Records were blown away at the British Simmental Cattle Society’s show and sale at Dungannon Farmers Mart on Friday 27 March, when local breeder Ryan Gilmour sold Gillview Ranger for 10,000gns (€12,075).
It marked a new record for the Dungannon sale, surpassing last year’s 7,200gns for Corrick Pressley.
Trade was on fire, as eight bulls averaged £5,814 (€6,686), a new breed record, and up by £366 on last year’s sale with a 100% clearance.
All five heifers on offer also sold to an average of £3,927 (€4,516).
Standout bull
In the pre-sale show, judge Robert Forde of the noted Mullynock herd in Tempo, tapped out Ranger as his overall male champion, describing him as, “the standout bull in the show”. Sired by the noted AI sire, Coose Lincoln, he is out of Raceview Millie Fairytale, a Kilbride Farm Delboy 12 daughter purchased from Peter and Marion O’Connell in October 2021.
Ranger’s figures see him in the top 15% of the breed for milk and top 5% for Eye Muscle Area. His combination of pedigree, performance and phenotype, caught the eye of commercial suckler man Derek Reaney from Co Tyrone, who paid the day’s top price. Speaking afterwards, Reaney said: “I really liked this bull’s picture on Facebook and then in the flesh when I saw him at the pre-sale show. He’s a very modern type bull, has a great top line and plenty of muscle. I run 75 to 80 suckler cows and my aim is to use Gillview Ranger to breed quality female replacements.”
Selling at 7,000gns (€8,453) was the first-prizewinner Ashland Silvester from Pat and Frank Kelly in Co Fermanagh.
Ashland Silvester sold for 7,000gns. \ Willie McElroy
January 2025 born, this bull is sired by the AI bull, Ashland Brandy, and out of Raceview Mollyfortuna 887, a Dermotstown Delboy EX 92 daughter, also hailing from Marion and Peter O’Connell’s herd in Co Cork. This bull also carried strong performance figures, ranking in the breed’s top 5% for calving ease and top 15% for maternal. Taking this bull back to Co Fermanagh was John McGovern.
At 5,600gns (€6,762) was Coolcran Rafiki 24 from Shane and Paul McDonald in Co Fermanagh. A feature of the bulls offered for sale on the day, Coolcran Rafiki 24 also combined a depth of breeding, strong performance figures and a prize winning show record.
Coolcran Rafiki 24 sold for 5,600gns. \ Willie McElroy
Born in September 2024, Rafiki is sired by Islavale Miami and out of Coolcran Heidi’s Khaleesi, a maternal sister to the 26,000gns, Coolcran Heidi’s Noreen, and noted as the best cow family in the herd.
In the top 10% of the breed for milk, top 5% for 600-day weight and boasting the lowest calving ease figure in the catalogue, he drew lots of ringside attention. In the end, he was knocked down to Victor MacFarland, Ballygawley, Co Tyrone.
Haystar
It was a good day at out for Gavin Hayes and Son from Co Antrim, who kicked off the sale by selling Haystar Revolver for 5,200gns (€6,279) to John J Cavanagh in Dungannon. This April 2024-born bull is sired by Lissadell Nailer and out of yet another Raceview bred dam, in Lively HW Nicolet, sired by Clonagh Tiger Gallant, who was purchased at a Raceview production sale. In the pre-sale show, he claimed the reserve championship under Robert Forde, who described him as, “a big, long, square bull, excellent on his legs, clean through his brisket, and again should go on to produce excellent, first quality calves.”
The Haystar herd also had the top-priced female when they sold the in-calf heifer Haystar Wonder 13 for 5,700gns (€6,883). Born in July 2023, she is by the noted AI sire, Corrick Kentucky Kid, while her mother is the Cleenagh Flasher daughter, Haystar Wonder (ET). Scanned in-calf to Coose Kingston, Wonder was bought by Ashley Bowden for his Legmurn herd at Stewartstown, Co Tyrone.
