There was a steady trade for Charolais at the Northern Ireland Charolais Club sale held in Dungannon on Friday 3 March where the 33 bulls sold to 4,900gns. Clearance remained solid at 77% with a sale average of £2,918.

Topping the sale at 4,900gns was the pre-sale show supreme champion Derryharney Lumberjack from breeders and exhibitors Harold Stubbs and grandson Alan Burleigh of Crummy, Co Fermanagh. This stylish 16-month-old is sired by the 22,000gns Newhouse Bigal and is out of the homebred Derryharney Daffodil who goes back to the 15,000gns Carlisle supreme champion Burradon Talisman. The successful bidder was local man David McIlwaine, Newtownstewart, Co Tyrone.

Moments earlier, the same vendors had secured 4,100gns for Derryharney Lanzac, who had also been picked out by the judge, being awarded a yellow ticket. This September 2015-born bull is a son of the popular AI sire Goldies Eddy and out of Derryharney Ipad, a Thrunton Bonjovi daughter. He goes on to work for Ian Smyth in Castlewellan, Co Down.

Reserve

The reserve supreme, reserve male and senior champion Drumlone Landmark was next in the bidding stakes at 4,300gns. His breeding includes the 25,000gns Stirling intermediate champion Inverlochy Ferdie and the Oldstone Egbert-sired dam Drumlone Edwina. The April-2015 born Landmark was snapped up by David McFarland, Beragh, Co Tyrone, from consigner Kenneth Veitch, Lisbellaw, Co Fermanagh.

Females

Leading the bids for the females at 3,500gns was the blue-ticket winning Battleford Lady from Bartley Finnegan, Dungannon, Co Tyrone. The June 2015-born Lady is sired by the 70,000gns Royal Welsh supreme champion Barnsford Ferny and out of the Scottish-bred Balbithan Vespasian daughter Blelack Cerise. She was knocked down to Kenny Preston, Omagh, Co Tyrone.

Just behind at 3,400gns was the female champion Dartonhall Julie a November-2014-born entry from John Erskine, Killylea, Co Armagh. The man behind the money on this daughter of the 19,000gns Corrie Alan was Martin Donaghy, Dungannon, Co Tyrone.