Despite there being so much uncertainty in the beef sector, the Simmental premier sale in Roscommon on Saturday fared a lot better than expected. The sale was the first of the main beef breed societies’ premiers and saw two-thirds of the bulls present find new homes.
A total of 30 Simmental bulls were sold, up from 18 at last year’s sale and 26 at the 2017 sale.
While average prices were back to settle at just shy of €2,800, a lot of this can be put down to the lack of high sellers. Last year, a bull sold as high as €12,500, which helped boost the average dramatically due to the small number which traded on the day.
Senior champion Woodhall Invincible, which sold for €3,000. \ Alfie Shaw
However, it was clear last Saturday that buyers came with a price bracket in mind. The general run of bulls was between €2,500 and €3,200, with top bulls fetching up to €4,500.
Leading the way in the male section was Clonagh Kango from Garrett and Lyndsey Behan, Ballyfin, Co Laois. This five-star son of Kilbride Farm Dragoon goes back on the homebred cow Cloneygowan Tia Edel.
Kango is a genetic full brother to last year’s premier senior champion and was a first-prizewinner at the national show last year in Tullamore. After back and forth bidding, he was knocked down to Liam Martin at €4,500.
Top-priced male Clonagh Kango, which sold for €4,500. \ Alfie Shaw
Fearna Jackpot ET was knocked down by auctioneer Denis Barrett at €4,300. This son of Dermotstown Delboy is out of the prolific cow Fearna Regal and was brought out by Gerard Neenan, Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo. Winner of first prize in the pre-sale show and with five stars on the terminal index, he was secured by Innes Farms, Scotland.
Securing a price tag of €4,100 was the third lot into the ring KilKitt Jager Bomb. Bred and exhibited by Sean Brady, this September-born bull is also a son of Dermotstown Delboy, with Clonguish Chuck also in the back breeding.
Reserve senior champion Clonagh Jims Jameson, which sold for €4,000. \ Alfie Shaw
Champion bull calf in the northeast calf competition, Jager Bomb carries five stars for carcase weight, carcase conformation and docility. This bull was secured by the show’s judge, Norman Robson.
The €4,000 mark was hit twice. First at the money was the reserve senior champion Clonagh Jims Jameson, from the aforementioned Garrett and Lyndsey Behan.
Top-priced animal came from the Corbally draft, which saw Corbally Vintage Katie ET sell for €5,900. \ Alfie Shaw
Sired by last year’s national male champion Bruchag Glenfiddich, he is a maternal brother to multi-award-winning national champion Clonagh Absolutely Fabulous. Five stars on the terminal index, he was secured by Galway-based KMB farms.
Matching him at the money was the pre-sale show’s junior champion Lissadell King VIP from Kieran and Paul Mullarkey. This young bull is sired by Kilbride Farm Delboy and was awarded Connacht champion bull calf in 2018. Out of dam Corbally Eires VIP, King VIP’s full brother Lissadell Jackpot VIP was purchased by Bova AI last year. This bull was exported to Eamon McCloskey in Co Derry.
Such was the interest from UK buyers, a total of 11 of the 30 bulls sold on the day found new homes in the North and Scotland.
Joint top-priced heifer Clonagh Jilly Fiona, which sold for €2,500. \ Alfie Shaw
Securing the overall senior championship was Woodhall Invincible 17 from Joe and James Kelly, Ballynacally, Co Clare. This marks the first time the breeding duo have won an overall championship sash at the society premier sale.
Originally bred in Scotland, this September 2017-born bull was purchased alongside his mother at the Woodhall reduction sale. Sired by Islavale Frontier 14, he is out of Raceview All-Star-bred daughter Woodhall Daphne. This bull was secured by another northern buyer, Matthew Cunning, at €3,000.
The last male championship of the day was the reserve junior which was again secured by the Behan outfit, this time with Jennalyn Kentucky Rose.
Sired by Kilbride Farm Dragoon, this January 2018-born bull is out of former national champion Jennalyn Elegant Rose. With five stars on the terminal index and four on the replacement, Kentucky Rose was secured by Wicklow-based Winston Langrell.
