This year’s Irish Aberdeen Angus Associations premier sale in Carrick-on-Shannon proved highly successful for Kerry breeders Matthew and Rita Goulding.

Along with claiming both the female and reserve female championships earlier in the day, the outfit then went on to claim the top three prices in the sale ring.

Topping the sale and selling for €6,100 was the outfit’s oldest entry, Goulding N Missie. This two-year-old in-calf heifer is sired by Blelack Duke, while the dam goes back to the famous DMM Miss Essence 22B. This heifer was earlier awarded the reserve female championship in the pre-sale show.

Overall female championship

Claiming the overall female championship was Goulding Belinda. This January 2018-born heifer comes with a proven track record, having placed overall female champion at this year’s national calf show. This one hit the market at €4,300 and went to Northern Ireland buyer Cathy O’Hara of the Innisfayle Aberdeen Angus herd, Ballymena, Co Antrim.

The Goulding’s last heifer, Pamela, performed equally as impressive, securing a price tag of €4,500. This in-calf heifer was a daughter of Nightingale Proud Jake out of a Young Dale Touchdown-bred dam. This one sold to new breeders Gordon and Rachel Elliott of the Minran Aberdeen Angus herd, Armagh, Northern Ireland.

In the male ring, trade was dominated by Albert and Jennifer De Cogan of the Mogeely herd, who claimed the top two male prices. Leading the way after claiming the reserve male championship earlier in the day was Mogeely Jerry T544 who sold for €3,900.

This son of stock bull Wedderlie Oscalade goes back to Highland Show champion Duncanziemere Jody D147 and was a multi-awardwinner all year.

Not far behind and selling for €3,500 was Mogeely Dreamer T534. Sired by former all-Ireland champion Wedderlie Blackbox, Dreamer is out of homebred Mogeely Daisy and found a home in the well-known Liss herd.

Overall male champion

Overall male champion on the day was Luddenmore Fury from Michael Sheehan. This son of stock bull Friarstown Evolver went unsold on the day.

Apart from the Goulding and Mogeely success, trade can only be described as very tough, with only 10 of the 27 animals forward finding homes. Female average increased substantially on the year to settle at €3,450. However, this was only for six animals sold, with the Goulding success greatly boosting this. Male average dropped by over €900, in line with what has been witnessed at other breed sales.