The Irish Charolais Cattle Society hosted its premier show and sale on Saturday, March 19, at Elphin Mart in Co. Roscommon.
A powerful trade for the Charolais breed was witnessed at the event, with 80% of the bulls on offer selling for an average of €4,636, according to the society.
Customers from the UK and Northern Ireland greatly added to the trade on the day, with a total of nine bulls sold across the water to mainland UK and 10 bulls selling to Northern Ireland.
The average price of heifers sold on the day stood at €3,993.
Key statistics from the Irish Charolais Cattle Society premier show and sale:
- Top price in the bull category was €10,500;
- 80% clearance of bulls at the sale;
- Average sale price of €4,636 in the bull sale;
- 17 bulls sold for €5,000 or more;
- Top price in the heifer category of €8,000;
- Average sale price of €3,993 for the heifers.
First up, Breaghwyhill Sammy, exhibited by Eamon and Daniel O’ Connor from Co. Sligo took the top spot in both the pre-sale show and the sales ring.
Judge Mike Massie of the renowned Elrick herd in the UK selected the 14-month-old Sammy as his Overall Junior Champion early in the day.
Sired by Newhouse Bigal and out of a Texan-gie-bred dam, he catalogued with an impressive set of indexes and a calving figure of just 5.4% on beef cows. The bull carries one copy of the F94L profit gene.
Two online buyers from the UK fought it out for the Co. Sligo-bred bull, before eventually getting knocked down to Innes Farms in Aberdeen for the top price of €10,500.
Securing €7,000 at the sale was Kilvilcorris Royal, the property of Matt and PJ Ryan from Co. Tipperary.
Royal is a 16-month-old son of the famous CF 52 and a Pirate-bred dam.
He carries a 5-star Terminal Index of €142 and a calving figure of 7.5% on beef cows.
Carrying one copy of the F94L gene, the Co. Tipperary-bred bull attracted significant interest in the sales ring.
After brisk bidding, he was secured by the Devine brothers from Strabane in Northern Ireland.
The O’Connor’s from Co. Sligo were back in action once again with another of their bulls, a 14-month-old bull known as Breaghwyhill Spectacular, which sold for €6,800.
A son of Fury Action and a TZA-bred dam, this classy young bull displayed all the characteristics of his grand sire, the great Domino. He was bought by Christopher Connon, a breeder based in Scotland.
Patrick Whelan from Co. Roscommon also secured a price of €6,800 for his stylish young bull, Creeve Simon.
At just over 13-months old, Simon stood top of the line in the youngest bull class of the day.
Phenotype and indexes were both on this bull’s side, as he packed a page of full stars and one copy of the Q204 gene.
A son of the popular Fiston and a Lisnagre Elite bred dam, he went north to a suckler farmer from Co. Tyrone.
Also selling at €6,800 was Noble Rogar from Harry Noble in Co. Longford.
A son of the french-bred Untel and a Cottage devon bred dam, this 15-month bull carries one copy of both the Q204X and the F94L genes. He was bought by Andrew Cammond from Northern Ireland.
The Leitrim-bred bull Tullaghan Sam wasn’t far behind at €6,600.
Exhibited by Michael Daly from Tullaghan, Co. Leitrim, this 14-month bull stood second in his class in the pre-sale show.
He is a son of Goldstar Ludwig and a Fury action-bred dam.
Sam went to sale with a 4-star on the terminal and replacement indexes, as well as one copy of the Q204X gene. He will now join Victor Chestnutt’s herd in Northern Ireland.
The Noble family from Co. Longford were back in the limelight once again when they secured €6,400 for their bull Noble Red Rum.
This powerful son of Horace JD and a Texan-gie-bred dam went to sale with a decorative set of indexes and a calving figure just 4% on beef cows.
Born in December 2020, he received a second-prize rosette in the pre-sale show. Having the final call on this one was Pauric Gibbons from Co. Donegal.
The Overall Senior Championship went to Hillsidehouse Ronaldo, exhibited by Patrick O’Grady from Co. Mayo.
A son of Whitecliffe James and a CF 52-bred dam, this October 2020-born bull catalogued with a massive Terminal Index of €173, along with a calving figure of 6.8% on beef cows. He went to a suckler herd in the south of Ireland.
