MATT and Craig Ridley had a day to remember at the May Limousin bull sale at Carlisle.

The Ridleys, of Haltcliffe, Hesket New Market, Wigton, achieved the sale's top price of 43,000gns - the second highest ever for a Limousin bull - and sold two other bulls at 18,000gns and 10,000gns. They have rebuilt their herd to high quality and prominence only three years after being depopulated during foot-and-mouth.

The top-priced bull, Haltcliffe Ullswater, is a February 2003-born calf which won the young-est class at the pre-sale show, judged by Brian Wills of Bridge of Allan, Stirling. Ullswater's sire is Sympa, the Ridley's French stock bull; his dam, Renoncule, is also French-bred. The joint buyers were from Powys, E H Pennie & Son, of the Sarkley herd, and C L and F E Jerman, of the Glangwden herd.

The second top price was 24,000gns, paid to George Hutton, Setmabanning, Threlkeld, Keswick, for Cloughead Titanic, an October 2002-born calf by the French bull Heros and out of Cloughead Orrissa. The joint buyers were Jimmy Mulholland, Midtown Farm, Great Orton, of the Liscon pedigree herd, and Robert and Mike Scott, Thirlwall Castle, Greenhead, Carlisle.

Two Sarkley bulls made 11,000gns to Northern buyers. Jamie Cooper of Dacre, Harrogate, bought Sarkley Topknot, a June 2002-born calf, got by AI, by Haltcliffe Novel and out of Winsbury Ebony, for his Tomschoice pedigree herd. Sarkley Trendsetter, by AI by Ronick Luke, out of Sarkley Marianne, went to C G Simpson and Sons, Square House Farm, Quebec, County Durham.

Averages:63 senior bulls £3,513.09 (up £98.34 on year); 67 intermediate blls £3,517.50 (down £295.80); 48 junior bulls £5,365.94 (up £1,738.58); overall 178 bulls £3,918.62 (up £303.95)

A small sale of pedigree females last Friday was led by J K Goldie, Dumfries, at 8,000gns for Ronick Sandra and her seven-month bull calf, Goldies Unsunghero, sired by Lascard. The buyer was A Irving, Toppin Heads Nook, Brampton.

The female champion, judged by Hazel Fotheringham, Perthshire, was the two-year-old Newstart Tangarine from David and Mary Cormack, Abotts Close Farm, Thirsk, which made the second top price at 4,100gns to the pedigree herd of Roger Chadwick, Greeba, Isle of Man. This heifer is out of Ryedale Mandarina and by Ryedale Orion.

Averages: 6 cows, served and/or suckling £2,835 (up £336); 10 served heifers £1,806 (up £345.84); 33 maiden heifers £1,568.64 (up £181.76).