Despite the current challenges and general low morale in the beef sector, the Irish Charolais Society Premier in Carrick-on-Shannon last Saturday witnessed a good solid trade, with buyers coming from as far away as Waterford, to the northwest venue.
Bulls started at €2,400, with a top of €8,000 given for a Domino son, exhibited by Shane Tully, Ballina, while 18 bulls in total sold for export to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
On the day, steady demand from commercial buyers, most of whom hailed from Roscommon, Cavan, Leitrim, Sligo and Mayo, saw 70% of the bulls selling for a healthy average of €3,972 (down from €4,101 at the spring premier last year).
In the ring, Shane Tully, Iceford Quay Road, Ballina, Co Mayo, took home the top price of €8,000 for his bull, Macmelvin Ian.
Just 14-months-old, Ian has an outstanding muscle score of 126 and a skeletal score of 130 (top 1% of the breed for muscle and skeleton) as well as having five stars for terminal index. By Domino and out of a Hermes-sired dam, he was bought by Declan McKenna, Mullabaley, Clogher, Co Tyrone.
Next highest, at €5,600, was the reserve junior champion, Tawny Indiana Jones, bred by Ciaran Daly, Tawnytallan, Co Leitrim.
Also just 14-months-old, he is by Lisnagre Elite (a Domino son) and out of the dam Tawny Dolce (a granddaughter of Doonally New).
With five stars for terminal index, the reserve junior champion was purchased by Welsh man Colin Watts, Llanddew, Brecon, Powys.
Not too far behind was the senior champion, Rooskeynamona High King, exhibited by the Mulligan family from Rooskeynamona, Mohill, Co Leitrim. By the English bull Maerdy Sinndar and out of a Doonally New-bred dam, he was the reserve male champion at the 2013 National Livestock Show in Tullamore and was bought by William Ferguson, Derrygonnelly, Co Fermanagh, for €5,500.
Local breeder Cathal Duignan, Laheen House, Eslin Bridge, Carrick-on-Shannon, took home €5,300 for the junior champion, Laheens Icare. Just 13-months-old, he is by Cottage Devon and out of a Doonally New-bred dam. The buyer was James Enright, Carrigeenroe, Boyle, Co Roscommon.
Other top prices
€5,250 to David Erskine, Crosses, Monaghan, for 13-month-old Fieldview Iceberg. By Nelson, he is out of a homebred dam by Prime Roberto and was purchased by an NI breeder.€4,900 to Mattie Kelly, Cloughbrack, Newbridge, Ballinasloe, for the second last bull into the ring, Cloughbrack Invincible, a Balthazar son. Out of a homebred dam by Hara Kiri, he was purchased by Michael Nicholls, Camber, Carrigallen, Co Leitrim.€4,800 to Maria Calvey, Knappabeg, Westport, for Caltun Hope, a Pirate son, bought by John Patterson, Drumquin, Co Tyrone. €4,700 to John McDermott, Falmore, Gleneely, Lifford, for his reserve senior champion, Ballynabreen Hawai. By Goldstar Echo, the reserve champion is out of an Oldstone Egbert-bred dam and was purchased by Geraldine McCaffrey, Derrylin, Co Fermanagh.€4,500 to Matt Ryan, Clonismullen, Drom, Borrisoleigh, Thurles, for the Pirate son, Kilvilcorris Harry. The buyer was Bernard Rudden, Rathmore, Fourmilehouse, Co Roscommon.€4,350 to John O’Grady, Creggane, Glenamaddy, Co Galway, for his first prize winner Glenree Ivan. He was purchased by Mary Leonard, Pettigo, Co Donegal.€4,300 to Kevin Whelan, Spafield, Ballykenny, Borris-in-Ossory, for his second prize winner, Premier Holiwood, a Fury Action son, out of an Indurain-bred dam.€4,300 to local breeder Joe Gilfillan, Kilmore, Carrick-on-Shannon, for Kilmore Isaac, by Liscally Eti. €4,250 to Pat McClean, Roughan, Newtowncunningham, Lifford, for Roughan Henri, by the stock bull Roughan Enzo. €4,100 to Pat McClean, Lifford, for Roughan Hagan, also by Roughan Enzo. €4,200 to Michael Daly, Wardhouse, Tullaghan, Co Leitrim, for the first prize winner Tullaghan Hotspur. He is by Excellent and out of a Fury Action-bred dam.€4,000 to Frank McGovern, Greenville House, Carrigallen, Co Leitrim, for Cloncorrick Hurricane, a Doonally New son, out of a Dovea Gin Tonic-bred dam.€4,000 to James Duke, Caggle, Strokestown, Co Roscommon, for Slievebawn Ironman, an Enfield Plexus, son out of a Doonally New-bred dam.€4,000 to Seamus Lyons, Erriff, Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo, for Erriff Isaac, a Major son, out of a Nectergerc-bred dam.€3,900 to Matt Ryan, Thurles for Kilvilcorris Hugo, an Enfield Plexus son bought by Ballyhaise Agricultural College.The next Charolais Society sale is on Saturday 5 April in Tullamore, with 66 bulls on offer.
Despite the current challenges and general low morale in the beef sector, the Irish Charolais Society Premier in Carrick-on-Shannon last Saturday witnessed a good solid trade, with buyers coming from as far away as Waterford, to the northwest venue.
Bulls started at €2,400, with a top of €8,000 given for a Domino son, exhibited by Shane Tully, Ballina, while 18 bulls in total sold for export to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
On the day, steady demand from commercial buyers, most of whom hailed from Roscommon, Cavan, Leitrim, Sligo and Mayo, saw 70% of the bulls selling for a healthy average of €3,972 (down from €4,101 at the spring premier last year).
In the ring, Shane Tully, Iceford Quay Road, Ballina, Co Mayo, took home the top price of €8,000 for his bull, Macmelvin Ian.
Just 14-months-old, Ian has an outstanding muscle score of 126 and a skeletal score of 130 (top 1% of the breed for muscle and skeleton) as well as having five stars for terminal index. By Domino and out of a Hermes-sired dam, he was bought by Declan McKenna, Mullabaley, Clogher, Co Tyrone.
Next highest, at €5,600, was the reserve junior champion, Tawny Indiana Jones, bred by Ciaran Daly, Tawnytallan, Co Leitrim.
Also just 14-months-old, he is by Lisnagre Elite (a Domino son) and out of the dam Tawny Dolce (a granddaughter of Doonally New).
With five stars for terminal index, the reserve junior champion was purchased by Welsh man Colin Watts, Llanddew, Brecon, Powys.
Not too far behind was the senior champion, Rooskeynamona High King, exhibited by the Mulligan family from Rooskeynamona, Mohill, Co Leitrim. By the English bull Maerdy Sinndar and out of a Doonally New-bred dam, he was the reserve male champion at the 2013 National Livestock Show in Tullamore and was bought by William Ferguson, Derrygonnelly, Co Fermanagh, for €5,500.
Local breeder Cathal Duignan, Laheen House, Eslin Bridge, Carrick-on-Shannon, took home €5,300 for the junior champion, Laheens Icare. Just 13-months-old, he is by Cottage Devon and out of a Doonally New-bred dam. The buyer was James Enright, Carrigeenroe, Boyle, Co Roscommon.
Other top prices
€5,250 to David Erskine, Crosses, Monaghan, for 13-month-old Fieldview Iceberg. By Nelson, he is out of a homebred dam by Prime Roberto and was purchased by an NI breeder.€4,900 to Mattie Kelly, Cloughbrack, Newbridge, Ballinasloe, for the second last bull into the ring, Cloughbrack Invincible, a Balthazar son. Out of a homebred dam by Hara Kiri, he was purchased by Michael Nicholls, Camber, Carrigallen, Co Leitrim.€4,800 to Maria Calvey, Knappabeg, Westport, for Caltun Hope, a Pirate son, bought by John Patterson, Drumquin, Co Tyrone. €4,700 to John McDermott, Falmore, Gleneely, Lifford, for his reserve senior champion, Ballynabreen Hawai. By Goldstar Echo, the reserve champion is out of an Oldstone Egbert-bred dam and was purchased by Geraldine McCaffrey, Derrylin, Co Fermanagh.€4,500 to Matt Ryan, Clonismullen, Drom, Borrisoleigh, Thurles, for the Pirate son, Kilvilcorris Harry. The buyer was Bernard Rudden, Rathmore, Fourmilehouse, Co Roscommon.€4,350 to John O’Grady, Creggane, Glenamaddy, Co Galway, for his first prize winner Glenree Ivan. He was purchased by Mary Leonard, Pettigo, Co Donegal.€4,300 to Kevin Whelan, Spafield, Ballykenny, Borris-in-Ossory, for his second prize winner, Premier Holiwood, a Fury Action son, out of an Indurain-bred dam.€4,300 to local breeder Joe Gilfillan, Kilmore, Carrick-on-Shannon, for Kilmore Isaac, by Liscally Eti. €4,250 to Pat McClean, Roughan, Newtowncunningham, Lifford, for Roughan Henri, by the stock bull Roughan Enzo. €4,100 to Pat McClean, Lifford, for Roughan Hagan, also by Roughan Enzo. €4,200 to Michael Daly, Wardhouse, Tullaghan, Co Leitrim, for the first prize winner Tullaghan Hotspur. He is by Excellent and out of a Fury Action-bred dam.€4,000 to Frank McGovern, Greenville House, Carrigallen, Co Leitrim, for Cloncorrick Hurricane, a Doonally New son, out of a Dovea Gin Tonic-bred dam.€4,000 to James Duke, Caggle, Strokestown, Co Roscommon, for Slievebawn Ironman, an Enfield Plexus, son out of a Doonally New-bred dam.€4,000 to Seamus Lyons, Erriff, Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo, for Erriff Isaac, a Major son, out of a Nectergerc-bred dam.€3,900 to Matt Ryan, Thurles for Kilvilcorris Hugo, an Enfield Plexus son bought by Ballyhaise Agricultural College.The next Charolais Society sale is on Saturday 5 April in Tullamore, with 66 bulls on offer.
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