An Elite Charolais Heifer Sale took place at the Midland and Western Livestock Improvement Society Showgrounds at Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Roscommon, on Saturday, October 26.
With 40 heifers catalogued, 35 of these were offered for sale and 21 were sold, resulting in a clearance rate of 60% with an average price of €4,070 and six heifers exported to Northern Ireland from the sale.
The top price of €6,300 was paid for Dereskit Too Nice. This heifer was exhibited by Basil Bothwell from Co. Cavan. The heifer was sired by the society’s bull Horace JD and out of home-bred dam Dereskit Nadine by Anside Foreman.
She sold to Chris McCabe from Co. Louth, who went on to purchase four heifers in total for his Shannondore Herd at the sale.
The judge on the day was Sean McGovern from Northern Ireland. He tapped forward Lisnagre Time Bomb (et) as his Reserve Senior Champion.
Selling for €6,000, she was exhibited by Jim Geoghegan from Co. Westmeath. This heifer was also a daughter of the society’s bull Horace JD and is out of a Pirate dam. She sold to Northern Ireland.
The second lot to make €6,000 was Breaghwyhill Tess 2 (et). Born in September 2022, this heifer was sired by Doonally New and out of a Balmyle Vagabond dam. She was exhibited by Eamonn O’Connor from Co. Sligo and found her new home in Co. Galway.
Selling at €5,600 was Tullaghan Ursa belonging to Michael Daly from Tullaghan, Co. Leitrim. Out of the UK sire Blelack Digger and with Knockmoyle Loki (et) as the maternal grand-sire, she went north to Co. Antrim.
Selling at €5,500 was the first-prize winner Breaghwyhill Unique. The second offering of the day from the fold of Eamonn O’Connor from Co. Sligo, she sold to a breeder from Co. Louth.
Born in January 2023, she was sired by the society’s bull Ocean and out of a home-bred dam by Doonally New.
Making €5,100 was the Reserve Junior Female Champion Farmer U-Beauty (et). Exhibited by Paul Sheridan from Co. Cavan, she sold to Co. Louth. She was sired by Goldstar Echo and out of an Inverlochy Gurka dam.
Selling for €5,000 was Tawny Ur Highness (et) who was the Junior Champion of the show. She was exhibited by breeder Ciaran Daly from Co. Leitrim. Sired by the UK bull Fury Action and out of a dam by Sportsman Columbo, she sold to a breeder from Co. Roscommon.
Also sold with the price of €5,000 was Clenagh Trixy (et). Born in December 2022, she was sired by Goldstar Echo and out of a home-bred dam by Doonally New. She sold to a breeder in Co. Longford.
The final lot selling for €5,000 was Grangwood Tiara (et). Born in September 2022, she was sired by the Charolais society’s bull Ocelo and a home-bred dam out of Goldstar Echo. She went to a breeder in Co. Louth.
Overall Charolais champion of the day was Ardabrone Tracy (et). Out of Fury Action and with Pirate as the maternal grand-sire, she failed to meet her reserve in the sales ring and went back home with owners James and Karl Kelly from Co. Sligo.
Other top prices on the day included:
- €3,800 for Glenree Usha owned by John O’Grady from Co. Galway;
- €3,700 for Larahill Unice (et) owned by John O’Connor from Co. Westmeath;
- €3,600 for Lisnagre Todie (et) owned by Jim Geoghegan from Co. Westmeath;
- €3,600 for Pottlereagh Unicorn owned by Patrick Hughes from Co. Cavan;
- €3,400 for Western Tara owned by Joe Clancy from Co. Galway.
The Irish Charolais Cattle Society expressed its thanks to judge Sean McGovern who travelled from Clogher, Co. Tyrone to the event.