On Tuesday 10 March, the Letterkenny Show Society held its annual mixed breeds pedigree bull show and sale at its customary venue, Raphoe Livestock Mart.
A total of 46 bulls went through the ring on the night, with auctioneer Alex Gourley adjudicating from the rostrum. Taking the top price of the night was a Limousin bull from the herd of John Peoples, Milford, in the form of Gortmacall Victor 2.
A son of Ewdenvale Ivor out of a Claddagh McCabe-bred dam, this October 2024-born bull carries five-star replacement and four-star terminal indexes, coupled with a calving figure of 4.2% on beef cows. After clinching the overall Limousin championship in the pre-sale show, the double F94L carrier topped the trade, selling to Northern Ireland for €7,400.
John had an eventful night in the sellers box, realising €5,500 for his second Limousin bull, Gortmacall Austin, a February 2025-born son of Carrowreagh Pablo. A single carrier of both the F94L and Q204X genes, he ranked in the top 20% across all breeds for replacement and terminal.
Gortmacall Victor 2 selling for €7,400
Winston Maxwell based in Bruckless took home the second highest price of the night for another Limousin bull, Ballywogs Hill Vennie Hill. Sired Ewdenvale Ivor and out of a homebred dam by Goldies Jackpot, this October 2024 born bull sold for €5,900 to Northern Ireland.
Tripping on his heels was his comrade, Ballywogs Hill Vincent Hill, a Powerful Proper son going back to Castleview Gazelle. Below breed average on calving and displaying a nice balance of figures, he sold for €5,850, again going across the border.
Ballywogs Hill Vennie Hill selling for €5,900
Overall, Limousin bulls were a solid trade, with five out of the eight bulls on offer selling to an average of €5,900.
Angus
The breed in utmost demand was the Angus, as 11 out of the 12 bulls in the yard found new homes, averaging just over €4,000. Leading the Angus prices was the reserve champion Angus, Iniseoghain Aiex at €5,600, from Bernard Lynch located in North Donegal. A son of Dovea Genetics' easy calving Dairy beef specialist, Kealkil Prime Lad, this 18-month-old bull's mother is a daughter of Westellen Diego.
Carrying a five-star replacement index of €211 and a dairy-beef-index of €138, he was snapped up by a Dairy farmer in Northern Ireland.
Iniseoghain Aiex selling for €5,600
Robert Tait had a triumphant day out, claiming the overall champion with Convoy Allstar before he went on to sell for €4,500.
An October 2024-born son of HW Farghal, Allstars dam Carrigans Brook is a daughter of Beryl Jamey ET. Although one of the lowest index Angus bulls in the yard, he had plenty of customers ringside, going home with a Dairy farmer from Northern Ireland.
Convoy Allstar selling for €4,500
Charolais
Making up the majority of the entries was the Charolais breed, with 24 bulls in attendance. A case of supply exceeding demand resulted in 17 finding new residences, averaging €3,685, with many making just above slaughter value.
It was a magnificent night out for Tommy McLaughlin from Malin, as judge Victor Chestnut tapped out his two bulls as champion and reserve. Standing in pole position was Tommy's June 2024-born Islandview Vance, a powerful son of Grangwood Royal Oak ET and Deeleview Harriet. Coming with a four-star across breed terminal index of €126 and well above breed average calving figures, he struggled to hit his reserve in the sale ring, but later sold for €4,200 to a herd in Northern Ireland.
Islandview Vance exhibited by Tommy McLaughlin, champion Charolais which sold for €4,200.
His stablemate, Islandview Valentino, had to stand reserve to Vance in the show ring, but would go on to sell for the highest Charolais price of €5,500, having failed to meet his reserve in the sale ring. Valentino is a son of the herds stock bull, Roughan Misceif, while his mother is a daughter of Repair going back to a Deeleview cow line.
Hereford
Just two Hereford bulls were up for grabs, both from the local holding of Alison McCrabbe. Sired by the herds stock bull, Drumgoonpoll 1 Sydney, the two Ardstewart bulls packed decorative sets of indexes and traded at €4,000 and €3,750, respectively.
Ardstewart Soloman PH selling for €4,000
Pick up a copy of next week's Irish Farmers Journal to read the full report.