The Co. Cork-bred Colomane Spartacus claimed the Reserve Junior Championship for breeder John Ward.
Having won his class at last year’s National Calf Show, Spartacus came to the sale with great expectation for the Co. Cork men.
A son of Goldstar Echo and a Meillard Rj-bred dam, he possessed a 5-star Terminal Index of €160 and a calving figure of 4%. Spartacus went under Tom Cox’s hammer at €5,800, snapped up by Scottish buyer Christopher Connon.
Basil and Victoria Kells from Co. Cavan had a successful outing, trading Dalehill Russell for a sum of €5,600.
Born in October 2020, Russell is a son of the aforementioned Fiston and a Prime Roberto-bred dam.
Once again indexes were in abundance, with a whopping Terminal Index of €171 and a below-average calving figure of just 4.8%. This animal sold to a suckler farmer from Co. Galway.
Also exchanging hands at €5,600 was Williamstown Renaldo exhibited by Aidan Farrell from Co. Westmeath.
Sired by CF 52 and out off a Major-bred dam, this November 2020-born bull sold with a 5-star Terminal Index of €142, a calving figure of 6.5%, and one copy of the f94L gene. Renaldo sold to a suckler farmer from Co. Westmeath.
The Reserve Senior Championship was awarded to Martin Hughes from Co. Cavan for his December 2020-born Tonyglasson Rudolph ET.
This bull is a son of Newhouse Bigal, featured well on Saturday. The Cavan-bred bull was a first-prize winner from last year’s National Calf Show, and went to sale with an array of stars, along with one copy of the F94L gene.
He sold for €4,600 to a suckler farmer in Co. Clare.
Other top prices in the bull sale included:
- €5,100 for Goldstar Superman et sired by Horace JD and exhibited by Martin Ryan, Co. Tipperary;
- €5,100 for Roughan Rick sired by Roughan Jaquard and exhibited by Pat McClean from Co. Donegal;
- €5,000 for Sunnaghmore Raymond sired by Newhouse Bigal and exhibited by Andy Mc Govern from Co. Leitrim;
- €5,000 for Caltun Rossa sired by Cavelands Fenian and exhibited by Maria Calvey from Co. Mayo;
- €5,000 for Kilvilcorris Sidney sired by Bunratty Mike Tyson and exhibited by Matt and PJ Ryan from Co. Tipperary.
- €5,000 for Landleague Rolo ET sired by Domino and exhibited by Francis Ryan from Co. Galway.
Charolais females
Topping the trade in the female section was Roughan Poser from Pat Mc Clean in Co. Donegal.
Having failed to meet her reserve in the sales ring, she sold outside for the top price of €8,000.
A daughter of Roughan Mourinho and a Roughan Galant bred dam, Poser sold in-calf to Roughan Verygood. The buyer on this occasion was Cormac Mc Breen from Co. Cavan.
The Overall Female Championship was claimed by Clenagh Precious 2 ET exhibited by Michael Quin from Co. Clare.
Born in October 2019 and sired by the UK sire Barnsford Ferny, Precious went on to sell for €7,200 to Frank Garvey from Co. Leitrim. She sold in-calf to the easy calving Society bull, Vosgien VF.
Selling at €5,000 was Ballynabreen Roisin from John Mc Dermott, Co. Donegal.
Roisin is a daughter of the French-bred sire, Ballym Mylove, and goes back to a long line of Lyonsdemesne bred cows.
She stood top of her class in the pre-sale show and was wrapped up by Michael Davenport in Co. Clare.
Also selling at €5,000 was Baurnafea Petal exhibited by John Bambrick from Co. Kilkenny.
Petal is a daughter of the herd’s stockbull, Loulou, and goes back to Farmleigh Lourda.
She sold with a 4-star Replacement Index of €82 and will now reside in Dowra, Co. Cavan.
Having claimed the Reserve Female Championship for breeder Gerard Beirne from Co. Roscommon, Caldragh Rose ET went on to sell for €4,000.
A daughter of Plexus and a Pirate-bred dam, this 15-month-old heifer was purchased by James Donnelly from Co. Longford.
Concluding, the society wished all buyers the best of luck with their purchases on Saturday and noted that the next society bull sale will take place at Tullamore Mart on Saturday, April 23.