Reserve junior champion Jennalyn Kentucky Rose, which sold for €2,600. \ Alfie Shaw
Females
The female trade average was well back on previous years, but can also be put down to the lack of top-quality heifers. Clearance rate was up, with 14 of the 18 heifers forward selling to average €2,000.
The top heifer price was €2,500, which was hit twice. First at the money was the August 2017-born Dermotstown Jazzy Lady from Christopher White, Co Dublin.
This four-star Curaheen Vio daughter goes back on a homebred Keeldrum Capone-bred dam. This one heads to Co Clare with Michael Finucane.
Matching her at the money was the next lot into the ring Clonagh Jilly Fiona. Another from the Behan outfit, this one’s lineage combines Clonagh World Class, Kilbride Farm Dragoon and Dovefields Gallant. Securing this five-star replacement heifer was David King, Co Kildare.
Securing the female championship of the show was Dermody Joyce from Noel and Keith Jagoe, Drinagh, Co Cork. Sired by Milton Giovanni Li, the December 2017-born heifer is out of Drumlone Anchor-bred dam Dermody Diamond.
Securing the overall champion at a price of €2,300 was Mary O’Halloran, Cahir, Co Tipperary.
Corbally draft
Perhaps the biggest highlight of the premier came in the last few lots where the Corbally herd of James and Fiona Browne offered a select draft of cows and calves.
This was led by a top call of €5,900 for the September 2007-born Corbally Vintage Katie.
This five-star daughter of Raceview King has done it all in her career, being a national champion herself and breeding a number of overall and interbreed champions.
Securing the 11-year-old cow in a two-way partnership were Garrett Behan and Sean Lowry.
Selling for the second-top price of the draft was Corbally Goddess ET, which was secured by Northern Ireland-based Gavin Hayes. This January 2015-born heifer is out of Vintage Katie and sired by Hillcrest Champion. Five stars down the line, Goddess has also won a number of show championships over the past two summers. Overall, six Corbally animals sold to average just over €3,000.
Despite there being so much uncertainty in the beef sector, the Simmental premier sale in Roscommon on Saturday fared a lot better than expected. The sale was the first of the main beef breed societies’ premiers and saw two-thirds of the bulls present find new homes.
A total of 30 Simmental bulls were sold, up from 18 at last year’s sale and 26 at the 2017 sale.
While average prices were back to settle at just shy of €2,800, a lot of this can be put down to the lack of high sellers. Last year, a bull sold as high as €12,500, which helped boost the average dramatically due to the small number which traded on the day.
Senior champion Woodhall Invincible, which sold for €3,000. \ Alfie Shaw
However, it was clear last Saturday that buyers came with a price bracket in mind. The general run of bulls was between €2,500 and €3,200, with top bulls fetching up to €4,500.
Leading the way in the male section was Clonagh Kango from Garrett and Lyndsey Behan, Ballyfin, Co Laois. This five-star son of Kilbride Farm Dragoon goes back on the homebred cow Cloneygowan Tia Edel.
Kango is a genetic full brother to last year’s premier senior champion and was a first-prizewinner at the national show last year in Tullamore. After back and forth bidding, he was knocked down to Liam Martin at €4,500.
Top-priced male Clonagh Kango, which sold for €4,500. \ Alfie Shaw
Fearna Jackpot ET was knocked down by auctioneer Denis Barrett at €4,300. This son of Dermotstown Delboy is out of the prolific cow Fearna Regal and was brought out by Gerard Neenan, Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo. Winner of first prize in the pre-sale show and with five stars on the terminal index, he was secured by Innes Farms, Scotland.
Securing a price tag of €4,100 was the third lot into the ring KilKitt Jager Bomb. Bred and exhibited by Sean Brady, this September-born bull is also a son of Dermotstown Delboy, with Clonguish Chuck also in the back breeding.
Reserve senior champion Clonagh Jims Jameson, which sold for €4,000. \ Alfie Shaw
Champion bull calf in the northeast calf competition, Jager Bomb carries five stars for carcase weight, carcase conformation and docility. This bull was secured by the show’s judge, Norman Robson.
