Although the average sale price for Charolais bulls increased by over £1,500 on last year's sale, the overall clearance was well back at Friday's British Charolais Cattle Society show and sale of bulls and heifers in Swatragh Livestock Mart.
Just 18 of the 27 bulls on offer (67%) found new homes on the night, averaging £7,189 (€8,226). At the same sale in 2025, 30 bulls traded, averaging £5,666.
Three Charolais bulls did sell for over 10,000gns, with the two highest prices paid for bulls bred and exhibited by Claire Ferris from Newtownards, Co Down.
Damview
Selling for the highest price of 16,500gns (€19,825) was Claire's June 2024-born bull Damview Valiant.
Bred from the Thrunton Bonjovi daughter Derryharney Naughtygirl, he is sired by the herd's Irish-bred stock bull Kilduff Rockstar, who was purchased in Tullamore in 2021 for €11,200. Despite ranking in the bottom 10% of the breed for both terminal and replacement, he carries copies of both the F94L and Q204X genes and came with a calving figure +5.4.
Securing Valiant for their large suckler holding in Co Louth was Tateetra and Rathmore Farms.
In hot pursuit was his comrade Damview Vintage at 14,500gns (€17,421), selling to Robert Workman from Co Antrim.
Sired by Kilduff Rockstar and out of the Sheehills Majestic daughter Damview Petal, Vintage took home the reserve senior championship and the reserve overall championship in the pre-sale show.
Born in May 2024, this single F94L and Q204X carrier is a full brother to the 2025 Northern Ireland National Charolais Show champion Damview Ultra.
Grinshill Roger
Realising 11,000gns (€13,216) was the reserve junior male champion Brogher Volt from Co Fermanagh breeder Trevor Phair.
A son of the herd's successful stock bull Grinshill Roger, his dam is the Whitecliffe James daughter Brogher Siobhan.
One of the younger lots on the day just over 16 months old, he ranked in the top 20% of the breed for a range of traits, including terminal and replacement and was picked up by Stuart Allan.
Brogher Volt was reserve junior male champion and sold for 11,000gns. \ Willie McElroy
Andrew Wallace's September 2024-born Newline Virgil ET got away at 8,200gns (€9,852), selling to John McHenry.
A son of the French sire Horace JD, his dam Newline Ivy is a daughter of the great Oldstone Egbert. Below average on a number of traits, he came to auction with single copies of both the F94L and Q204X genes.
Brigadoon Vagabond was senior male champion and supreme overall champion. \ Willie McElroy
Judge Ian Rea found his overall champion in the senior male champion Brigadoon Vagabond, brought out by the Connolly family from Co Down.
Having claimed the first class of the day, this powerhouse of a Balmyle Sandy son went all the way, but failed to meet his reserve in the sale ring.
Females
The small consortium of heifers did meet a brisk trade, as nine out of the 10 females on offer sold to an average of £4,701 (€5,379).
Leading the female prices were two heifers from the stable of George Edward Nelson, headed up by Drumacritten Angela at 7,000gns (€8,410).
Just 13 months old, this well-made Clyth Diplomat daughter is out of the Maerdy Dublin-bred cow Drumacritten Marylou.
Like many of the high sellers, this double Q204X carrier ranked well below average on a number of traits, but caught the eye of Shea McCann.
Not far behind at 6,800gns (€8,170) was her stablemate Drumacritten Vanya, a June 2024-born daughter of the Irish-bred Noble Prince.
Bred from a Balthayock Musketeer cow, this double F94L carrier was the pick of well-known auctioneer Richard Beattie.
Corrick Vienna, overall female champion, which sold for 5,000gns. \ Willie McElroy
Adding the overall female champion Corrick Vienna to their growing pedigree fold in the UK was Arradfort and Newland Livestock at 5,000gns (€6,007).
Bred and exhibited by the McIlwaines from Co Tyrone, Vienna is a daughter of CF52 and an Inverlochy Ferdie-bred dam.
