AUCTIONEER and pedigree Limousin breeder David Thomlinson died in an accident on his farm on Saturday (8th).

Born and brought up in Cumbria, he began working for livestock auctioneers Harrison & Hetherington (H&H) as an office boy in 1962. He passed his Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyor exams, moved into auctioneering and rose to managing director. He had a 57 year career with H&H and, although he could have retired, maintained a key role as an auctioneer, mentor and assisting the land agency with property sales.

As an auctioneer, one of his proudest moments was in 2003 when he sold a Texel Shearling Ram, Loosebeare Imp, for 120,000gns. Another was the sale of the prize-winning Limousin bull, Haltcliffe Vermont, in 2006 for a then world Limousin record price of 100,000gns.

Along with his wife Sheila, he farmed their 200-acre Park View Farm at Scaleby, Carlisle from where they started their pedigree Beeches herd of Limousin cattle in 1978. The farm produces quality bulls and females for sale both in the ring and privately.

A former Chairman of the North West Limousin Cattle Breeders Association he made a hugely important contribution to the British Limousin Cattle Society, serving as a Council Member for a number of years, concluding with a two year Presidency in September 2018. He was instrumental in the creation of Borderway being recognised as The National Limousin Centre and always put the needs of farmers first.

Away from work and the farm, he has been chairman of the Cumberland Show and president of Cumbria Young Farmers Federation. For a six year period, which included the outbreak of BSE, he was also chairman of the Livestock Auctioneers Association.

In 2011, he was presented with the Blamire Award for services in promoting the Cumberland farming industry, and was appointed chairman of the National Beef Association in 2013 and was the current President. In 2017, Mr Thomlinson was awarded the Farmer’s Guardian Lifetime Auctioneer Achievement Award.