A packed ringside helped to drive prices at the Irish Limousin Society’s premier autumn sale, which was held in Roscrea over the bank holiday weekend.
A catalogue of 178 bulls and 50 females made it one of the biggest sales of any breed in Ireland in recent years. However, with dropouts and some that didn’t pass inspection, these numbers dropped to 113 and 39, respectively.
This, along with the crowd and the noticeable presence of overseas buyers, meant averages settled at €3,619. The average represents the 88 bulls sold through the ring, which meant a clearance rate of 78%, back slightly on the year.
One of the fairest reflections of the trade on the day was that 28 of the bulls sold made €4,000 or more, and half of those 28 made €5,000 or more.
Stars remained a driving factor throughout the day, with higher-starred, easier-calved bulls finding it easier to reach their reserve.
The top price of €10,800 was hit twice on the day. First to hit the high was the previous day’s reserve senior champion Templequain Lieutenant from the pen of Thomas and Brendan O’Shea, Rathdowney, Co Laois. This heifer’s calf was sired by Ampertaine Gigolo, and out of a Fieldson Alfie-bred dam, Templequain Ingrid. This April 2016-born top-seller had caught a number of breeders’ eyes before entering the ring and, with stars to match, he was one of the sale picks. After back-and-forth bidding, the hammer finally fell in the way of John Cordwell.
Matching him with the price tag was the previous day’s reserve junior champion Meenross Leader from James O’Grady, Scariff, Co Clare.
This Ampertaine Elgin-sired bull is no stranger to the limelight, having secured the overall male championship and reserve supreme champion at the national finals at Tullamore Show. With five stars on a number of traits, Leader was purchased by an undisclosed buyer.
The judge on the day, Terry Coghill, awarded the overall senior championship to Drummin Lente ET from John McInerney, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co Clare.
This March 2016-born animal was again sired by Ampertaine Elgin while the dam is the prolific Drummin Cliona which has produced numerous champions. Lente is also no stranger to the show ring having stood reserve overall male champion to Leader at Tullamore last August. He was later knocked down to GT and S Coghill at €7,200.
Finishing off the championship to claim the overall junior title was Newtown Lord from Stanley Richardson, Newtowngore, Co Leitrim.
Ampertaine genetics were again behind this champion, this time in the form of the aforementioned Gigolo.
While the dam was a Vantastic daughter from the famous broad cow Castleview Rub, with five stars on both the terminal and replacement, he sold to Joseph O’Reilly for €5,100.
Following the same line, Eddie Lynch received €7,700 for his Ernevalley Lord ET. This May 2016-born bull is from the same dam as the day’s junior champion and sired by the well-known Ronick Hawk.
This bull carried five stars down the line combined with a calving figure of 6.6%.
The successful bidder of this one was a Spanish buyer who secured a number of lots on the day.
Lynch also received €6,800 for Ernevalley Latino ET.
This is another son of Ampertaine Gigolo, while the dam is a Wilodge Cerberus daughter out of the already mentioned Drummin Cliona. He was secured by Owain Llyr.
Overall, 24 bulls were exported to the UK.
Females were met with a mixed trade –those that had power and stars tended to be the ones in the money. In total, 24 of the 39 females forward sold to average €3,114.
In the female section, judge Terry Coghill awarded the overall championship to Limestone Kahlua from Pat and Gareth McGuinness, Bettystown, Co Meath.
This two-year-old Wilodge Tonka daughter is out of a Rocky dam and sold in calf to Ronick Hawk. Roger Fahey secured the champion with a bid of €6,500.
Reserve
Next in line in the females to claim the reserve female championship was Ardlea Jolene 2 from Daniel Tynan, Mounthrath, Co Laois.
This Emerson daughter is out of Vison-bred dam Ardea Erenn. Having claimed first in class at this year’s Tullamore Show, she sold for €4,000 to Roger Fahey again.
Securing a price tag of €5,000 was Michael Roches Knockcoolkeare Kay Nadia B. This Wilodge Cerberus heifer also has Sympa and Ov Nadia B in her lineage. Carrying four stars on the replacement index, she sold to PJ Byrne.
Joseph McGarry, Newtownforbes, Co Longford, sold his first prizewinning heifer Clonguish Lady for €4,900. Sired by Queenshead Altea, and out of a Wilodge Cerberus-bred dam, she sold to Pat McEvoy.