The Irish Charolais Cattle Society returned to Tullamore Mart last weekend, this time to host its annual elite heifer sale.
While nothing could come close to the roaring trade witnessed at last year’s sale, trade throughout proved very strong for the top tier of cattle.
Given the success of 2020, numbers were well up as 80 heifers went through the ring. Of these, 74% found new homes, with the average price resting at an impressive €4,230.
Perhaps a clearer sign of buyers willing to pay for the quality lots was that just shy of 30% of all lots sold made €5,000 or more. This is despite the fact that many other unsold heifers were hitting this mark, but sellers felt it wasn’t enough for the animals they had.
Leading the way and securing the top price of €11,000 was Roughan Pea. Bred and exhibited by Patrick McClean from Lifford, Co Donegal, this heifer offered prospective buyers an outcross pedigree with French breeding throughout the lineage.
Junior champion Goldstar Rihanna, which sold for €8,600. \ Tricia Kennedy
Having placed first in her class, she failed to meet her reserve in the ring, but negotiations in the mart yard afterwards meant she was eventually secured by Cormac McBreen, Co Cavan.
Causing a lot of talk was Ardabrone Peggy ET, which, having sold for €10,600 in the ring, was later thrown up by the Northern Irish buyer. This was due to her progressive ataxia results not announced by the breeder at the time of sale.
This means she is the first animal at an Irish society sale to fall victim to the new rules introduced by the British Charolais Society earlier this year, which states all imported animals need to be free of the gene.
However, breeder James Kelly did sell her ET full sister Ardabrone Princess, which was free of the gene, at €7,000. Sired by Pirate and out of Ardabrone Molly ET, she was knocked down to a Donegal breeder.
Securing the second-top price was pre-sale show junior champion Goldstar Rihanna ET from Martin Ryan, Thurles, Co Tipperary.
This August 2020-born heifer is sired by the homebred AI bull Goldstar Othello and is out of Major dam Goldstar Edelwiss.
Ranking two stars on the replacement index, she was knocked down to Shane Cassidy from Co Longford.
Her two ET sisters, Rhona and Ramona, also sold for €5,000 and €4,600 respectively.
Two lots hit the €8,000 mark. First up was senior champion Baurnafea Royale from Kilkenny breeder John Bambrick.
Reserve junior champion Colomane Rachael, which sold for €8,000. \ Tricia Kennedy
Sired by the homebred Baurnafea Nelson, she is out of a Drimiskin Phoenix-bred dam and boasted four stars on the replacement index.
Born January 2020, she was the pick of Cormac McBreen.
Senior champion Baurnafea Royale, which sold for €8,000\ Tricia Kennedy
Matching the price was the reserve junior champion Colomane Rachel ET. Bred by west Cork man John Ward, this heifer is sired by the old favourite Texan-Gie, with the dam being the Doonally New-sired Colomane Olivia.
This young heifer turned one year old last month and was chosen by Northern Ireland-based Damien McCaffery. The same breeder also sold her ET full sister, Colomane Rose, at €4,300.
Standing reserve senior champion was Liscally Pretty Polly 4 ET, which met her reserve at €7,700. This four-star heifer was born in December 2019 and is a daughter of Kelton Trident, with Balmyle Vagabond on the dam’s side.
Reserve senior champion Liscally Pretty Polly, which sold for €7,700\ Tricia Kennedy
Bred by Jon Regan from Co Leitrim, she sold six months in-calf to DAngely R. Successful bidder here was Louise McGonagle from Co Donegal.
Pat McClean was back in the money when he sold Roughan Paris for €7,200. This December 2019-born heifer is sired by French imported bull Roughan Noyer and out of the homebred cow Roughan Divin.
Sold in-calf to Roughan Justbeau, she was knocked down to Limerick-based Jimmy Kelly. The same breeder also sold Roughan Pity at €6,600.
This December-born heifer was French-bred on both sides and was secured by Cormac McBreen.
