Bulls reached a ceiling of 4,400gns for the day’s champion Old Glenort Krank R697 at the Aberdeen Angus Society’s winter show and sale in Dungannon.

Krank R697, bred by James Porter, Dromore, Co Down, caught the eye of judge Trevor Shortt in the pre-sale show to be tapped forward as overall champion.

Sired by the 14,000gns The Moss Quebec K027, he is out of a homebred Eastfield Fusilier D373 daughter. No stranger to success, Krank R697 claimed the junior championship at this year’s Balmoral Show, along with the reserve interbreed sash at Armagh Show.

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Speaking about his champion, Trevor said: “This is a powerful bull with tremendous breed character and a super head. He has a lovely soft coat, was very well presented and really caught my eye when he entered the showring.” The successful buyer was Leo Devine from Strabane.

Bessiebell Evan R641, the day’s reserve champion, was next in the money when he sold for 2,900gns. Bred by Jack Smyth, Newtownstewart, Evan R641 is sired by Coneyisland Legend son Cloghogue Evolution, while his dam is Cleenagh Gabby, one of the three cows in the herd founded in 2010.

This capped a great day for Jack, who also exhibited the overall female champion Bessiebell Victoria R637. However, this one was sired by Carrigroe Fred.

It was Old Glenort breeding behind the third-highest price of the day when William Wallace, Dromore, secured 2,800gns for Old Glenort Vincent R572. Carrying the Old Glenort herd name, Vincent R572 was purchased alongside his dam at James Porter’s reduction sale last year. Born March 2015, he is also sired by the 14,000gns The Moss Quebec.

Alan and Lana Cheney, Trillick, realised 2,600gns for the fourth-placed Lana Lord Hermes R003. Born in January 2015 and sired by stock bull Nightingale Playfair K527, who was privately purchased in England, he is bred from Blackhaugh Easy Papa G728 daughter Lana Lady Haddo M336.

Blackhaugh Easy Papa G728 was also the sire behind the fourth-placed Lana Maximiliano, who sold for 2,500gns.

Freddie Davidson, Banbridge, Co Down, realised 2,400gns for the first-placed Ember Pablo R052. Born in April 2015, he was sired by former stock bull Birches Lord John M052 and is bred from Birches Pearl J794.

This stylish bull won the intermediate class at last year’s breed club calf show in Dungannon. Overall, 17 of the 23 bulls on offer sold, averaging £2,390.

The small turnout of females saw a top price of 1,250gns for the reserve female champion Carmean Evelyn R383. Bred by John Lawrence, Magherafelt, this March 2015-born heifer was sired by Baronagh Euro A043. She sold in-calf to Weeton Evershed R473.

Record broken twice in 20 minutes at Lleyn sale

The record price for a Lleyn female was broken twice in 20 minutes at the Lleyn sale in Roscommon Mart on Saturday 10 December.

Lot 12, the shearling champion and supreme champion of the show, from David Oliver, Co Louth, made €515 in the ring when selling to pre-sale judge David Power, Co Wexford.

However, this record price didn’t last long as Brian Matthews, who was next in, sold his much-fancied shearling ewe for €545 to Alan McDonald, Co Offaly. Alan also sold a shearling ewe for the sale’s third-highest price of €450 to George Deacon, Co Wexford.

Brian Matthews also topped the aged ewe section with his first prizewinning ewe selling for €430 to John Gilmore, Co Roscommon. Alan McDonald was next in this section, selling at €405 to David Power, Co Wexford, while Robin Darker secured €400 for his aged ewe, selling to Cormac Power, Co Galway.

In the ewe lambs, Robert Clarke set the pace selling four ewe lambs for €335 each. Cormac Power, Co Galway, and Sean Diver, Co Donegal, secured two each. Robert also sold his first prize ewe lamb to Padraig Geraghty, Co Galway, for €255, while Padraig also bought David Oliver’s second-placed ewe lamb for €255.

Overall, shearling ewes averaged €295, aged ewes averaged €278, while ewe lambs came in at €203.

Enniscrone and Clewbay production sale take two

Following the success of last year’s sale, a second major production sale from the Enniscrone and Clewbay flocks will be held at the Midland and Western show grounds in Carrick-on-Shannon on Wednesday 28 December at 2.30pm.

The sale will consist of approximately 60 pedigree Texel ewes all scanned in-lamb to Tophill Union Jack and Shannagh Won-O-Won. Tophill Union Jack, recently purchased by Enniscrone Texels, was Lanark champion in 2013 and stands as one of the more famous UK sires around.

Shannagh Won-O-Won, purchased in Blessington in 2015 for €3,200, has had a hugely successful first season siring lambs to £14,000gns at Carlisle in August. He also sired the reserve male champion and second prize group of three for Enniscrone Texels at Blessington this year, selling for €2,600, €2,000 and €2,000.

Ewes in the sale are sired by Milnbank Valdaron, a son of the renowned Strathbogie Untouchable who was purchased at Lanark in 2014; Clewbay Valentine, a full brother to Clewbay Van Gaar sold to Springhill Flock in Northern Ireland; and Speenogue Trojan, a son of Enniscrone Sensational who was Blessington champion 2011 and sold for €6,700.

A ewe lamb kindly donated by Enniscrone Texels will be raffled on the day with several other spot prizes also up for grabs. All proceeds raised from the raffle will be going towards the North West Hospice.

Cootehill Texel Twilight Sale finishes 2016

A special sale of 60 in-lamb Texel hogget ewes will takes place at Station Road Mart, Cootehill, Co Cavan, on Friday 30 December at 5pm.

The sale includes females from some of the top bloodlines in the Texel breed, both in Ireland and in the UK.

There are four granddaughters of TYC09016 included in the sale. This ewe has bred both female and male champions at the Irish Texel premier, including the famous Usain Bolt. Bolt was nominated UK sire of the year in 2015 and bred sons selling to £52,000gns. There are also nine daughters of Hillcrest Top Shot, the champion senior ram in 2016, champion at the National Livestock Show 2015 and one of the top valued €uro-Star rams for the Texel breed in Lamb Plus.

Thornville Yogi Bear was the supreme champion at Blessington 2016 and the sale sees eight hoggets sell in-lamb to him.

Other noted service sires used on this sale’s females include Teiglum Windfall, who bred a ram lamb to £70,000 at Lanark this year; Teiglum Vigilante, breeder of several four-figured sons; Garngour Vodka, who has bred females to £13,000; Oberstown Ulysses, the €3,600 half-brother to Usain Bolt; Usain bolt, son Millfarm Will.I.Am; and Coverhill Valiant Esquire, this year’s champion aged ram at the National Livestock Show in Tullamore.

Furthermore, all proceeds from the sale of lot 30 (VYI15065) will be donated to the Irish Cancer Society by the Canty family in grateful appreciation of the society’s care for their father Joe (RIP), who passed away earlier this year.