at both the Royal Welsh and Great Yorkshire shows, while males hit 20,000gns and females 25,000gns in the sales ring.

Securing the November 2019-born Posh Spice on Friday was the partnership of Sportsman and Whinfellpark Limousin herds.

Overall, the sale was a roaring success, with a further 11 five-figure sums achieved, with many others having strong Irish connections also.

Second-top price

Taking the second-top price at the sale was Wilodge Onhigh, which sold for 25,000gns. This super in-calf heifer is a daughter of Powerful Irish, which was bred by Cavan-based Philip Crowe.

Irish was also in the back breeding of the next two top-priced heifers, Wilodge Opulent and Wilodge Poshgem, which sold for 20,000gns each.

Two full sisters sired by Grahams Lorenzo, they are out of Powerful Irish-bred dam Wilodge Littlegem.

The broad cow Littlegem also bred Objat daughter Wilodge Optimiss, which sold for 10,000gns.

This further adds to Powerful Irish’s string of success, having already bred two senior champions in Carlisle and a female champion at the society’s Red Ladies sale.

Private purchase

Securing a price of 11,000gns was six-year-old cow Wilodge Lida and her bull calf at foot, Randy. Lida is sired by Gerrygullinane Glen, which Wilodge purchased privately for a five-figure sum from Mayo breeder Gerry Walsh, Ballina.

A full sister of Posh Spice, Wilodge Option sold early in sale for 10,000gns. This price was particularly impressive, given Option got caught early by a young bull and calved her first calf at under 20 months of age.

Ireland has a long-standing reputation for producing top-quality pedigree stock. It can’t be underestimated how sales of this magnitude can add to that reputation and open further sale avenues.

Great credit must go to the breeders named and the many others across the country who invest time, dedication and passion in keeping Ireland at the forefront of the cattle breeding sector.

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