Old Home

Christmas Cracker Bull Show and Sale

Saturday 3^rd December – Elphin Mart, Co. Roscommon

The Charolais Society will give €300 back to the purchasers of the first 30 bulls to sell for over €4,500 in the ring at this Sale

96 Charolais Bulls Catalogued

All Bulls are export tested & eligible for export to NI on the day

€100 paid towards transport costs to NI or transport can be arranged

Free transport can be arranged to the UK mainland following the quarantine period after the sale

All Bulls are fertility tested, bulls sold within the ROI are fertility insured

All Bulls are Vet inspected & pre inspected from over 170 entries

All Bulls are genotyped, sire verified & myostatin tested

Deferred payment scheme option in place, only pay one third of the price of the bull on the day of sale. Please contact the Charolais Office at least 5 days prior to the sale to apply for this

Show 10 am / Sale 12.45 pm

Ringside & Online bidding available through Martbids.ie

Catalogue available here - Download PDF Catalogue

Watch the Show live here - https://c.themediacdn.com/embed/media/W6sdzT/F2AXQTPsmtn/r/Ring1

Since it's creation in 2017, the Elite Charolais Heifer Sale has established itself as the number one Charolais female sale in Ireland. It's success speaks for itself, breaking record averages and clearances across all breeds in 2020. It's reputation meant this year 115 Charolais heifers entered for the sale, the largest entry since it's debut in 2017. A smaller number than catalogued went under Tom Cox's hammer, resulting in a 68% clearance, with the average sale price settling at just over €3,230. Some may say a sticky trade compared to previous years, but the fact that more heifers sold on Saturday than any other year speaks volumes.

Aquanchoua Summer ET

Leading the trade at €7,500 was the Intermediate Champion, Aquanchoua Summer ET, exhibited by Shane Maguire from County Meath. Bred by Peter Mc Loughlin in County Cavan, Summer is a daughter of the Bova AI sire, Hideal, and a CF 52 bred dam. Born in March 2021, Summer carries one copy of the Q204X gene. She sold to fellow Meath man Chris Murray.

Baurnafea Sunrise

Next best in the sales ring was Baurnafea Sunrise at €6,500, for John Bambrick from County Kilkenny. This first prize winning heifer is a daughter of the herd's French stock bull Baurnafea Nelson, and a Loulou bred dam. At just over 17 months old, Sunrise carries an impressive set of indexes along with a calving figure of just 3.9% on beef cows. Buyer of this one was Owen O' Neill from County Carlow.

Portnason Suzette 

Trading at €5,600 was the Overall Junior Champion, Portnason Suzette, the property of Edward Vaughan from County Donegal. This stylish young heifer is a daughter of the promising AI bull, Mornity Nero, and a homebred dam by First. At just 14 months old, once again figures were in abundance, along with one copy of the Q204X gene. Andrew Mc Cammond from Northern Ireland had the last call on Suzette.

Inismurray Skye ET

Up next at €5,300 was Inismurray Skye ET, from Paul Burke in County Sligo. Another classy young heifer, this one is a daughter of Whitecliffe James and the Goldstar Echo bred cow, Liscally Ocean Breeze. Having been shown successfully this summer, Skye went to sale with two copies of the F94L profit gene. Wrapping her up in the sales ring was Ciaran and Tony O' Donnell from County Roscommon.

Breaghwyhill Surprise

Judge David Connolly of the Brigadoon herd in Northern Ireland awarded the Senior Championship to the 20 month old Breaghwyhill Surprise. A daughter of Goldstar Ludwig and a Thrunton Bonjovi bred cow, Surprise was withdrawn from the ring unsold, but later sold to Colm and Louise Quinn's Ballym herd for €5,250.

Inismurray Sofie ET

The Burke's were back in the money again when they realised €4,300 for the second prize winner Inismurray Sofie ET. A full sister to the aforementioned Inismurray Skye, this July 2021 born heifer catalogued with a terminal index of €164 and carries one copy of the F94L gene. Buyer of this one was Cathal and Thomas Gormley from County Roscommon.

Islandview Ruth

Two lots exchanged hands at €4,200. This first of which was Islandview Ruth exhibited by Thomas and Ben Mc Laughlin from County Donegal. This two year old heifer is a daughter of Roughan Mischief a homebred dam by Hideal. Scanned in calf to Lapon, Ruth carries one copy of the F94L gene and a calving figure of just 4% on beef cows. Snapping this one up was Jimmy Kelly from County Limerick.

Also selling at €4,200 was Cloughbrack Raisin for Mattie Kelly from County Galway. Another daughter of Whitecliffe James, Raisin sold in calf to the easy calving French sire Chic. Having the final call on this one was Alan Quin  from County Roscommon.

Other leading prices included:

€4,000 for Crossmolina sky sired by Pirate and bred by Alan Wood from County Mayo

€4,000 for Scardaune Samantha sired by Scardaune Ollie and exhibited by Oliver and Daniel Conway from County Mayo

€3,800 for Ballynabreen Silver sired by Thrunton Fairfax and exhibited by John Mc Dermott from County Donegal

€3,800 for Roscarbon Sunny sired by Deeleview Major  and exhibited by Kevin Scollan from County Leitrim

The Society would like to wish all buyers the best of luck with their heifers from Saturday's sale. The next Society Sale is the Christmas Cracker Bull Sale, which will take place in Elphin Mart on Saturday the 3rd December. This will see 98 top quality Charolais bulls go under the hammer. Catalogues will be available on our website from the 22nd of November, after the next run of ICBF genetic evaluations.

