With an attendance estimated in excess of 3,000 at the Bull Showgrounds in Carrick on Shannon on Saturday last the major Charolais Show/Sale of the year broke all recent Charolais records.
Topping the sale at €14,200 was the 14 months old heifer SAGESSE FLORIENNE bred by Brendan and Niall Canning from Rosses Point in Co. Sligo. After her major win at the National Charolais Show in October where she received the Senior Heifer Calf Championship she was heavily fancied to top the sale and she did not disappoint. By “Oldstone Egbert” and out of the imported cow “Sagesse Brillante” she was purchased by the well known N.I. top breeders the O’Kane Brothers from Dungiven in Northern Ireland.
Topping the male section at €8,800 was the Reserve Champion GLENREE FEELIX bred by John O’Grady, from Glenamaddy, Co. Galway. By the famous “Doonally New” and out of the home bred “Glenree Bambi” by “Prime Roberto” he was purchased by Ian Brock, Garrison, Co. Fermanagh.
Next highest price at €8,000 was paid for the Overall Champion DERESKIT FERNANDO bred by Basil Bothwell, from Killeshandra, Co. Cavan. By the home bred sire “Dereskit Domenico” and out of a home bred dam “Dereskit Posh” he was purchased by the well known Scottish breeder, Andrew Hornall to run with his pedigree Charolais herd in Stirling, Scotland.
The long journey to Carrick on Shannon proved to be very rewarding for the Ryan family from Cabra, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. They took both the Intermediate and Reserve Intermediate Male championships with two outstanding young bulls and went on to sell them for €7,500 and €6,800 respectively. The intermediate championship sash and €7,500 price tag went to “Goldstar Flambeau” a multi prize winner from the summer shows and a first prize winner from the National Charolais Show. In the top 1% of the breed for muscle he is by “Nevers” and out of their great cow “Goldstar Alizee” by “Theodat”. Reserve Intermediate Championship sash went to Goldstar Freddy, an embryo calf by “Texan Gie” and out of the multi prize winner “Goldstar Cosmogirl” by “Jupiter”. Also in the top 1% of the breed for muscle he was purchased by John Burke, Dunmore, Tuam, Co. Galway.
A €7,500 bid secured the second prize winner “Dromiskin Franco” for Gerard Carroll, Mountnugent, Co. Cavan. Bred by Patrick Farrelly, Dromiskin, Dundalk, Co. Louth, he is by “Pirate” and out of a dam by “Monksland Apollo”.
€7,200 was received by Michael Kiernan, Carrigallen, Co. Leitrim for his first prize winner “Gallaway Farouk” by “Major” and out of a “Meillard” bred dam. With a muscle score of 125 (putting him in the top 1% of the breed for muscle) he was purchased by James Madigan, Ballyhale, Co. Kilkenny.
Next at €7,200 was “Brehony Fintan” – reserve senior male calf champion from the National Show held in October. Bred by Anthony Brehony, Sandfield, Knockcroghery, Co. Roscommon he is just 12 months of age, by “Limkiln Bosco” (CF52 son) and out of a “Mozart” bred dam. A first prize winner at the show/sale he went on to receive the reserve junior male championship sash and was purchased by Patrick Barry, Listowel, Co. Kerry.
Two bulls made €7,000 . The first at this mark was 1st prize winner “Cleavy Fatcha” bred by Paudge Maguire, Killafee, Aughavas, Co. Leitrim. A son of “Texan Gie” (from 2 straws which he won at a raffle at the Christmas Cracker sale in 2009) the dam is by “Invincible”. He was purchased by Thomas Kerin, Bellharbour, Co. Clare.
The second bull at €7,000 was “Fieldview Figaro” bred by David Erskine, from the Crosses,
Monaghan. By “Nelson” he is out of a home bred dam by “Prime Roberto” and was purchased by Gerry Maxwell, Ballymote, Co. Sligo.
€6,800 was received by Aidan Farrell, Boyanna, Moate, Co. Westmeath for his second prize winner “Williamstown Fargo”. He is by “Doonally New” and out of an “Indurain” dam. Just 14 months of age he was purchased by John Ronanyne, Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo.
Four lots were secured with bids of €6,000.
First went to lot number 2 “Roughan Ferris” bred by Pat McClean, Newtowncunningham, Co. Donegal. By the imported stock bull “Roughan Verygood” he is out of a home bred dam by “Roughan Unique”. With a muscle score which puts him in the top 5% of the breed he was purchased by Tom Martin, Ballymena.
He received a second €6,000 for his third prize winner (in a very strong class) “Roughan Friel”. By another of his imported stock bulls “Roughan Viceroi” and out of a “Bova Nobel” dam he was purchased by William Ryan, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. He also was in the top 5% of the breed for muscle.
€6,000 was also paid for first prize winner “Dalehill Finn” bred by Basil Kells, Derrylane, Killeshandra, Co. Cavan. By “Lyonsdemesne Tzar” and out of a home bred dam by “Indurain” he was purchased by Frank Connolly, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon.
The final €6,000 price tag was paid for third prize winner “Crossdrum Felix” bred by Peter Farrelly, Crossdrum, Oldcastle, Co. Meath. By “Bova Sylvain” and out of a home bred dam by “Dromiskin Stallone” he was purchased by John Bambrick, Castlewarren, Co. Kilkenny.
In a really outstanding trade 87 bulls sold to average €4,240 (up from the very good average of €3,825 for 72 bulls sold at the 2010 sale). Purchasers were present from Donegal to Kerry and twelve bulls were exported, one to Scotland and eleven to Northern Ireland. Price range was from €2,000 to €8,800.
In the best female sale of recent years Heifers averaged €3,753 (up from €2,580 at the same sale last year) and had an outstanding clearance of 90% .
€9,500 was paid for the reserve female champion “Roundhill Emarlene 1202” bred by Doreen and Timothy Corridan, Fedamore, Co. Limerick. By “Major” and out of “Roundhill Tamaris” (“Nectergerc”/”Marlene”) she has the top 5 star rating for maternal calving and 4 stars for milk. In calf to “Pirate” she was purchased by Donal Callery for the Skidoo Herd, Ballyboughal, Co. Dublin.
The second sale offering from the same herd “Roundhill Emarlene 1203” (a full sister to Emarlene 1202) sold for €8,500 to J. & W. McMordie, Ballygowan, Co. Down. In calf to “Pinay” she also has the top 5 star rating for maternal calving and 4 stars for milk.
Female champion “Kilcommon Francis” sold for €4,700. Bred by Tom Ryan, Milestone, Thurles, Co. Tipperary she is by “Doonally New” and out of a home bred dam by “Oscar”.
€5,000 was received by David Rattigan, Main Street, Elphin, Co. Roscommon for his two year old heifer “Mandela Ellie” by “Major” and out of a “Domino” dam. He also received €4,500 for the last heifer into the ring “Rattigan Fergies Girl”. Just 12 months of age she is by “Texan-Gie” and out of a “Hermes” dam.
€4,850 was received by Michael Sheahan, Luddenmore, Grange, Co. Limerick for his heifer “Luddenmore Eva Hemisphere” by “Major” and out of “Ballymartle Veronica”.
Price range for heifers was from €2,000 to €14,200.
