The Irish Charolais Cattle Society hosted a live bull auction in Tullamore last Saturday, its first since the premier back in March.

While not back to normal yet, the precautions in place did bear some resemblance to bull sales that used to be. There was no show, but appointment viewing pre-sale allowed prospective buyers to identify the bulls that ticked the boxes for them.

While this has been seen in other marts ahead of online auctions, this was slightly different in that around 20 people distanced two metres apart were allowed around the ring. While still not many, the use of this with online bidding helped to boost clearance rate to over 70%, the highest seen at any pedigree sale in the last number of months. Not only was clearance high, but the sale boasted a few top-drawer prices, peaking at €5,800.

Top-priced bull Cattanview Powerhouse sold for €5,800.

This top price was paid for the youngest bull forward, Cattanview Powerhouse, from Tim Higgins, Cloone, Co Leitrim. This 12-month-old bull is a son of Fiston and out of Doon Hyacinth. Carrying five stars on most traits and a beef cow calving figure of only 5.8%, he now takes up residence in Co Wexford with John Bailey.

Securing the second top price at €5,300 was Colomane Popeye from John Ward, Bantry, Co Cork. This January 2019-born bull is no stranger to success and secured a number of rosettes during last year’s summer show circuit. Sired by the homebred Colomane Mr Right, Popeye’s pedigree contains bulls such as Alwent Goldbar, Utrillo Mic and Cottage Devon to name a few. Carrying five stars on the terminal index, he was knocked down to Henry Moody in Co Offally.

Next in line was Grangwood Pasha ET from the herd of Jerry and Kay O’Keeffe, Knocklong, Co Limerick. This February 2019-born bull is a son of the in-demand Goldstar Echo, with Enfield Picasso and Dovea Pinocchio on the dam’s side. Carrying five stars on the terminal index with a calving figure for beef cows of only 4.7% he was knocked down to Pat Lawlor at a price of €4,000.

All three purchasers of these top bulls received 30 free bags of Greenvale animal feed with their new bull.

Such was the demand, a further seven bulls sold between €3,000 and €4,000. Securing a bid of €3,800 was Patsy Lynch with Terryville Polo. This five-star Cavelands Fenian son is out of Crossmoilina Euro-bred dam Terryville Lola. Born in March 2019, he was the pick of Barry Connaire in Co Galway.

Two bulls hit the €3,700 mark. First at the money was the 17-month-old Cloughbrack Officer from the herd of Mattie Kelly, Ballinasloe, Co Galway. This bull’s lineage contains Cavelands Levi, Panama and Jupiter. Four stars on the terminal index, he heads back to Galway with Maeve Higgins.

Second at the price was the second entry from the Donegal-based Patsy Lynch, Terryville Organdi. Born December 2019, Organdi is a son of Cyrano and out of a Roughan-bred dam. Carrying five stars on the terminal index, he was knocked down to Northern buyer Thomas Noble.

Overall 25 bulls sold to average €3,000.