A strong export trade helped to boost this year’s Irish Charolais Cattle Society premier sale at Elphin Mart. A total of nine bulls sold across the water with a further 10 being exported to Northern Ireland.

A smaller entry at this year’s premier sale meant there were more customers than there were bulls available and this drove the trade for much of the day’s trading.

The sale produced an 80% clearance rate with an average price of €4,636, up €143/head on the same sale last year. In the smaller heifer section, the sale average came in at €3,993, back €815/head on the average heifer price at the 2021 spring premier sale.

It was the junior champion Breaghwyhill Sammy, bred by Sligo father-and-son duo Eamon and Daniel O’Connor, that stole the show on the day and he also grabbed the attention of judge Mike Massie from the Elrick Herd in Scotland.

Massie tapped Sammy out as his overall junior champion and he went on to make the top price of the sale at €10,500.

Sired by Newhouse Bigal and out of a Texan Gie dam, Sammy came with a five-star replacement index and a five-star terminal index coupled with a calving figure of 5.4%.

Sammy makes his way across the water to Innes Farms in Scotland for its commercial suckler herd.

Coming in at €7,000 was Kilvorris Royal from Tipperary men Matt and PJ Ryan. Royal had stacks of breeding, being sired by CF52 and out of a Pirate-bred dam. He has a five-star terminal index along with a calving figure of 7.5% and was knocked down to the Devine brothers from Strabane in Co Tyrone.

Breaghywill SpectaculAr sold for €6,800 for the O'Connor family, Co Sligo.

The O’Connors were back in the money again for their 14-month-old bull, Breaghwyhill Spectacular. He is a son of Fury Action and out of a Lyonsdemense Tzar-bred dam and sold for €6,800 to Christopher Connon from Scotland.

Creeve Simon sold for €6,800 for Roscommon breeder Patrick Whelan.

Also coming in at €6,800 was Creeve Simon for Patrick Whelan, Co Roscommon. Simon was one of the youngest bulls in the yard. A Fiston son out of a Lisnagre Elite-bred dam, he was knocked down by society auctioneer Tom Cox to a Co Tyrone suckler farmer.

Longford father-and-son team Harry and Mark Noble were also in the top prices list with their bull Noble Rogar. Rogar is a son of the French-bred Untel and a daughter of a Cottage Devon-bred dam. He was knocked down to NI farmer Andrew Cammond for €6,800.

They also sold their Horace JD son, Noble Red Rum for €6,600. Red Rum sold with a five-star terminal index, coupled with a very low calving figure of 4%, and makes his way to Donegal to the herd of Pauric Gibbons.

Coming in close behind this was the Daly family with their bull Tullaghan Sam. Sam is by Goldstar Ludwig going back to a Fury Action-sired dam and was knocked down to well-known NI breeder Victor Chestnutt to join his pedigree Charolais herd in Co Antrim at €6,600.

The senior championship went to Co Mayo breeder Patrick O’Grady for his son of Whitecliffe James. Hillsidehouse Ronaldo had a very high terminal index of €173 with a calving figure of 6.8% and he was knocked down at €6,000.

The senior champion Hillsidehouse Ronaldo sold for €6,000 for Patrick O’Grady, Co Mayo.

The Ward family made the long trip from west Cork but it was worth it when their bull Colomane Spartacus picked up a red rosette and the reserve junior championship. A son of Goldstar Echo going back to a Meillard-bred dam, Spartacus has a five-star terminal index and a calving figure of 4%. He was picked up by Scottish farmer Christopher Connon.

Colomane Spartacus, the reserve junior champion sold for €5,800 for John Ward, Co Cork.

Cavan duo Basil and Victoria Kells had a good day out with their bull Dalehill Russell selling for €5,600. Russell is by the popular AI bull Fiston and out of a Prime Roberto-bred dam.

Also coming in at €5,600 was Aidan Farrell’s CF52 son, Williamstown Renaldo. Out of a Major-bred dam, Renaldo came with a five-star terminal index and a calving figure of 6.5%.

The reserve senior championship went to Cavan breeder Martin Hughes. Tonyglasson Rudolph ET is a son of Newhouse Bigal.

The reserve senior champion sold for €4,600 for Martin Hughes, Co Cavan.

No stranger to success, Rudolph was a first prize winner at last year’s national calf show. He was knocked down at €4,600 to a Co Clare suckler farmer.

Heifers

It was Donegal man Patrick McClean who took home the top price of €8,000 in the small female section. His heifer Roughan Poser, a daughter of Roughan Mourinho going back to a Roughan Galant-bred dam, is in calf to Roughan Very Good and makes her way back to Co Cavan farmer Cormac McBreen.

Overall female

The overall female champion Clenagh Precious 2 ET sold for €7,200 for Michael and Barry Quinn, Co Clare.

The overall female championship went to Michael and Barry Quinn from Quin in Co Clare. Their heifer Clenagh Precious 2 ET is by Barnsford Ferny and sold for €7,200 to Leitrim breeder Frank Garvey.

Caldragh Rose ET, the reserve female champion sold for €4000 for Gerard and Ronan Beirne, Co Roscommon.

The reserve female championship went to Co Roscommon breeders Gerard and Ronan Beirne.

Their heifer Caldragh Rose ET is a daughter of Plexus out of a Pirate-bred dam and sold for €4,000 to James Donnelly from Co Longford.