The Irish Charolais Cattle Society (ICCS) attracted large crowds to Elphin Mart in Co Roscommon on Saturday, 16 March, for the annual Spring Premier show and sale of bulls and heifers. Judging the pre-sale show was Murray Lyle, who was assisted by junior judge Sean McGreevy on the day. A number of strong classes led to some tough decisions, which ultimately resulted in a superb line-up of champions.
Attracting the top price at Saturday’s sale was Crossane4 Unique ET from the herd of Eoin McGovern, Fivemilebourne, Co Leitrim.
Famous bloodlines
Unique is a son of Goldstar Echo and was bred from a Thrunton Bonjovi dam going back to Texan Gie, Donally New (CF52) and Pirate, however, his famous bloodlines needed no introduction standing as a full brother to Crossane4 Niamh. Niamh cleaned up at summer shows all over the country, including winning supreme champion at the National Show in Tullamore. Unique was tapped forward for the junior champion in the pre-sale show, before going on to sell to a Northern Ireland breeder for the top price of the day, at €11,000.
McGoverns’ success, however, didn’t end there when their second entry, Crossane4 U2 ET, a full brother to Unique, went on to be selected as the reserve junior champion. U2 sold to a breeder in Northern Ireland for €7,300.
David Erskine pictured with his second prize winner Fieldview Texas that sold for €8,400. /Alfie Shaw
The second highest price of the day came when auctioneer Tom Cox dropped the hammer at €10,600 for the senior champion, Bostonia Terry. Bred by the Feeney brothers from Co Sligo in September 2022, Terry was sired by Anside Foreman and bred from a Newhouse Bigal dam, going back to Dingle Hofmeister and CF52.
Senior Champion Bostonia Terry from the herd of Brendan Feeney sold for €10,600. /Alfie Shaw
Second prize winner Fieldview Texas, bred by David Erskine from Co Monaghan, achieved the next highest price on the day when the hammer fell at €8,400 to another Northern breeder. Bred by Ocean, out of a Goldstar Echo dam, the October 2022-born bull was very easy-calving at just 3.3% and placed second to the champion in the pre-sale show.
Michael and Mary McGowan from Kilmore, Co Roscommon, were up next with the next-highest price bull that sold for €7,500. December 2022-born Corralara Tiago, sired by Derryolam Impeccable and bred from a Prime Roberto dam, attracted the attention of a breeder from Co Antrim.
Next best at €6,600 was Dermot O’Dowd and Sarah Curran’s Corrie Alan son, Mullaghteelin Ultan.
Born in January 2023 in Stamullen, Co Meath, and bred from a Terrybaun Hero dam, going back to Oldstone Egbert, Brampton Banker, Corrie Highlander, LGL and CF52, the young bull found his new home with a Welsh buyer. Closely behind was Ballym Talent from the herd of Louise Quinn from Edenderry, Co Offaly. Born in December 2022 and sired by Ballym Mylove, this young bull also had an impressive sire stack, including Pirate, Berry Mic, Meillard Rj and CF52. He boasted a double five-star index and sold to a Co Roscommon breeder for €6,200. Donegal breeder Patrick Doherty had the final bull that achieved €6,000 on the day, when the hammer fell for Fahan TJ ET to a Co Roscommon farmer. Sired by Hermes and bred from a Utrillo Mic dam, the October 2022-born bull was very well bred, with bloodlines including Uranium, Tenor, Senior and Jupiter.
The 44 bulls sold on the day achieved an average price of €5,020, while 32 bulls achieved €4,000 or more.
Heifer trade
Jeremy McGonigle, Murray Lyle and Sean McGreevy pictured with the Female Champion Whinfort Tiffany that sold for the top female price of €10,000. /Alfie Shaw
A strong heifer trade was led by Co Donegal breeder Jeremey McGonigle’s Whinfort Tiffany. Born in September 2022 and sired by Bourgogne, out of a Nippur dam, Tiffany topped the trade at an impressive €10,000. The stylish heifer caught judge Murray Lyle’s eye in the pre-sale show, where she was tapped forward as the overall female champion.
Next in the top price line-up was fourth prize winner Sagesse Uragh ET from the herd of Brendan and Niall Canning from Rosses Point in Co Sligo. The January 2023-born heifer was sired by Clenagh Lyle and was bred from a Goldstar Echo dam. The hammer fell for Uragh at €5,000. Bred by Paul Sheridan from Kilcogy, Co Cavan, Farmer Tina ET secured the next highest price of €4,400 in the heifer section. The September 2022-born heifer was sired by Goldstar Echo and bred from an Inverlochy Gurkha dam.
The Irish Charolais Cattle Society (ICCS) attracted large crowds to Elphin Mart in Co Roscommon on Saturday, 16 March, for the annual Spring Premier show and sale of bulls and heifers. Judging the pre-sale show was Murray Lyle, who was assisted by junior judge Sean McGreevy on the day. A number of strong classes led to some tough decisions, which ultimately resulted in a superb line-up of champions.
Attracting the top price at Saturday’s sale was Crossane4 Unique ET from the herd of Eoin McGovern, Fivemilebourne, Co Leitrim.
Famous bloodlines
Unique is a son of Goldstar Echo and was bred from a Thrunton Bonjovi dam going back to Texan Gie, Donally New (CF52) and Pirate, however, his famous bloodlines needed no introduction standing as a full brother to Crossane4 Niamh. Niamh cleaned up at summer shows all over the country, including winning supreme champion at the National Show in Tullamore. Unique was tapped forward for the junior champion in the pre-sale show, before going on to sell to a Northern Ireland breeder for the top price of the day, at €11,000.
McGoverns’ success, however, didn’t end there when their second entry, Crossane4 U2 ET, a full brother to Unique, went on to be selected as the reserve junior champion. U2 sold to a breeder in Northern Ireland for €7,300.
David Erskine pictured with his second prize winner Fieldview Texas that sold for €8,400. /Alfie Shaw
The second highest price of the day came when auctioneer Tom Cox dropped the hammer at €10,600 for the senior champion, Bostonia Terry. Bred by the Feeney brothers from Co Sligo in September 2022, Terry was sired by Anside Foreman and bred from a Newhouse Bigal dam, going back to Dingle Hofmeister and CF52.
Senior Champion Bostonia Terry from the herd of Brendan Feeney sold for €10,600. /Alfie Shaw
Second prize winner Fieldview Texas, bred by David Erskine from Co Monaghan, achieved the next highest price on the day when the hammer fell at €8,400 to another Northern breeder. Bred by Ocean, out of a Goldstar Echo dam, the October 2022-born bull was very easy-calving at just 3.3% and placed second to the champion in the pre-sale show.
Michael and Mary McGowan from Kilmore, Co Roscommon, were up next with the next-highest price bull that sold for €7,500. December 2022-born Corralara Tiago, sired by Derryolam Impeccable and bred from a Prime Roberto dam, attracted the attention of a breeder from Co Antrim.
Next best at €6,600 was Dermot O’Dowd and Sarah Curran’s Corrie Alan son, Mullaghteelin Ultan.
Born in January 2023 in Stamullen, Co Meath, and bred from a Terrybaun Hero dam, going back to Oldstone Egbert, Brampton Banker, Corrie Highlander, LGL and CF52, the young bull found his new home with a Welsh buyer. Closely behind was Ballym Talent from the herd of Louise Quinn from Edenderry, Co Offaly. Born in December 2022 and sired by Ballym Mylove, this young bull also had an impressive sire stack, including Pirate, Berry Mic, Meillard Rj and CF52. He boasted a double five-star index and sold to a Co Roscommon breeder for €6,200. Donegal breeder Patrick Doherty had the final bull that achieved €6,000 on the day, when the hammer fell for Fahan TJ ET to a Co Roscommon farmer. Sired by Hermes and bred from a Utrillo Mic dam, the October 2022-born bull was very well bred, with bloodlines including Uranium, Tenor, Senior and Jupiter.
The 44 bulls sold on the day achieved an average price of €5,020, while 32 bulls achieved €4,000 or more.
Heifer trade
Jeremy McGonigle, Murray Lyle and Sean McGreevy pictured with the Female Champion Whinfort Tiffany that sold for the top female price of €10,000. /Alfie Shaw
A strong heifer trade was led by Co Donegal breeder Jeremey McGonigle’s Whinfort Tiffany. Born in September 2022 and sired by Bourgogne, out of a Nippur dam, Tiffany topped the trade at an impressive €10,000. The stylish heifer caught judge Murray Lyle’s eye in the pre-sale show, where she was tapped forward as the overall female champion.
Next in the top price line-up was fourth prize winner Sagesse Uragh ET from the herd of Brendan and Niall Canning from Rosses Point in Co Sligo. The January 2023-born heifer was sired by Clenagh Lyle and was bred from a Goldstar Echo dam. The hammer fell for Uragh at €5,000. Bred by Paul Sheridan from Kilcogy, Co Cavan, Farmer Tina ET secured the next highest price of €4,400 in the heifer section. The September 2022-born heifer was sired by Goldstar Echo and bred from an Inverlochy Gurkha dam.
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