Although the average sale price for Charolais bulls increased by over £1,500 on last year's sale, the overall clearance was well back at Friday's British Charolais Cattle Society show and sale of bulls and heifers in Swatragh Livestock Mart.
Just 18 of the 27 bulls on offer (67%) found new homes on the night, averaging £7,189 (€8,226). At the same sale in 2025, 30 bulls traded, averaging £5,666.
Three Charolais bulls did sell for over 10,000gns, with the two highest prices paid for bulls bred and exhibited by Claire Ferris from Newtownards, Co Down.
Damview
Selling for the highest price of 16,500gns (€19,825) was Claire's June 2024-born bull Damview Valiant.
Bred from the Thrunton Bonjovi daughter Derryharney Naughtygirl, he is sired by the herd's Irish-bred stock bull Kilduff Rockstar, who was purchased in Tullamore in 2021 for €11,200. Despite ranking in the bottom 10% of the breed for both terminal and replacement, he carries copies of both the F94L and Q204X genes and came with a calving figure +5.4.
Securing Valiant for their large suckler holding in Co Louth was Tateetra and Rathmore Farms.
In hot pursuit was his comrade Damview Vintage at 14,500gns (€17,421), selling to Robert Workman from Co Antrim.
Sired by Kilduff Rockstar and out of the Sheehills Majestic daughter Damview Petal, Vintage took home the reserve senior championship and the reserve overall championship in the pre-sale show.
Born in May 2024, this single F94L and Q204X carrier is a full brother to the 2025 Northern Ireland National Charolais Show champion Damview Ultra.
Grinshill Roger
Realising 11,000gns (€13,216) was the reserve junior male champion Brogher Volt from Co Fermanagh breeder Trevor Phair.
A son of the herd's successful stock bull Grinshill Roger, his dam is the Whitecliffe James daughter Brogher Siobhan.
One of the younger lots on the day just over 16 months old, he ranked in the top 20% of the breed for a range of traits, including terminal and replacement and was picked up by Stuart Allan.
Brogher Volt was reserve junior male champion and sold for 11,000gns. \ Willie McElroy
Andrew Wallace's September 2024-born Newline Virgil ET got away at 8,200gns (€9,852), selling to John McHenry.
A son of the French sire Horace JD, his dam Newline Ivy is a daughter of the great Oldstone Egbert. Below average on a number of traits, he came to auction with single copies of both the F94L and Q204X genes.
Brigadoon Vagabond was senior male champion and supreme overall champion. \ Willie McElroy
Judge Ian Rea found his overall champion in the senior male champion Brigadoon Vagabond, brought out by the Connolly family from Co Down.
Having claimed the first class of the day, this powerhouse of a Balmyle Sandy son went all the way, but failed to meet his reserve in the sale ring.
Females
The small consortium of heifers did meet a brisk trade, as nine out of the 10 females on offer sold to an average of £4,701 (€5,379).
Leading the female prices were two heifers from the stable of George Edward Nelson, headed up by Drumacritten Angela at 7,000gns (€8,410).
Just 13 months old, this well-made Clyth Diplomat daughter is out of the Maerdy Dublin-bred cow Drumacritten Marylou.
Like many of the high sellers, this double Q204X carrier ranked well below average on a number of traits, but caught the eye of Shea McCann.
Not far behind at 6,800gns (€8,170) was her stablemate Drumacritten Vanya, a June 2024-born daughter of the Irish-bred Noble Prince.
Bred from a Balthayock Musketeer cow, this double F94L carrier was the pick of well-known auctioneer Richard Beattie.
Corrick Vienna, overall female champion, which sold for 5,000gns. \ Willie McElroy
Adding the overall female champion Corrick Vienna to their growing pedigree fold in the UK was Arradfort and Newland Livestock at 5,000gns (€6,007).
Bred and exhibited by the McIlwaines from Co Tyrone, Vienna is a daughter of CF52 and an Inverlochy Ferdie-bred dam.
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