Darlington Farmers Auction Mart held the North East Limousin breeders club sale incorporating the complete dispersal of the Rachels herd plus a multi-breed cattle sale on Saturday 17th May 2025. Forward were 96 head.
20 Pedigree Limousin Bulls sold to 13,000 guineas (av. 7490 guineas)
14 Pedigree Limousin Heifers sold to 7500 guineas (av. 4900 guineas)
5 Pedigree Limousin Cows with Calves sold to 8500 guineas (av. 7287 guineas)
8 Pedigree Limousin Cows sold to 5500 guineas (av. 4475 guineas)
1 Breeding Bull sold for 6200 guineas
20 Breeding Heifers sold to 3200 guineas
18 Cows & Calves sold to 3400 guineas
Pedigree Limousin
Show Classes – A fine show assembled before our judge Mr Keith Redpath who kindly made the trip down from the Scottish borders to oversee proceedings. Tapped out as champion was the wonderful winner of class two, Cornsay Ulrich from the prolific herd of the Suddes family, South Farm, Cornsay. Ulrich is a sired by Lukeroyal Robin and boasts a long home bred line on the side of his dam Cornsay Regina. Reserve champion went to the baby of the bunch in the final line up Lissett Vulcan from J H Tennant Ltd, Bridlington; a January 2024 bull full of scope which looks sure to grow forever more he is sired by Lissett Osten and out of the French cow Maizena.
Sale – Record’s tumbled galore at the North East Limousin Breeders club sale as demand outstripped supply to see a total clearance, two new centre records in the space of a few minutes plus a record average of 7490 guineas which is a marvellous 3390 guinea increase on the year. First mention in the sale report goes to Willie Barron, Burnhope with his cracking young 14-month-old bull Barrons Valour who was the first to break the centre record on the day at 11,200 guineas. Valour is sired by this club sales champion last year Wanthwaite Rolo and out of a terrific cow Procters Rowen. The centre record tumbled shortly afterwards during the Rachels herd dispersal which is reported on below. Other notable achievements in the club sale went to the Jorica herd of Josh Knaggs with his two bulls Unionjack and Umpire selling at 9200 and 9000 guineas respectively. A stunning run of bulls from the Cornsay herd of W I Suddes & Sons which saw Ulrich and Victor sell for 9000 guineas with UFO following at 8500 guineas alongside Barrons Viper and Dovetree Upmarket at that price.
A full list of the show results and also the extraordinary prices can be seen below.
Champion – Cornsay Ulrich
Reserve Champion Lissett Vulcan
Class 1
1st Jorica Unionjack sold for 9500 guineas to A&K Hall, Bishop Auckland
Class 2
1st Cornsay Ulrich sold for 9000 guineas to WA Richardson Ltd, Hutton Magna
2nd Holywell Ultimate sold for 6000 guineas to WR Thompson, Etherley
3rd Dovetree Upmarket sold for 8500 guineas to Rodney Brothers, Masham
Class 3
1st Jorica Umpire sold for 9200 guineas to A&K Hall, Bishop Auckland
2nd Barrons Viper sold for 8500 guineas to RA & SL Wearmouth, Stockton
3rd Hightown Virgil sold for 8000 guineas to GN & V Bayles, Richmond
4th Lissett Unclebuck sold for 6500 guineas to F Hickson & Sons, Capheaton
5th Cornsay Victor sold for 9000 guineas to D&A Livestock, Harrogate
Class 4
1st Lissett Vulcan sold for 8000 guineas to J Gowthorpe & Sons, York
2nd Barrons Valour sold for 11,200 guineas to RN Gent, Irving
3rd Cornsay Vampire sold for 6000 guineas to RL Ritchie & Son, Skegness
4th Springs Viking sold for 6000 guineas to R & BK Wise, Skipton on Swale
5th Barrons Viscount sold for 6200 guineas to EH North & Sons, Leeds
Barrons Valour sold for 11200 guineas
Rachels Herd Dispersal
Darlington Farmers Auction Mart were privileged to be given the instruction from Mark Woolhouse to disperse the Rachels herd of pedigree Limousin cattle. A fabulous collection of cattle put together by Mark and his parents Rachel and Derek over the past forty-nine years quite rightly attracted one of the biggest crowds ever seen in Darlington. Breeders from all four corners of the UK assembled in recognition of the quality and history involved on this one-off occasion; in doing so they assured a terrific trade from start to finish.
