A LIMOUSIN open day staged at the farm of a well-known Penrith breeder was expected to draw a large number of visitors.

The British Limousin Society Open Day, which was held yesterday, showcased the noted Whinfellpark herd, owned by Penrith businessman Allan Jenkinson.

The event was part of the 50th anniversary weekend of the BLC which includes a sale and show at Borderway Mart in Carlisle today (Fri) and tomorrow (Sat).

The name Whinfellpark is synonymous with British Limousin cattle breeding, as the herd has hit the headlines on numerous occasions through its record price-breaking purchases.

Allan Jenkinson of A.W. Jenkinson Forest Products, is supported at Clifton Moor Farm on the Whinfell Park Estate by a team which includes stockman, Craig Douglas. He works alongside his father, David, under the guidance of farm manager, Iain Scott.

Based near Penrith, the 125-cow herd is split roughly equally between spring and autumn-calving groups, in order to have stock to present at all the Carlisle-based Borderway Mart shows and sales, a key feature in the British Limousin Cattle Society calendar.

Mr Douglas explains: “We were looking for an alternative to the previous system when the farm was re-stocked and it was a toss-up between the British Limousin and one of the other prominent beef breeds. The late auctioneer, David Thomlinson, strongly advised us to choose the Limousin and for that we owe him a debt of gratitude.”

The first purchases for the pedigree herd were made up of French imports, followed by an investment in bloodlines from the dispersal of the renowned Ryedale herd.

Numbers expanded slowly and it was not long before Whinfellpark had made its mark on cattle breeding on a global scale.

The quest for the ‘perfect’ Limousin has led to the business being involved in no fewer than four world record-price breaking purchases. The most recent was in May where a Limousin bull was purchased for 180,000gns of which a 25 per cent share was sold post sale to Boden and Davies of the Cheshire-based Sportsman herd. The record-breaking bull was the 2020 Graiggoch Rambo entered by Gerwyn Jones of Conway.