• Top price of €7,000 twice
• Average sale price of €4,032
• Clearance of 75% 
• 12 bulls sold for €5,000 or more

Many would have thought last Saturday's Sale in Tullamore was going to be a buyer's market, with a massive 123 Charolais bulls catalogued. Fortunately for the seller's, this did not prove to be the case. Straight from the outset it was clear that quality bulls were highly sought after, and buyers were plentiful for them. A top price of €7,000 was achieved twice, with an average sale price of €4,032 and a clearance of 75%. Trade was greatly boosted by the fact that many bulls had been sold on farm prior to the Sale.

Crossane4 Supreme

Selling for the joint top price of €7,000 was Crossane4 Supreme, exhibited by the Mc Govern brothers from County Sligo. This CF 52 son secured the Senior Championship under Judge Michael Hargroves earlier in the day. Turning two years old next March, Supreme catalogued with a five star terminal index of €153 and carries one copy of both myostatin genes. He sold to a suckler farm in County Offaly.

Baurnafea Stephen

Also selling at €7,000 was the first prize winner, Baurnafea Stephen, exhibited by John Bambrick from County Kilkenny. This May 2021 born bull is a son of the herd's stock bull Baurnafea Nelson and a Loulou bred dam. He carries a five star terminal index of €159 and a calving figure of just 5.2% on beef cows.  He was wrapped up by a suckler farmer from County Limerick. The Bambrick's success did not stop there. They also received a call of €5,000 for Baurnafea Scott, another son of Baurnafea Nelson and a Loulou bred dam. Scott was born in June 2021 and carries a five star terminal index of €152 along with a calving figure of just 4.8% on beef cows. He went West to a suckler farmer in County Roscommon.

Boltonview Sylvester from John Fleury in County Offaly was next best at €6,200. This one is a son of Coolategal O07 and a bivouac bred dam. Born in May 2021, Sylvester packed an all round impressive set of indexes, as well as picking up a red rosette in the pre-sale show. He sold to a suckler herd in Northern Ireland.

Abbeymore Setanta

It was a great day for new breeder James Foudy from County Clare, as his young bull Abbeymore Setanta picked up the Overall Junior Championship and went on to sell for €5,600. This promising 15 month old bull is a son of Fiston and a Cottage Devon bred dam. He went to sale with a book full of stars, as well as carrying one copy of both myostatin genes. He was snapped up by a suckler farmer from County Wicklow.

Gallaway Scotty

Two more bulls then traded at €5,600. The first of which was Gallaway Scotty, the property of Michael Kiernan from County Leitrim. This one is a son the NCBC sire, Lapon, and a Blelack Digger bred dam. As his pedigree would suggest, stars were in abundance, along with a calving figure of just 6% on beef cows. He sold to a suckler enterprise in County Galway. The Leitrim men's success continued when they parted company with Gallaway Standout at €5,100. This May 2021 born bull is a son of the great CF 52 and a pirate bred dam. Once again he carries a high terminal index of €162 and a below average calving figure of 4.7% on beef cows.

The last bull to hit the €5,600 mark was Caltun Seamie, exhibited by Maria Calvey from County Mayo. This one carried some heavy terminal hitters in his back pedigree, in Fiston, Pirate, and CF 52. Packing a terminal index of €150 and a calving figure of just 5%, Seamie was always going to be an attractive lot. He was knocked down to a suckler farmer from County Clare.

Brownshill14 Samson

The days Reserve Senior Championship went the way of Brownshill14 Samson, exhibited by Michael Kavanagh from County Carlow. This powerful bull is a son of the 70,000 gns Barnsford Ferny, and a Nelson bred dam. He found a new home at €4,800.

Goldstar Sambuca 

Goldstar Sambuca from Martin Ryan in County Tipperary claimed the Overall Reserve Junior Championship. Sambuca is a son of Ballym Mylove and the show cow, Goldstar Panacotta. He offered an eye catching terminal index of €162, along with a calving figure of just 5.1% on beef cows. This 14 month old bull was knocked down at €4,400.

Other leading prices from the day included:

€5,400 for Rooskeynamona Samuel by Knockmoyle Loki for Gerard Mulligan, County Leitrim.

€5,400 for Clenagh2 Shadow by Lisnagre Elite for Barry Quinn, County Clare.

€5,000 for Roughan Shane 2 by Roughan Ourasie for Pat Mc Clean, County Donegal.

€5,000 for Monagh Sam by Goldstar Othello for Nigel Peavoy, County Laois.

€4,800 for Feakle Seamus by Derryolam Matt for Michael Greene, County Clare.

€4,700 for Inish Solomon by Major for Louis Mc Gonagle, County Donegal.

€4,700 for Tonyglasson Simon by Anside Foreman for Martin Hughes, County Cavan.

The Society would like to thank all buyers and underbidders for supporting our Sale on Saturday. We wish all purchasers the very best of luck with their bulls. The next Society Sale is the Elite Heifer Show and Sale which will take place this Saturday the 12th of November in Tullamore Mart. The final sale of the year is the Christmas Cracker bull sale, which will take place in Elphin Mart on Saturday the 3rd December.