The all-time Irish record priced pedigree beef animal was sold at auction in 2020 when Simmental bull Clonagh Lucky Explorer sold for €52,000.
This is double that of the former breed record and also stands as the highest price paid for a Simmental at auction throughout Ireland and indeed all of Europe.
Claiming the top price were breeders Garrett and Lyndsey Behan based in Ballyfin, Co Laois.
Lucky Explorer was sired by Manor Park Hansome, who the Behans purchased for the top price of 22,000gns (£23,100) in Stirling, Scotland, a number of years ago.
His dam line is just as impressive, with his mother twice overall national champion and also awarded Miss Simmental Europe in 2016. Her sire is three-time overall national champion Banwy T-Rex. The 17-month-old Lucky Explorer was knocked down to the Woods family who run the Popes herd in the UK.
Sheep records
The all-breed record for a sheep is €44,000 which was achieved this year at the Suffolk premier sale in Blessington with Ballinatone Show Stopper.
New all-breed record priced sheep from the Ballinatone flock which sold for €44,000, exhibited by Richard Thompson. \ Alfie Shaw
This ram lamb was bred by Richard Thompson from Lifford in Co Donegal. Sired by the 5,000gn Solwaybank Sapphire 2, he is out of a Ballycanon ewe by Mountford Mustang.
Securing the high seller was Dennis Taylor who runs the Ballynacannon flock in Co Derry.
Female beef
The Irish all-breed record for a female beef animal was set at William Smith’s Milbrook Limousin production sale in October 2003.
Milbrook Senhorita ET, a March 2001-born daughter of Ferry and the highly regarded Milbrook Kathryn, sold for €42,000.
The All-Ireland heifer champion in 2002, her dam Milbrook Kathryn has 48 registered progeny in Ireland and as well as Senhorita she bred Milbrook Vintage for €30,000, the 2011 Tully sale topper Milbrook Filio who sold for €15,000 and Milbrook Dartangan who stood in Dovea AI.
Not far behind, Ardlea Tammy sold in 2006 at Dan Tynan’s production sale for €40,000. Tammy is a daughter of one of Ardlea’s most influential herd sires, Lino, and the imported Fidele daughter Lilas.
Tammy had enjoyed a stellar show career including clinching the Limousin championship at the 17th National Limousin Show, senior female of the year 2005, junior female champion at the European Show in Paris 2005 and the female champion and reserve overall championship at National Livestock Show in Tullamore in 2005.
Top Limousin
Top-priced Limousin male was Carrickmore Maximus who sold for €38,000 in 2018. Bred by the Connell brothers, Maximus was the national champion at Tullamore Show the same year. Sired by Ampertaine Foreman, his dam is World Limousin Congress champion 2016, Baileys Ice Princess.
Carrickmore Maximus Et achieved €38,000. \ MacGregor Photography
Angus and Simmental
Top Angus was the €31,000 maiden heifer Lavally Angie. Bred by John and Mary Mullooly, Lavally, Strokestown, Co Roscommon, she sold at the October Carrick bull sales back in 2005. Sired by Bohey Jasper, Angie claimed the junior championship at the All-Ireland finals in Strokestown the month previous.
Setting the female Simmental record was Auroch Hillary, who sold for €26,000 at the Curaheen dispersal back in 2016. Bred by the Wall family in Newcastle, Co Dublin, this nine-month-old heifer is a daughter of Hillcrest Champion.
Hillary comes with a wealth of breeding. Her full brother Auroch Ace sold for the Tullamore Society sale record price of €11,000. Her half-brother, Curaheen Whiskey, sold for €17,000 and a half-sister bred Curaheen Bossman, who stood in NCBC.
Charolais
Setting the breed record for the Charolais society is Cottage Devon a Texan-Gie son who was bought by NCBC for €24,000 at the Christmas Cracker in 2009. Bred by the Butler family from Co Tipperary, Cottage had previously stood male champion at Tullamore and weighed in at 865kg at 13 months old.
Cottage Devon owned by Gerry and Aine Butler, Cashel, Co Tipperary, with Arthur Bredin, Progressive Genetics, who bought the bull for €24,000 at the Charolais Society Christmas Cracker Show and Sale at Carrick-on-Shannon. Also pictured is society secretary Nuala Houlihan.
These are just some of the highlights, each and every breed across cattle and sheep have their own superstar. Looking to the UK, some sheep sales have gone as high as £367,500 and heifers to £262,500!
This top heifer price was achieved at the start of this year for the Limousin, Wilodge Posh Spice. Bred by Christine Williams and Paul Tippets in England, Posh Spice’s dam was actually bred in Meath by the previously mentioned William Smith.
Wilodge Posh Spice who set the new Limousin world record price when sold for 250,000gns (€297,000). \ Wayne Hutchinson
Her dam Milbrook Ginger Spice was no stranger to success for the Oldcastle breeder, securing the interbreed championship at Balmoral Show for three consecutive years. A feat never yet to be repeated at any Royal Show.
