The inaugural Showtime Supreme Blues sale of pedigree Belgian Blue bulls, heifers and embryos took place via online auction on MartEye with the sale drawing to a close on Sunday, December 29.
The sale was managed by Denis Barrett Auctions in conjunction with Harrison and Hetherington and included entries from three Belgian Blue breeders.
The breeders exhibiting in the timed online sale were Richard Stanley from Co. Cork, Shay Hayden from Co. Wexford and Joe Lyons from Co. Cork who had one bull in the sale.
Taking the top price in the sale was Lot 3 Kilcombe Queen Lilly selling at €15,400 to a customer in Northern Ireland.
This Empire-sired heifer was Champion Junior Heifer in 2023 and Senior Breeding Heifer in 2024 as well as winning numerous show titles in between.
The second-top price of the sale was paid for a full sister to the top-priced lot. Lot 4 Kilcombe Quiana sold at €13,600 to a Co. Kerry-based customer.
This heifer was the Reserve All Ireland Junior Heifer Champion in 2023 and the September 2022-born four-star replacement heifer was recently flushed giving eight embryos.
Realising €8,600 was Kilcombe Queen Blanc. This white September 2022 born five star replacement heifer was sired by RBX and was purchased by a customer based in Northern Ireland.
At €8,200 was Kilcombe Queen Izzy, a full sister to the aforementioned Lily and Quiana. This heifer was purchased by a midlands-based customer.
Making €5,400 was Brownview Quartz sired by BB4396. The heifer was described in the sale catalogue as “a striking black and white breeding heifer with exceptional conformation and presence”.
All 11 lots of two embryos sold on the night with the pedigree embryos averaging €550/embryo and the commercial hybrids averaging €875/embryo.
Top embryo prices from the sale:
- Kilcombe Queen Lilly/Ampertaine Elgin €1,200/embryo (2 embryos €2,400);
- Kilcombe Quiana/Ampertaine Elgin €800/embryo;
- Kilcombe Philly/Ampertaine Elgin €900/embryo;
- Milbrook Dartangan/Errill Flash €600/embryo.
Overall the sale had 53 active bidders across the 21 Lots with over 13,000 sale views. All cattle in the sale could be export tested for customers in England and Northern Ireland but the embryo lots were for Republic of Ireland customers only.
Going unsold at €6,000 was Nohoval Ryder owned by Finbarr and Joe Lyons from Co. Cork.
This October 2023-born bull is sired by S3555 and off an Empire cow going back to the Corandulla Helen which is the Grand Dam of the record-breaking €30,000 heifer at the Carrick Winter fair this year.