The Irish Charolais Cattle Society hosted its premier sale on Saturday (March 19) at Elphin Mart. It was a sale which saw bulls overall achieve an improved average price.

In comparison to the premier sale in 2020, the average price is ahead by €708/head. Singing a similar tune to recent Charolais sales, it was clear to see that stars and figures continued to play an important role for buyers.

Customers and exhibitors missed the pre-sale show which would normally have been held prior to Covid-19 restrictions. With no championship sashes and red rosettes being handed out, the sales ring was the true judge of bulls and heifers on the day.

Cloonraddon Ricky

It was a son of the popular sire Fiston that topped the sale on Saturday. Cloonraddon Ricky reached a price of €8,200 for local exhibitor Anthony McDermot from Strokestown in Co. Roscommon. This bull was out of a home-bred dam sired by Cavelands Fenian and is also carrying one copy of the Q204X myostatin gene.

This 14-month-old bull also had a calving ease figure that ranked him at +6.4% on matings with beef cows. Securing the purchase of this young bull was the National Cattle Breeding Centre (NCBC).

Clenagh Picasso (et)

The Clare-native Clenagh herd secured the second highest price of the day of €7,400 with their offering Clenagh Picasso (et). Breeder Michael Quin trusted in old breeding when producing this embryo-born bull – as his sire is the sought-after Domino and out of a genetic home-bred dam sired by Doonally New (CF52).

The terminal index of €181 aided the attraction to this 17-month-old male, while also having a calving figure of +7% on matings with beef cows. It was another AI company in the form of Coney Island Genetics that snapped up this bull.

Bostonia Robynhood (et)

It’s not too often that a Hermes son is offered at a Charolais sale especially in recent times, however Bostonia Robynhood (et) broke that trend and sold for the next highest price of €6,800. Brendan Feeney from Co. Sligo was the exhibitor of this February 2020 born-bull.

The genetic dam of this young bull, Drumshane Mademoiselle, was also famous in her own right as she claimed many championship rosettes as a young heifer on the show circuit. She was a daughter of Inverlochy Gurka. Robynhood found his new home in a pedigree herd based in Northern Ireland after the sale.

Scardaune Pius

Oliver Conway from Claremorris in Co. Mayo had a successful day selling Scardaune Pius for a price tag of €6,200. Being a son of the herd’s stock bull, Derryown Harvey, and having a maternal pedigree including sires such as Nelson and Pinay, resulted in this bull being a full brother to the AI sire Scardaune Mark.

This bull had a strong set of indices to match, carrying a replacement index of €120 and terminal index of €157. He moves to new pastures on a suckler farm in Co. Monaghan.

Noble Romeo

Another relation of Scardaune Mark sold for one of the top prices on Saturday, in the form of his son, Noble Romeo.

It was Longford breeder Harry Noble that sold this 14-month-old bull for €6,100, who is also ranked with a terminal index figure of €140. Coming from an Organdi-bred dam, Romeo carried a calving ease figure of +5.6% on matings with beef cows. He sold to a Northern Ireland-based suckler farmer.

Blackroad Rocco

The trip to Elphin Mart was worthwhile for Kerry native Jack Culloty as his offering, Blackroad Rocco, sold for €6,100. A son of the legendary Doonally New (CF52) and being out of a pirate dam meant that he had the sought after pedigree by commercial suckler farmers. He sold to a farmer from Co. Tyrone.

Lisnagre Parker (et)

The 16-month-old Lisnagre Parker (et) demanded a €6,000 price tag for breeder Jim Geoghegan from Streamstown in Co. Westmeath.

The result of Pirate crossed with a Major dam, this pedigree has been a successful pairing for the Lisnagre herd at recent sales. Parker is ranked with a terminal index value of €146 and has a calving ease figure of +7.5% on beef cows.

Note: A full report from the female section of the sale will follow later in the week.