On Friday 14 November, the Northern Ireland Charolais club hosted its annual show and sale of heifers at Swatragh Livestock Mart.

Auctioneer Stephen Redmond was inundated with bids both online and ringside, as a full clearance was achieved for the 15 heifers catalogued.

Heifers sold from 3,400gns (€4,050) to as high as 13,200gns (€15,726), with the average settling at 6,447gns (€7,680).

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It was a really wonderful night for the Ruddy family, who received the two highest prices for their cracking pair of females – Kenaghan Vienna and Kenaghan Vita.

Topping the trade and selling for the highest price of 13,200gns (€15,726) was the 14-month-old Vienna, a Clyth Diplomat daughter out of a Culkenny Legend 2-bred cow which descends from the Irish-bred Tawny Jamaica ET.

Although below breed average on most traits, this single F94L and Q204X carrier proved the star attraction, selling to Claire Ferris.

The same buyer also secured her stable mate, Kenaghan Vita, at 8,900gns (€10,603). Irish-bred on both sides of her pedigree, Vita is a September 2024-born daughter of Liscally Eti ET and the Major-bred cow, Whinfort Mia.

Judge George Hadnett draped this single Q204X carrier with the reserve championship sash earlier that evening.

Goldies Icon daughter

At 7,000gns (€8,339) was the Goldies Icon daughter Killadeas Vic bred and exhibited by David Bothwell and family from Co Fermanagh.

Born in July 2024, this single F94L carrier is backed up by some impressive terminal traits, with a 200-day weight figure in the top 10% of the breed. Having the final call on Vic was Daniel McKillop.

Hadnett found his overall champion in Gallion Vienna from Edgar Johnston. Born in March 2024, this Goldstar Othello daughter is out of the Dingle Hofmeister-bred dam, Gallion Olympia.

In the top 10% of the breed for gestation and daughter calving ease, she was the pick of William Johnston at 6,800gns (€8,101).