38,000 Maximus sets Limousin premier alight

Carrickmore Maximus ET sold for a whopping €38,000 at the Irish Limousin Cattle Society’s premier autumn sale over the bank holiday weekend.

The 13-month-old bull entered the sales ring with a proven pedigree, stellar show career and the junior championship from the previous day. All these played a part in ensuring that he topped a bumper catalogue that saw a total of 146 bulls and 32 females forward.

Bred by Karl and John O’Connell in Oldcastle, Co Meath, Maximus is already a familiar name among breeders after he claimed the overall national championship at Tullamore Show in August at less than 11 months old.

Sire behind the show-topper is the 38,000gns Ampertaine Foreman, while the dam is Baileys Ice Princess, another familiar name in Limousin circles having won the National Limousin Show herself in 2015 and 2016.

This is now the record price for a Limousin bull sold by public auction in Ireland. The previous record was held by Kilcor Iceman, which sold for €28,000 at the premier in 2015.

Successful bidder for the record-breaker was a syndicate comprising of the Goldies, Harestone and Tweeddale herds of Messrs Goldie, Barclay and Watson.

High-seller helps boost average past €4,000

While it may have been a memorable day for the Connell brothers, it certainly won’t be forgotten too easily by Cavan breeder Eddie Lynch anytime soon either.

His exceptional pen of six bulls were in high demand, with all sold to average €5,733, compared with the wholesale average of slightly over €4,000.

Of the six, Lynch had two which hit the joint-second-top price of €9,200. First at the money was the pre-sale reserve junior champion Ernevalley Mitch ET.

This bull stood reserve to the high seller in the pre-sale show and is sired by the same sire – Ampertaine Foreman.

Dam behind the June 2017-born bull is Malibu daughter Sarkley Gertude. Five-star ratings down the line didn’t matter at all, as this bull heads down across the water to Johnathan Watson’s Tweeddale herd in Northumberland.

Ampertaine Foreman was again the sire behind Eddie’s second bull at €9,200, Ernevalley Madison ET.

This 15-month-old bull is out of UK-imported cow Haltcliffe Franc, who in turn is a daughter of Cloughhead Umpire. A second-prizewinner in his class, this five-star bull was secured by Dovea Genetics, based in Co Tipperary.

Not stopping there, Lynch’s second-prizewinning Ernevalley Major ET sold for €5,600. This 14-month-old bull heads north with breeder George McCague for his Bridgeview herd. Sired by Lodge Hamlet, this stylish young bull’s pedigree also features Ampertaine Foreman and Scott.

Claiming the senior male championship title under judge Bruce Goldie was Ammaghmore Monty from Sean Garrett, Ballycastle, Co Mayo.

This April 2017-born bull is sired by Gerrygullinane Glen, while the dam is homebred daughter Ammaghmore Hazel. Having come in with a number of high indices, Monty met his reserve and was knocked down to Roscommon-based Pauraic Fallon at a price of €5,600.

Last of the championships in the male section was the reserve senior, which was secured by Templequain Mercury. Bred and exhibited by Thomas and Brendan O’Shea, Mercury is a son of Plumtree Fantastic and out of homebred Templequain Ingrid.

This bull’s maternal brother also did the business last year when he secured the same placing and sold for the joint-top price of €10,800.

While Mercury didn’t reach the same highs, he did sell for a respectable €5,000 to Wicklow pedigree breeder Noel Kenny, who runs the Tomriland herd.

Bavardage was the sire behind Patrick Bruen’s Carrowreagh Madman, which sold for €5,100. This 18-month-old bull’s dam side consists of Wilodge Cerberus and Scoroboro Regius, while Madman boasts five stars down the line.

This bull was a second-prizewinner in the pre-sale show and heads to Scotland with the Cornthwaite family for their Maybe herd.

Securing a bid of €5,000 was the third-prizewinning Mullary Maxime from Michael Molloy of Dunleer, Co Louth.

This Mullary Intrepid son has enjoyed a strong show career, having secured the reserve senior championship title at the National Show in Tullamore in August. This powerful July-born bull also heads across the water, this time to the renowned Glenrock herd of Stephen Illingworth.

Charlie Clancy sold his two twin bulls Faughill Magic and Faughill Master at €5,000 and €4,800 respectively.

Sired by Sympa, dam of the impressive pair is homebred Faughill Cham, who goes back to Nenuphar. Master was purchased by Adrian Lanigan, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, while Magic found a new home with Sean Keogan, Navan, Co Meath.

While there’s no doubt the sale will be remembered for the €38,000 record-breaker, overall trade was tougher than would have been liked.

Buyers failed to match the increased numbers catalogued, with the result being 25 fewer bulls sold on the year.

With less bulls for the €38,000 to spread out across, Maximus helped greatly in increasing the male average to over €4,000.

While this average is up nearly €400 on the year, perhaps a truer reflection is to look at the number of bulls which made above the €4,000 benchmark.

At the October 2017 premier, a massive 28 of the 88 bulls sold made €4,000 or more. However, this year only half that number met the target.

Females

Female trade performed that bit better, with clearance rates up by 12% on the year. This is particularly impressive, given the large quantity of pedigree Limousin females sold through the ring at a number of different production and clearance sales. While averages were back, heifers sold well and some lots witnessed minor highs.

One such lot was the sale’s overall female champion Clontown Lady Albha. This powerful maiden heifer was brought out by Stephen Treanor, Scotstown, Co Monaghan, and went on to sell for the top female price of €7,000.

Sired by Powerhouse Italic, this rising two-year-old goes back to Ronick Hawk daughter Kincorragh Imax. A successful show heifer on the summer show circuit, Lady Albha now takes up residence in Huddersfield with Stuart Littlewood for his Hollingreave herd.

Going on to claim the reserve overall championship title was Gerry Walsh with his March 2017-born Gerrygullinane Madam. This Gerrygullinane Glen-sired heifer is out of homebred Emerson daughter Derrygullinane Haya.

Michael Roche was next in the money when he sold Knockcoolkeare Mistic at €4,900. Sired by French bull Glorieux, her dam Castleview Gail goes back to the famous G7 cow.

With five stars down the line, this heifer found a new home with the aforementioned George McCague for his Bridgeview herd.

Hitting a price of €4,300 was the second-prizewinning Meenross Madagascar ET.

This stylish Ampertaine Commander-sired heifer also features Wilodge Cerberus and Grahams Unbeatable in her pedigree.

Bred by James O’Grady, Scariff, Co Clare, this five-star heifer was secured by the Cappaduff herd of Joe and Jennifer Moran.