The Irish Angus Cattle Society hosted its Elite sale on Saturday in Carrick-on-Shannon, with one of the final lots through the ring stealing the show.

Having placed third in her class in the pre-sale show, the real judges of the day dug deep and bid high to secure the January 2021-born red Angus heifer Mercury Red Unbeatable Kim ET.

Having opened at €2,000, momentum quickly built as numerous bidders brought the young calf's selling price to a staggering €13,200. This price sets an all-time new record price for the Elite sale, which continues to garner reputation.

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Bidding war

Securing the sale topper after a spirited bidding war was Oliver Haugh of the Feenagh herd in Co Clare. The same purchaser set the previous Elite sale record at last year’s sale when he secured Ernehill Samson for €8,600.

The €13,200 price tag is also understood to be a European record price at auction for a red Angus and stands as the second-highest price paid for an Angus female in Ireland after the €31,000 Lavally Angie.

Oozing with style and show ring presence, Unbeatable Kim is sired by Luddenmore Fionn, with her dam the powerful donor cow Gigginstown House Kestrel N146.

Her looks and pedigree were also backed with an impressive page of stars, ranking four on the replacement index and with a cow calving figure of just 1.1%.

Breeder of this young prospect I’m proud to say was both myself and my father John Murphy, Banteer, Co Cork.

Exceptional female section

This topped an exceptional female section of the sale, which saw 40 of 47 lots sell to an average of just shy of €3,400. This average is up nearly €150 on last year’s sale and €660 on the 2019 sale. Clearance rate also jumped to 85% from the 73% recorded in 2020.

Also surpassing the former Elite sale top price was Millbawn Twinkle which sold for a massive €9,300. Born April 2020, the powerful heifer had secured the title of senior female champion earlier in the day under judge John Farrell of the Dillon herd.

Carrying five stars down the line, this super heifer is a daughter of Rawburn Jagger Eric. Her dam, Millbawn Nancy, is equally impressive, having been junior champion at Tullamore Show in 2017 and reserve senior champion at the same show in 2018.

Bred by Longford duo Amanda Bogan and Conor Craig, she was purchased in partnership by TJ Duffy and Shane McGreal.

Junior female title

Taking the junior female title was Carbery Taelynn. This HF Rebel daughter is out of the homebred Carbery Lady, herself out of Hallington Endeavour. Bred by the Vickery family in west Cork, she was the pick of Liam Maher at €6,400.

This topped an exceptional day for the family, who also sold their first-prizewinning Carbery T Ideal at €5,000. This October 2020-born heifer is a daughter of Rosscarbery Lord Henry, with Friarstown Ideal Pete on the dam’s side.

Reserve female champion

Standing as reserve senior female champion was Loughglass Thumbelina from Noel and Lisa Dowd, Creggs, Co Roscommon.

This February 2020-born heifer is a daughter of Keirsbeath Karma, with Newpark Hugo and Minit of Liss on the dam's side. Carrying five stars on the replacement index, she was knocked down to the same purchaser as the junior champion.

Junior female champion

Last of the female championships was the reserve junior female, which was secured by Joe and James Kelly with Mount Tabitha.

This September 2020-born ET heifer was also sired by the aforementioned Dovea AI bull Keirsbeath Karma, with the dam Luddenmore Flora J016. Tabitha met her reserve at €3,700.

Also performing well in the female section was Cork-based John Appelbe who sold his two lots at €5,000 and €4,300.

Top of these was Carrigroe The Angie, which had five stars down the line and a replacement index of €166.

Homebred on both sides, this July 2020-born heifer goes back to Rawburn Boss Hogg and Rathosheen Hugo.

At €4,300 was Carrigroe Show Girl. This September 2019-born heifer is a full sister to popular AI bull Carrigroe Kian.

Selling two heifers at €4,200 and €4,100 was Joe and Cathal McCormack of the Steil herd in Tulsk, Co Roscommon.

Taking the higher of the prices was the first-prizewinning Steil S Geraldine 400. Sired by Early Sunset Hightime, she goes back to the herd’s very first female, which dates back to 1950.

Placing second in her class and securing a €4,100 bid was Steil T Helene, a daughter of former all-Ireland champion Keelties Helene and Knockarlow P0665.

Males

Taking both top prices in the male section was renowned breeders Cathal and Cormac Duignan of the locally-based Laheens herd.

Securing a bid of €7,100 was the first-prizewinner Laheens Triumph. This September 2020-born Stouphill Bomber son is out of Laheens Daisy, which also bred AI bull Laheens Prince of Eslin.

With five stars on the terminal index, he was secured by northern buyer Robert Robinson.

Reserve junior male champion

Taking first place in his class and going on to be reserve junior male champion was Laheens Tasty ET.

This direct son of Bohey Jasper is from the aforementioned Daisy line, with Luddenmore Fionn as the grand-sire.

With four stars on the terminal index and a beef cow calving figure of just 1.2%, he was the pick of Michael and Grainne Horan for their Coolcran herd at €6,700.

Junior male champion

Standing junior male champion was Clooncarne Thunder from the Mulligan family.

This stylish December 2020-born bull is a son of HF Rebel, with the dam Currycamp Polly N362. Maternal brother to this bull was Irish Aberdeen Angus national calf show male champion in 2019. Securing the champion at €6,000 for his Kilkenny herd was Joe Moran.

Senior male champion

Moran also secured the senior male champion Liscolvin T Son of Cathy at €4,000.

This May 2020-born bull was bred and exhibited by local breeder Martin Garvey. Sired by HW Farghal, he goes back to Lawsonsford Bagatelle cow Logboy Cathy.

Death of Frank McKiernan

The end of the pre-sale show was marked with an air of sadness, as word quickly spread around the cattle shed that the passing of Angus legend Frank McKiernan had occurred.

A regular exhibitor of champions and high sellers, the Cavan man has left a lasting legacy on the breed over the past 50 years both in Ireland and further afield.

While it was a tough day for his sons Shane and Nevin, the show went on and the Drumcrow prefix was again in the headlines, securing two of the top male prices.

Taking the reserve senior male championship was the May 2020-born Drumcrow Twenty Twenty, which later sold for €6,100. This five-star Fordel Lockdown son is out of the homebred Drumcrow Dora and was secured by the Gigginstown Angus.

This was then followed by the September 2020-born bull Drumcrow Tribesman, which sold for €6,400.

This bull was again sired by Fordel Lockdown, with Drumcrow Joker and Coldstream Genetic Trend on the dam’s side.

Securing this super young bull was the Irish Angus Producer group to collect semen to be distributed to the group’s primary producers.

Last of the high prices

Last of the high prices in the bulls was Corry Thunder, which hit the market at €6,300. Bred by Hugh Joseph McCawley, this September 2020-born bull is sired by Newbridge Pluto, with the dam by Corry Gerry.

Similar to previous years, the older bulls on offer affected both sale average and clearance. This resulted in overall average dropping by over €100 on the year to settle at €3,193.

Only two fewer bulls sold on the year, but the increased number on offer meant that the clearance rate dropped by 16% to rest at 64%.