The Irish Charolais Cattle Society Christmas Cracker show and sale of pedigree bulls took place on Saturday 3 December in Elphin Mart, Co Roscommon.

Eighty-eight bulls went through the ring, with the trade being described as very solid, with a lot of very good customers for the top-end bulls.

Five bulls crossed the €10,000 mark, with the top price going to Meath woman Olivia Purcell for her bull Bud Stratos ET.

He is out of Doonally New, going back to a Pirate-bred dam, Wetsern Icon. He is a full brother to the Dovea Genetics sire Bud Orpheus.

It was a memorable day for Padraig Egan from Cloonglasna Knockanillaun Ballina in Co Mayo.

He brought out three full brothers, all sired by Balmyle Vagabond and out of the homebred Cloonglasna11 Jenny, who herself is out of Cloverfield Excellent. His three bulls sold for a combined €26,000, averaging €8,666/head.

Selling for €10,000 to Dovea Genetics was Cloonglasna11 Socks ET. This Balmyle Vegabond son is out of a Cloverfield Excellent dam and was born in November 2021.

Highest price

Fetching the highest price in the sale was third prize winner Bud Stratos ET from the herd of Olivia Purcell, Anthony, Co Meath.

The September 2021-born bull is sired by CF52 out of a Pirate dam and is a full brother to Bud Orpheus, who sold to Dovea Genetics at the same sale in 2019.

Selling for €10,800, the second-highest price on the day, was the reserve junior champion Sagesse Sidney ET for David Watts, Tuam, Co Galway.

This October 2021-born bull is sired by CF52 out of a Roundhill Cameron dam and went on to find his new home in Scotland.

There were two bulls in the sale that sold for €10,200 and first of these was fourth-prizewinner Tawny Super Dude for Ciaran Daly, Tullaghan, Co Leitrim. The July 2021-born bull is sired by First and is out of a CF52 dam.

The second bull to reach €10,200 was Aidan Farrell’s Williamstown Sam. The September 2021-born bull from Moate, Co Westmeath, is sired by CF52 and is out of a Major dam.

There were 30 bulls on the day that sold for €5,000 or more, with the majority of that number making over €6,000 and a clearance rate of 73%.

For a full show and sale report and photographs, make sure to pick up a copy of next week's Irish Farmers Journal.