Elphin Mart was humming on Saturday as the highlight in the Charolais year took place, the famous Christmas Cracker bull sale.

It has built up a strong reputation down through the years of attracting the best bulls and the best buyers and this year’s trade didn’t disappoint.

With 84 out of the 98 catalogued bulls present shown across nine different classes and then three championships, judging was a difficult task for Northumberland pedigree Charolais breeder Chris Curry.

Curry runs a herd of 40 pedigree Charolais cows under the Burradon herd prefix.

His judging was swift and decisive and it was his junior champion, Garra Rockey ET, that hit the top price on the day.

This October 2020-born bull from Galway breeder David Watts was sired by Maerdy Sinndar and out of Kilcumeragh Dorothee, a cow imported from France by Brendan Canning.

Rockey is a full-brother to the Bova AI bull Sagesse Pierre and attracted a lot of interest in the pre-sale show.

Four bulls crossed the €12,000 mark

After a marathon bidding session, he was eventually knocked down by auctioneer Tom Cox at €19,000 to Jonathon Watson from the famous Tweedale pedigree herd in England, who bought him in partnership with judge Chris Curry.

Four bulls crossed the €12,000 mark in what proved to be a very successful sale for the Irish Charolais Cattle Society.

Martin Ryan’s August 2020-born bull claimed the intermediate championship in the pre-sale show and again attracted a lot of interest around the show ring.

Goldstar Roger is by Doonally New (CF52) and out of a French-imported cow, Goldstar Grenadine, by Diamant RJ.

Junior champion Goldstar Rodger who sold for €12,600. \ Alfie Shaw

He boasts a terminal index of €162, a carcase weight figure of +46.8kg and a calving figure of +7.3%.

After a flurry of bids, he was eventually knocked down to a Northern Ireland-based suckler farmer at €12,600. It was a good day’s trading for the Ryan family, who sold two other bulls at €3,600 and €3,700.

Also hitting the €12,600 price tag was Tullaghan Remarkabull ET from Michael Daniel Daly, Tullaghan, Co Leitrim.

Tullaghan Remarkabull ET who sold for €12,600. \ Alfie Shaw

This August 2020-born bull had picked up a second prize at the national Charolais show in September and he picked up another second prize here in a strong class of bulls in the pre-sale show.

By Doonally New (CF52) and out of a Domino dam, he has a terminal index of €178, a carcase weight figure of +48.4kg and a calving figure of 8.3%

Senior champion

The senior champion was the next bull in the big money. Tonroe Realmacoy is by Tweedale Lookout and out of a homebred Thrunton Voldemort-bred cow.

Senior champion Tonroe Realmacoy who sold for €12,000. \ Alfie Shaw

Realmacoy has a five-star terminal index of €164, a carcase weight figure of +51.1kg and a calving figure of 9.9%. He was knocked down to a Co Louth suckler farmer at €12,000.

Next in the money was Paul Burke from Grange in Co Sligo for his September 2020-born bull Innismurray Romeo ET.

Romeo is by Texan GIE and out of Liscally Northern Star, a Doonally New-sired cow. He was knocked down at €8,200.

Following closely behind was another west of Ireland breeder Jon Regan from Castlegal in Leitrim for Lot 47 in the sale. His September 2020-born bull, Liscally Regan 2 ET, is by Domino and out of Liscally Good Girl 2 who is sired by Grimaldi. He was knocked down at €8,100.

Jon Regan also received €7,500 for a full brother of Lot 47, another Domino x Grimaldi son.

The Liscally herd had one of the best averages of the sale, selling four bulls for €6,375/head

Liscally Reagan 1 has a five-star terminal index of €169 coupled with a calving figure of 7.8%.

The Liscally herd had one of the best averages of the sale, selling four bulls for €6,375/head.

Domino-sired bulls were in demand, with Bagenalstown breeder Michael McDonald getting €7,000 for his September 2020-born bull sired by Domino and out of a LouLou-sired cow.

There were two more bulls that hit the €7,000 mark

Tinnegarney Rembrandt ET has a terminal index of €157 coupled with a calving figure of 7.7%.

There were two more bulls that hit the €7,000 mark. The first was Cilin Ryan, an August 2020-born bull from Mayo breeder Thomas Leonard. He had a five-star terminal index of €162 coupled with a calving figure of just 5.4% along with two copies of the F94L “profit” gene. Gerard Farrell’s August 2020-born bull also hit the €7,000 mark. Portanure Rebel, sired by Fiston and out of a Balthazar-sired cow, had a terminal index of €141 and a calving figure of 6.2%.

The reserve senior champion travelled the long journey from Donegal from the herd of Pat McClean. Roughan Rudolf, a June 2020-born son of Roughan Jaquard, sold for €6,000. The reserve junior champion came from the herd of Aughnasheelin, Co Leitrim, man Michael McGirl. His October 2020-born son of Newhouse Big Al sold for €5,200.

Average price

The average price for the sale was €4,994, the highest ever average price at a Christmas Cracker sale and up €277 on the 2020 average of €4,717.

Clearance rate was 77%, with 65 out of the 84 bulls forward for sale finding a new home on the day. This was up seven percentage points on last year’s clearance rate of 70%.

A further 15 bulls were sold for export to Northern Ireland

Twenty-three of the bulls sold for €5,000 or more. Seven bulls were sold for export across the water – three to England, two to Wales and two to Scotland. A further 15 bulls were sold for export to Northern Ireland.

The Irish Charolais Cattle Society spent €9,000 in 30 vouchers of €300 each for any bull that made over €4,500 and offered free transport to the UK in an effort to entice foreign customers.

The next date in the Charolais calendar is 26 February 2022 for the spring show and sale of bulls in Tullamore.