In October 2022, at the Irish Simmental Cattle Society’s premier sale in Roscommon, Laois-based Garrett and Lyndsey Behan’s dream came true as auctioneer Denis Barrett dropped the hammer for their 2019-born Manor Park Hansome son, Clonagh Lucky Explorer, at a whopping €52,000. It was a new record for any pedigree animal ever sold at auction in Ireland.

It was never expected that a short time later the Irish record would once again be broken, but after a ferocious battle with Northern Ireland-based underbidders, Owen and Freddie Miskelly, Limerick based AI company Bova AI secured Fatherson Quest for a record price of €52,500.

After a long weekend of bidding at the second McGee family timed auction via MartEye and Mid Tipperary Co-op Mart, Thurles, a nail-biting final few minutes saw two Irish records broken just moments apart.

Owen and Freddie Miskelly, underbidders of the record-breaking pedigree Belgian Blue bull, managed to secure four other purchases on the day.

Pretender to the Crown sold for €22,500, which is believed to be the highest price ever paid in Ireland for a commercial female animal. Three other heifer lots were also secured at €18,000, €8,200 and €7,000, bringing their total spend to a massive €55,700.

The star of the show, however, was January 2022-born Fatherson Quest ET, sired by Wouf De La Gaiete out of the dam, Singapore Du Bois. He now stands proudly in Bova AI as the highest-priced bull ever sold at auction in Ireland.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Michael O’Neill from Bova AI said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have brought Quest home to Bova, and expect him to breed progeny similar to himself. Quest is an exceptional bull to follow on the footsteps of Chocolat d’Ochamps, who has left a huge mark on the commercial scene in Ireland. His nine daughters averaged €3,280 at the Carrick Winter Fair.”

Semen from Fatherson Quest is expected to be available from early April with preorders already “very strong”.