The Irish Charolais Cattle Society returned to Tullamore Mart last weekend, this time to host its annual elite heifer sale.
While nothing could come close to the roaring trade witnessed at last year’s sale, trade throughout proved very strong for the top tier of cattle.
Given the success of 2020, numbers were well up as 80 heifers went through the ring. Of these, 74% found new homes, with the average price resting at an impressive €4,230.
Perhaps a clearer sign of buyers willing to pay for the quality lots was that just shy of 30% of all lots sold made €5,000 or more. This is despite the fact that many other unsold heifers were hitting this mark, but sellers felt it wasn’t enough for the animals they had.
Leading the way and securing the top price of €11,000 was Roughan Pea. Bred and exhibited by Patrick McClean from Lifford, Co Donegal, this heifer offered prospective buyers an outcross pedigree with French breeding throughout the lineage.
Junior champion Goldstar Rihanna, which sold for €8,600. \ Tricia Kennedy
Having placed first in her class, she failed to meet her reserve in the ring, but negotiations in the mart yard afterwards meant she was eventually secured by Cormac McBreen, Co Cavan.
Causing a lot of talk was Ardabrone Peggy ET, which, having sold for €10,600 in the ring, was later thrown up by the Northern Irish buyer. This was due to her progressive ataxia results not announced by the breeder at the time of sale.
This means she is the first animal at an Irish society sale to fall victim to the new rules introduced by the British Charolais Society earlier this year, which states all imported animals need to be free of the gene.
However, breeder James Kelly did sell her ET full sister Ardabrone Princess, which was free of the gene, at €7,000. Sired by Pirate and out of Ardabrone Molly ET, she was knocked down to a Donegal breeder.
Securing the second-top price was pre-sale show junior champion Goldstar Rihanna ET from Martin Ryan, Thurles, Co Tipperary.
This August 2020-born heifer is sired by the homebred AI bull Goldstar Othello and is out of Major dam Goldstar Edelwiss.
Ranking two stars on the replacement index, she was knocked down to Shane Cassidy from Co Longford.
Her two ET sisters, Rhona and Ramona, also sold for €5,000 and €4,600 respectively.
Two lots hit the €8,000 mark. First up was senior champion Baurnafea Royale from Kilkenny breeder John Bambrick.
Reserve junior champion Colomane Rachael, which sold for €8,000. \ Tricia Kennedy
Sired by the homebred Baurnafea Nelson, she is out of a Drimiskin Phoenix-bred dam and boasted four stars on the replacement index.
Born January 2020, she was the pick of Cormac McBreen.
Senior champion Baurnafea Royale, which sold for €8,000\ Tricia Kennedy
Matching the price was the reserve junior champion Colomane Rachel ET. Bred by west Cork man John Ward, this heifer is sired by the old favourite Texan-Gie, with the dam being the Doonally New-sired Colomane Olivia.
This young heifer turned one year old last month and was chosen by Northern Ireland-based Damien McCaffery. The same breeder also sold her ET full sister, Colomane Rose, at €4,300.
Standing reserve senior champion was Liscally Pretty Polly 4 ET, which met her reserve at €7,700. This four-star heifer was born in December 2019 and is a daughter of Kelton Trident, with Balmyle Vagabond on the dam’s side.
Reserve senior champion Liscally Pretty Polly, which sold for €7,700\ Tricia Kennedy
Bred by Jon Regan from Co Leitrim, she sold six months in-calf to DAngely R. Successful bidder here was Louise McGonagle from Co Donegal.
Pat McClean was back in the money when he sold Roughan Paris for €7,200. This December 2019-born heifer is sired by French imported bull Roughan Noyer and out of the homebred cow Roughan Divin.
Sold in-calf to Roughan Justbeau, she was knocked down to Limerick-based Jimmy Kelly. The same breeder also sold Roughan Pity at €6,600.
This December-born heifer was French-bred on both sides and was secured by Cormac McBreen.
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: