READY bids, particularly for the younger females, brought a top price of 6,200gns at the annual British Limousin Cattle Society Red Ladies Derby at Borderway, Carlisle last Friday. The average was more than £300 up on the 2000 figure.

The sale, conducted by Harrison & Hetherington, saw 50 of the 54 females sold.

A 2-year-old in calf heifer, Millington Randy, gained the 6,200gns bid. Millington Grange Estate, Millington, near York, had consigned her to the sale, giving all the proceeds to the BLCS young members' arm, the Young Limousin Breeders.

Appropriately, a young Limousin breeder paid the top price. 17-year-old Alex Ibbs, from Stoke-on-Trent, was impressed by the heifer's looks, her high beef value of LM32 and 400-day weight of 60kg above breed average. She was sold in calf to the October 1999 Perth show and sale champion Redpaths Optic. Alex founded his Lolinger herd four years ago and at the society's autumn bull sale at Carlisle, he fulfilled his ambition to sell a bull well at the centre when Ednaston Socrates made 4,000gns.

The proceeds from the sale of Millington Randy will be used in various Young Breeders' activities for 2003, which include a national stock judging competition at the Royal Show, cultural exchanges and a calf show at Birmingham Primestock Show.

The show judge, Margaret Penny from Aberdeenshire, was proved right in her conviction when her chosen champion, Westhall Royal, sold for the joint second top price, 4,500gns.

This 19-month heifer from Alan Fotheringham, of Forgadenny, Perth, is by Haltcliffe Novel out of Haltcliffe Oldgirl, and went to John Kingan, of New Abbey, near Dumfries, who had he first seen her exhibited at this year's Royal Highland Show.

Also selling at 4,500gns with her heifer calf at foot was the 11-year-old cow, Staveley Irene, for William Bedell, Llandrindod Wells in a telephone bid from Smith's of Bloxham.

Alan Jenkinson and farm manager Iain Scott from Penrith, underbidders on the top-priced heifer, paid the sale's third highest price, 4,100gns, for the 18-month Newstart Shelley, from David and Mary Cormack's herd which they have now based near Thirsk. The heifer is by Fenrose Orly out of Sarkley Nellie, which was Red Ladies champion in 1999

Averages: 8 cows served and/or suckling £2,205; 9 served heifers, £2,356.67; 33 maiden heifers £1,641.82.

Other local sales and purchases: RB Graham, Stirling, Grahams Pippa, 2,700gns to TA Horn, Lower Griseburn, Appleby; GC Rowson, Sutton-on-Forest, York, Rombalds Rolo, 2,600gns to Lowther Park Farms, Penrith, Cumbria; DA Williams, Shifnal, Wilodge Sarbara, 2,200gns to A Jenkinson; RP & WV Scott, Alnwick, Hopehouse Sophia, 2,000gns to A Jenkinson