Records were blown away at the British Simmental Cattle Society’s show and sale at Dungannon Farmers Mart on Friday 27 March, when local breeder Ryan Gilmour sold Gillview Ranger for 10,000gns (€12,075).
It marked a new record for the Dungannon sale, surpassing last year’s 7,200gns for Corrick Pressley.
Trade was on fire, as eight bulls averaged £5,814 (€6,686), a new breed record, and up by £366 on last year’s sale with a 100% clearance.
All five heifers on offer also sold to an average of £3,927 (€4,516).
Standout bull
In the pre-sale show, judge Robert Forde of the noted Mullynock herd in Tempo, tapped out Ranger as his overall male champion, describing him as, “the standout bull in the show”. Sired by the noted AI sire, Coose Lincoln, he is out of Raceview Millie Fairytale, a Kilbride Farm Delboy 12 daughter purchased from Peter and Marion O’Connell in October 2021.
Ranger’s figures see him in the top 15% of the breed for milk and top 5% for Eye Muscle Area. His combination of pedigree, performance and phenotype, caught the eye of commercial suckler man Derek Reaney from Co Tyrone, who paid the day’s top price. Speaking afterwards, Reaney said: “I really liked this bull’s picture on Facebook and then in the flesh when I saw him at the pre-sale show. He’s a very modern type bull, has a great top line and plenty of muscle. I run 75 to 80 suckler cows and my aim is to use Gillview Ranger to breed quality female replacements.”
Selling at 7,000gns (€8,453) was the first-prizewinner Ashland Silvester from Pat and Frank Kelly in Co Fermanagh.
Ashland Silvester sold for 7,000gns. \ Willie McElroy
January 2025 born, this bull is sired by the AI bull, Ashland Brandy, and out of Raceview Mollyfortuna 887, a Dermotstown Delboy EX 92 daughter, also hailing from Marion and Peter O’Connell’s herd in Co Cork. This bull also carried strong performance figures, ranking in the breed’s top 5% for calving ease and top 15% for maternal. Taking this bull back to Co Fermanagh was John McGovern.
At 5,600gns (€6,762) was Coolcran Rafiki 24 from Shane and Paul McDonald in Co Fermanagh. A feature of the bulls offered for sale on the day, Coolcran Rafiki 24 also combined a depth of breeding, strong performance figures and a prize winning show record.
Coolcran Rafiki 24 sold for 5,600gns. \ Willie McElroy
Born in September 2024, Rafiki is sired by Islavale Miami and out of Coolcran Heidi’s Khaleesi, a maternal sister to the 26,000gns, Coolcran Heidi’s Noreen, and noted as the best cow family in the herd.
In the top 10% of the breed for milk, top 5% for 600-day weight and boasting the lowest calving ease figure in the catalogue, he drew lots of ringside attention. In the end, he was knocked down to Victor MacFarland, Ballygawley, Co Tyrone.
Haystar
It was a good day at out for Gavin Hayes and Son from Co Antrim, who kicked off the sale by selling Haystar Revolver for 5,200gns (€6,279) to John J Cavanagh in Dungannon. This April 2024-born bull is sired by Lissadell Nailer and out of yet another Raceview bred dam, in Lively HW Nicolet, sired by Clonagh Tiger Gallant, who was purchased at a Raceview production sale. In the pre-sale show, he claimed the reserve championship under Robert Forde, who described him as, “a big, long, square bull, excellent on his legs, clean through his brisket, and again should go on to produce excellent, first quality calves.”
The Haystar herd also had the top-priced female when they sold the in-calf heifer Haystar Wonder 13 for 5,700gns (€6,883). Born in July 2023, she is by the noted AI sire, Corrick Kentucky Kid, while her mother is the Cleenagh Flasher daughter, Haystar Wonder (ET). Scanned in-calf to Coose Kingston, Wonder was bought by Ashley Bowden for his Legmurn herd at Stewartstown, Co Tyrone.
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