The top call and new centre record of 13,000 guineas went to the 27-month-old bull Rachels Umbro which was knocked down to RA & SL Wearmouth, Middletown Farm, Stockton-on-Tees. Umbro is testament to the home bred success story as he is sired by Rachels Perseus and out of Rachels Izzy boasting both Lissett and Wilodge lines through his grandparents. Cow and calf trade topped at 8500 guineas for the stunning 2021 born Rachels Siete with her superb Barrons Sammie sired heifer calf at foot Rachels Angel. More proof in doing things the Woolhouse way as Siete too was from home bred lines with her sire Rachels Oggy and her dam Rachels Ocho. Top of the cows from the herd was Rachels Prosecco, a 2019 born daughter of Lissett Madmax and Steves Jess she was sold due in July to Barrons Sammie. Heifers from the herd enjoyed perhaps the trade of the day and twice peaked at 7500 guineas, firstly for Rachels Venice a January 2024 born Liverpool Pirate daughter out of Rachels Santiago and just two lots later for the double muscled February 2024 born Rachels Veluptuous who is a Barrons Sammie daughter out of Rachels Samantha.
Rachels Umbro – 13,000 guineas
Rachels Siete & Angel 8500 guineas
Rachels Venice 7500 guineas
Rachels Veluptuous 7500 guineas
Note from DfAM
Darlington Auction Mart would like to take this opportunity to thank Mark for the opportunity to conduct this sale. The cattle and the vendor have both been an absolute pleasure to work with, Limousin with temperaments second to none and a gentleman at the helm. An understandably emotional day for Mark can be considered a great success, knowing his dedication and desire to do his cattle and his parents proud we are truly delighted as a company to have helped him achieve this.
Note from Mark Woolhouse, Rachels Herd
I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Darlington Mart and all their staff for their tireless work and professionalism throughout. All of the staff including auctioneers, clerical staff, drovers and the girls in Dot’s Café alike have made us most welcome. I am very pleased that I made the decision to use Darlington mart to disperse the herd.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported me both recently and in the past on my Limousin journey.
Finally I would like to thank everyone who came today and bid for my cattle, they have been an enormous part of my life for forty-nine years and I have no doubts that they will do those who purchased them well. I am humbled by the support of everyone today and felt it only appropriate to thank you all sincerely.
Rachels Herd Leading Prices (Guineas)
Bulls – 13,000 6500 3200(x2)
Cows & Calves – 8500 8000 7000 6400 4800
Cows – 5500 5000(x2) 4800 4500 4000 3800 3200
Heifers – 7500(x2) 7000 5500 5000 4800 4500 4000(x3) 2600
Limousin Leading Prices (Guineas)
Bulls – 11200 8500 6200 W Barron. 9500 9200 Josh Knaggs. 9000(x2) 8500 6000 W I Suddes & Son. 8500 D Lumley. 8000 J W Smith-Jackson. 8000 6500 J H Tennant. 6000 M J Marley. 6000 R D Anderson.
Heifers – 4800 4200 3200 A & J A Iveson.
Multi Breed Cattle
The multi breed sale merged with our Limousin day maintained a sizeable crowd and with that the sharp trade continued. First in the ring was a shapely two-year-old British Blue bull from Eileen Wilson, White Hills which sold for a pleasing 6200 guineas. The top call for a female went to an eight-year-old pedigree Aberdeen Angus cow with a bull calf at foot from RE Dickson, Stubdale Farm with a bull calf at foot reaching 3700 guineas. Other cows with calves from the Dickson reduction sale sold for 3600 and 3400 guineas. Pedigree Beef Shorthorn’s topped the heifer trade as a two-year-old (3200 guineas) and a 16-month-old (3000 guineas) from RG & HE Thompson, Bennison House Farm went under the hammer. Upsall Castle Farms sold a smart run of Beef Shorthorn heifers aged 12-16-months and topped at 2400 guineas whilst the top call for a Belted Galloway was 1500 guineas for a cow and calf from D Walker, High Woodifield Farm East.
Leading Prices (Guineas)
Bull – 6200 E Wilson.
Cows & Calves – 3700 3600 3400 3300(x2) 3200(x2) 3100 3000 2800 2780 2500 R E Dickson. 1500(x2) D Walker. 1150 1100 N A Thompson.
Heifers – 3200 3000 RG & HE Thompson. 2400 2000(x9) 1900(x2) Upsall Castle Farms.