The €4,000 mark was hit twice. First at the money was the reserve senior champion Clonagh Jims Jameson, from the aforementioned Garrett and Lyndsey Behan.
Top-priced animal came from the Corbally draft, which saw Corbally Vintage Katie ET sell for €5,900. \ Alfie Shaw
Sired by last year’s national male champion Bruchag Glenfiddich, he is a maternal brother to multi-award-winning national champion Clonagh Absolutely Fabulous. Five stars on the terminal index, he was secured by Galway-based KMB farms.
Matching him at the money was the pre-sale show’s junior champion Lissadell King VIP from Kieran and Paul Mullarkey. This young bull is sired by Kilbride Farm Delboy and was awarded Connacht champion bull calf in 2018. Out of dam Corbally Eires VIP, King VIP’s full brother Lissadell Jackpot VIP was purchased by Bova AI last year. This bull was exported to Eamon McCloskey in Co Derry.
Such was the interest from UK buyers, a total of 11 of the 30 bulls sold on the day found new homes in the North and Scotland.
Joint top-priced heifer Clonagh Jilly Fiona, which sold for €2,500. \ Alfie Shaw
Securing the overall senior championship was Woodhall Invincible 17 from Joe and James Kelly, Ballynacally, Co Clare. This marks the first time the breeding duo have won an overall championship sash at the society premier sale.
Originally bred in Scotland, this September 2017-born bull was purchased alongside his mother at the Woodhall reduction sale. Sired by Islavale Frontier 14, he is out of Raceview All-Star-bred daughter Woodhall Daphne. This bull was secured by another northern buyer, Matthew Cunning, at €3,000.
The last male championship of the day was the reserve junior which was again secured by the Behan outfit, this time with Jennalyn Kentucky Rose.
Sired by Kilbride Farm Dragoon, this January 2018-born bull is out of former national champion Jennalyn Elegant Rose. With five stars on the terminal index and four on the replacement, Kentucky Rose was secured by Wicklow-based Winston Langrell.
Reserve junior champion Jennalyn Kentucky Rose, which sold for €2,600. \ Alfie Shaw
Females
The female trade average was well back on previous years, but can also be put down to the lack of top-quality heifers. Clearance rate was up, with 14 of the 18 heifers forward selling to average €2,000.
The top heifer price was €2,500, which was hit twice. First at the money was the August 2017-born Dermotstown Jazzy Lady from Christopher White, Co Dublin.
This four-star Curaheen Vio daughter goes back on a homebred Keeldrum Capone-bred dam. This one heads to Co Clare with Michael Finucane.
Matching her at the money was the next lot into the ring Clonagh Jilly Fiona. Another from the Behan outfit, this one’s lineage combines Clonagh World Class, Kilbride Farm Dragoon and Dovefields Gallant. Securing this five-star replacement heifer was David King, Co Kildare.
Securing the female championship of the show was Dermody Joyce from Noel and Keith Jagoe, Drinagh, Co Cork. Sired by Milton Giovanni Li, the December 2017-born heifer is out of Drumlone Anchor-bred dam Dermody Diamond.
Securing the overall champion at a price of €2,300 was Mary O’Halloran, Cahir, Co Tipperary.
Corbally draft
Perhaps the biggest highlight of the premier came in the last few lots where the Corbally herd of James and Fiona Browne offered a select draft of cows and calves.
This was led by a top call of €5,900 for the September 2007-born Corbally Vintage Katie.
This five-star daughter of Raceview King has done it all in her career, being a national champion herself and breeding a number of overall and interbreed champions.
Securing the 11-year-old cow in a two-way partnership were Garrett Behan and Sean Lowry.
Selling for the second-top price of the draft was Corbally Goddess ET, which was secured by Northern Ireland-based Gavin Hayes. This January 2015-born heifer is out of Vintage Katie and sired by Hillcrest Champion. Five stars down the line, Goddess has also won a number of show championships over the past two summers. Overall, six Corbally animals sold to average just over €3,000.
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