The all-time Irish record priced pedigree beef animal was sold at auction in 2020 when Simmental bull Clonagh Lucky Explorer sold for €52,000.
This is double that of the former breed record and also stands as the highest price paid for a Simmental at auction throughout Ireland and indeed all of Europe.
Claiming the top price were breeders Garrett and Lyndsey Behan based in Ballyfin, Co Laois.
Lucky Explorer was sired by Manor Park Hansome, who the Behans purchased for the top price of 22,000gns (£23,100) in Stirling, Scotland, a number of years ago.
His dam line is just as impressive, with his mother twice overall national champion and also awarded Miss Simmental Europe in 2016. Her sire is three-time overall national champion Banwy T-Rex. The 17-month-old Lucky Explorer was knocked down to the Woods family who run the Popes herd in the UK.
Sheep records
The all-breed record for a sheep is €44,000 which was achieved this year at the Suffolk premier sale in Blessington with Ballinatone Show Stopper.
New all-breed record priced sheep from the Ballinatone flock which sold for €44,000, exhibited by Richard Thompson. \ Alfie Shaw
This ram lamb was bred by Richard Thompson from Lifford in Co Donegal. Sired by the 5,000gn Solwaybank Sapphire 2, he is out of a Ballycanon ewe by Mountford Mustang.
Securing the high seller was Dennis Taylor who runs the Ballynacannon flock in Co Derry.
Female beef
The Irish all-breed record for a female beef animal was set at William Smith’s Milbrook Limousin production sale in October 2003.
Milbrook Senhorita ET, a March 2001-born daughter of Ferry and the highly regarded Milbrook Kathryn, sold for €42,000.
The All-Ireland heifer champion in 2002, her dam Milbrook Kathryn has 48 registered progeny in Ireland and as well as Senhorita she bred Milbrook Vintage for €30,000, the 2011 Tully sale topper Milbrook Filio who sold for €15,000 and Milbrook Dartangan who stood in Dovea AI.
Not far behind, Ardlea Tammy sold in 2006 at Dan Tynan’s production sale for €40,000. Tammy is a daughter of one of Ardlea’s most influential herd sires, Lino, and the imported Fidele daughter Lilas.
Tammy had enjoyed a stellar show career including clinching the Limousin championship at the 17th National Limousin Show, senior female of the year 2005, junior female champion at the European Show in Paris 2005 and the female champion and reserve overall championship at National Livestock Show in Tullamore in 2005.
Top Limousin
Top-priced Limousin male was Carrickmore Maximus who sold for €38,000 in 2018. Bred by the Connell brothers, Maximus was the national champion at Tullamore Show the same year. Sired by Ampertaine Foreman, his dam is World Limousin Congress champion 2016, Baileys Ice Princess.
Carrickmore Maximus Et achieved €38,000. \ MacGregor Photography
Angus and Simmental
Top Angus was the €31,000 maiden heifer Lavally Angie. Bred by John and Mary Mullooly, Lavally, Strokestown, Co Roscommon, she sold at the October Carrick bull sales back in 2005. Sired by Bohey Jasper, Angie claimed the junior championship at the All-Ireland finals in Strokestown the month previous.
Setting the female Simmental record was Auroch Hillary, who sold for €26,000 at the Curaheen dispersal back in 2016. Bred by the Wall family in Newcastle, Co Dublin, this nine-month-old heifer is a daughter of Hillcrest Champion.
Hillary comes with a wealth of breeding. Her full brother Auroch Ace sold for the Tullamore Society sale record price of €11,000. Her half-brother, Curaheen Whiskey, sold for €17,000 and a half-sister bred Curaheen Bossman, who stood in NCBC.
Charolais
Setting the breed record for the Charolais society is Cottage Devon a Texan-Gie son who was bought by NCBC for €24,000 at the Christmas Cracker in 2009. Bred by the Butler family from Co Tipperary, Cottage had previously stood male champion at Tullamore and weighed in at 865kg at 13 months old.
Cottage Devon owned by Gerry and Aine Butler, Cashel, Co Tipperary, with Arthur Bredin, Progressive Genetics, who bought the bull for €24,000 at the Charolais Society Christmas Cracker Show and Sale at Carrick-on-Shannon. Also pictured is society secretary Nuala Houlihan.
These are just some of the highlights, each and every breed across cattle and sheep have their own superstar. Looking to the UK, some sheep sales have gone as high as £367,500 and heifers to £262,500!
This top heifer price was achieved at the start of this year for the Limousin, Wilodge Posh Spice. Bred by Christine Williams and Paul Tippets in England, Posh Spice’s dam was actually bred in Meath by the previously mentioned William Smith.
Wilodge Posh Spice who set the new Limousin world record price when sold for 250,000gns (€297,000). \ Wayne Hutchinson
Her dam Milbrook Ginger Spice was no stranger to success for the Oldcastle breeder, securing the interbreed championship at Balmoral Show for three consecutive years. A feat never yet to be repeated at any Royal Show.
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: