A Welsh farmer has collected a world record breaking price for a “special” bull described as one of the best ever to come onto the market. Gerwyn Jones, of Graig Goch Farm, Nebo, in Conwy saw bids fly in for Graiggoch Rambo at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s May bull sale in Cumbria.
He said he was "delighted" when the hammer came down at an incredible 180,000gns (£189,000) – the highest price ever paid for a Limousin bull, NorthWalesLive reports. The proceeds are enough to buy a house in Gerwyn’s local town of Llanrwst where, according to Rightmove, properties averaged £187,157 in the past year. However, the proceeds are likely to be reinvested in breeding stock.
Remarkably, it was Gerwyn’s first pedigree Limousin and his first foray to Borderway Mart, Carlisle. After the sale, he said: “The events of the weekend are only just sinking in.
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“After working with experienced breeders for a long time, I knew Rambo was something special, which was confirmed by the interest and offers received at home prior to the sale. Due to the attention he was attracting, I was concerned it may deter under-bidders, thankfully this was not the case. I am delighted that my first pedigree registered Limousin has sold so amazingly well.”
The new world record price smashed the previous mark of 140,000gns held by Trueman Jagger since 2015. Rambo was bought in a two-way syndicate by Messrs Jenkinson of the Whinfellpark herd, Penrith, and Boden & Davies of the Sportsmans herd, Stockport. Commenting on behalf of the syndicate, Iain Scott, farm manager at Whinfellpark, said: “He was 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.”
Rambo, a November 2020-born bull, is an Ampertaine Elgin son out of Sarkley Glorianne. In an intriguing back story, Gerwyn was offered the chance to flush a cow to a bull of his choice as a thank you for work carried out on the Sarkley herd of EH Pennie & Son, Montgomery, Powys.
One embryo implanted from this flush lead to Graiggoch Rambo. The Limousin Cattle Society said: “The saying goes ‘...perhaps a small deed, by sincere intention, is made great’, and there can surely be no better example.”
At the pre-sale show, Rambo was placed as intermediate and overall champion. Judge Pat Greaney insisted he was the “best bull I have ever seen”.
Pat said: “He is 100% correct with power throughout, a super top and without the coarseness that can sometimes come with this. I slept well the night before the judging, but I didn’t sleep well once I had seen him! I knew an incredible sale would be coming.”
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