On Tuesday 10 March, the Letterkenny Show Society held its annual mixed breeds pedigree bull show and sale at its customary venue, Raphoe Livestock Mart.
A total of 46 bulls went through the ring on the night, with auctioneer Alex Gourley adjudicating from the rostrum. Taking the top price of the night was a Limousin bull from the herd of John Peoples, Milford, in the form of Gortmacall Victor 2.
A son of Ewdenvale Ivor out of a Claddagh McCabe-bred dam, this October 2024-born bull carries five-star replacement and four-star terminal indexes, coupled with a calving figure of 4.2% on beef cows. After clinching the overall Limousin championship in the pre-sale show, the double F94L carrier topped the trade, selling to Northern Ireland for €7,400.
John had an eventful night in the sellers box, realising €5,500 for his second Limousin bull, Gortmacall Austin, a February 2025-born son of Carrowreagh Pablo. A single carrier of both the F94L and Q204X genes, he ranked in the top 20% across all breeds for replacement and terminal.
Gortmacall Victor 2 selling for €7,400
Winston Maxwell based in Bruckless took home the second highest price of the night for another Limousin bull, Ballywogs Hill Vennie Hill. Sired Ewdenvale Ivor and out of a homebred dam by Goldies Jackpot, this October 2024 born bull sold for €5,900 to Northern Ireland.
Tripping on his heels was his comrade, Ballywogs Hill Vincent Hill, a Powerful Proper son going back to Castleview Gazelle. Below breed average on calving and displaying a nice balance of figures, he sold for €5,850, again going across the border.
Ballywogs Hill Vennie Hill selling for €5,900
Overall, Limousin bulls were a solid trade, with five out of the eight bulls on offer selling to an average of €5,900.
Angus
The breed in utmost demand was the Angus, as 11 out of the 12 bulls in the yard found new homes, averaging just over €4,000. Leading the Angus prices was the reserve champion Angus, Iniseoghain Aiex at €5,600, from Bernard Lynch located in North Donegal. A son of Dovea Genetics' easy calving Dairy beef specialist, Kealkil Prime Lad, this 18-month-old bull's mother is a daughter of Westellen Diego.
Carrying a five-star replacement index of €211 and a dairy-beef-index of €138, he was snapped up by a Dairy farmer in Northern Ireland.
Iniseoghain Aiex selling for €5,600
Robert Tait had a triumphant day out, claiming the overall champion with Convoy Allstar before he went on to sell for €4,500.
An October 2024-born son of HW Farghal, Allstars dam Carrigans Brook is a daughter of Beryl Jamey ET. Although one of the lowest index Angus bulls in the yard, he had plenty of customers ringside, going home with a Dairy farmer from Northern Ireland.
Convoy Allstar selling for €4,500
Charolais
Making up the majority of the entries was the Charolais breed, with 24 bulls in attendance. A case of supply exceeding demand resulted in 17 finding new residences, averaging €3,685, with many making just above slaughter value.
It was a magnificent night out for Tommy McLaughlin from Malin, as judge Victor Chestnut tapped out his two bulls as champion and reserve. Standing in pole position was Tommy's June 2024-born Islandview Vance, a powerful son of Grangwood Royal Oak ET and Deeleview Harriet. Coming with a four-star across breed terminal index of €126 and well above breed average calving figures, he struggled to hit his reserve in the sale ring, but later sold for €4,200 to a herd in Northern Ireland.
Islandview Vance exhibited by Tommy McLaughlin, champion Charolais which sold for €4,200.
His stablemate, Islandview Valentino, had to stand reserve to Vance in the show ring, but would go on to sell for the highest Charolais price of €5,500, having failed to meet his reserve in the sale ring. Valentino is a son of the herds stock bull, Roughan Misceif, while his mother is a daughter of Repair going back to a Deeleview cow line.
Hereford
Just two Hereford bulls were up for grabs, both from the local holding of Alison McCrabbe. Sired by the herds stock bull, Drumgoonpoll 1 Sydney, the two Ardstewart bulls packed decorative sets of indexes and traded at €4,000 and €3,750, respectively.
Ardstewart Soloman PH selling for €4,000
Pick up a copy of next week's Irish Farmers Journal to read the full report.
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