CHAROLAIS SPRING PREMIER TOPS €8,000 22/03/2014

A good show of cattle met a good strong trade at the Charolais spring premier in Carrick-on-Shannon on Saturday last. Despite the relatively low confidence in the beef finishing sector at present a solid commercial trade, underpinned the day’s trading with the sale achieving a clearance of 70%.

Three bulls were exported to Scotland, one to Wales with fourteen going to Northern Ireland.

Sale leader at €8,000 (up from a top of €7,100 at last spring’s premier) was MACMELVIN IAN, a son of the famous Domino and out of a Hermes sired dam. Bred by Shane Tully, Iceford Quay Road, Ballina, Co., Mayo he was purchased by Declan McKenna, Mullabaley, Clogher, Co. Tyrone. Fourteen months old he has the top 5 star rating in the Terminal Index and an outstanding muscle score of 126 (top 1% of the breed) and a skeletal score of 130 (also top 1% of the breed).

Second highest price €5,600 was paid for the Reserve Junior Champion, 14 months old, TAWNY INDIANA JONES bred by Ciaran Daly, Tawnytallan, Tullaghan, Leitrim. By Lisnagre Elite (a son of Domino) and out of Tawny Dolce (Grand-daughter of Doonally New) he has the top 5 star rating for the Terminal Index and was purchased by Welsh man Colin Watts, Llanddew, Brecon, Powys.

A bid of €5,500 secured the Senior Champion ROOSKEYNAMONA HIGH KING for William Ferguson, Derrygonnelly, Co. Fermanagh. Bred by the Mulligan family from Rooskeynamona, Mohill, Co. Leitrim he is by the English bull Maerdy Sinndar and out of a Doonally New bred dam. A prize winner at numerous summer shows he was the Reserve Male Champion at the 2013 Tullamore/AIB National Livestock Show.

€5,300 was received by local breeder Cathal Duignan, Laheen House, Eslin Bridge, Carrick-on-Shannon for the Junior Champion LAHEENS ICARE. Just 13 months old he is by Cottage Devon and out of a Doonally New bred dam. He was purchased by James Enright, Carrigeenroe, Boyle, Co. Roscommon.

€5,250 was received by David Erskine, Crosses, Monaghan for FIELDVIEW ICEBERG. Thirteen months of age he is by Nelson and out of a home bred dam by Prime Roberto. He was purchased by an N.I. breeder.

€4,900 was paid for the second last bull into the sales ring, CLOUGHBRACK INVINCIBLE. Bred by Mattie Kelly, Cloughbrack, Newbridge, Ballinasloe was purchased by Michael Nicholls, Camber, Carrigallen, Co. Leitrim. A second prize winner in his class he is by Balthazar and out of a home bred dam by Hara Kiri.

€4,800 secured CALTUN HOPE for John Patterson, Drumquin, Co. Tyrone. Bred by Maria Calvey, Knappabeg, Westport he is by Pirate and out of a Doonally New bred dam.

€4,700 was received by John McDermott, Falmore, Gleneely, Lifford for his reserve senior champion BALLYNABREEN HAWAI. (John received €6,400 at the recent bull sale in Lifford for Ballynabreen Hamish). The reserve champion is by Goldstar Echo and out of an Oldstone Egbert bred dam. He was purchased by Geraldine McCaffrey, Derrylin, Co. Fermanagh.

€4,500 price ticket secured KILVILCORRIS HARRY for Bernard Rudden, Rathmore, Fourmilehouse, Co. Roscommon. Bred by Matt Ryan, Clonismullen, Drom, Borrisoleigh, Thurles he is by Pirate and out of a home bred dam with a Doonally New grand-sire.

A second bull from the same herd KILVILCORRIS HUGO BY Enfield Plexus and out of an Indurain bred dam was purchased by Ballyhaise Agricultural College for €3,900.

€4,350 was received by John O’Grady, Creggane, Glenamaddy, Co. Galway for his first prize winner GLENREE IVAN. He was purchased by Mary Leonard, Pettigo, Co. Donegal.

Two lots shared the €4,300 price tag:

◊ First €4,300 went to Kevin Whelan, Spafield, Ballykenny, Borris in Ossory for his second prize winner PREMIER HOLIWOOD by Fury Action and out of an Indurain bred dam.

◊ Second €4,300 was received by local breeder Joe Gilfillan, Kilmore, Carrick-on-Shannon for KILMORE ISAAC by Liscally Eti and out of a home bred dam.

€4,250 was received by Pat McClean, Roughan, Newtowncunningham, Lifford for ROUGHAN HENRI by his stock bull Roughan Enzo and out of a home bred dam by another of his stock bulls’ Roughan Ultimatum.

Pat received €4,100 for his second bull at the sale ROUGHAN HAGAN who is by the same stock bull and €3,000 for his third sale offering ROUGHAN HERTZ also by the stock bull Roughan Enzo.

€4,200 was paid for first prize winner TULLAGHAN HOTSPUR bred by Michael Daly, Wardhouse, Tullaghan, Co. Leitrim. He is by Excellent and out of a Fury Action bred dam.

Three lots shared the €4,000 price tag:

◊ CLONCORRICK HURRICANE bred by Frank McGovern, Greenville House, Carrigallen, Co. Leitrim. By Doonally New he is out of a Dovea Gin Tonic bred dam.

◊ SLIEVEBAWN IRONMAN bred by James Duke, Caggle, Strokestown, Co. Roscommon. He is by Enfield Plexus and out of a Doonally New bred dam.

◊ERRIFF ISAAC bred by Seamus Lyons,Erriff, Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo. By Major he is out of a Nectergerc bred dam.

Price range for bulls was from €2,400 to €8,000 with a very good average of €3,972.

Purchasers were from counties Waterford right up to Donegal with the majority from Roscommon, Cavan, Leitrim, Sligo and Mayo.

Next Charolais Society sale is on Saturday, 5^th April in Tullamore with 66 bulls on offer.

SELLING TIME FOR MACMELVIN IAN – TOP PRICE OF THE SALE

Bred by Shane Tully, Ballina he sold for €8,000

SENIOR CHAMPION – ROOSKEYNAMONA HIGH KING

Shown by Kevin Mulligan for his dad Gerry from Rooskeynamona, Mohill. He sold for €5,500

RESERVE SENIOR CHAMPION – BALLYNABREEN HAWAI

Bred by John McDermott, Falmore, Gleneely, Lifford he sold for €4,700

JUNIOR CHAMPION – LAHEENS ICARE

Bred by Cathal Duignan, Laheen House, Eslin Bridge, Carrick-on-Shannon he sold for €5,300

RESERVE JUNIOR CHAMPION – TAWNY INDIANA JONES

Bred by Ciaran Daly, Tawnytallan, Tullaghan, Co. Leitrim he sold for €5,600

TOP PRICED BULL AT THE SALE – MACMELVIN IAN

Bred by Shane Tully, Ballina he sold for €8,000

FIELDVIEW ICEBERG – SOLD FOR €5,250

Bred by David Erskine, Cross, Monaghan

CLOUGHBRACK INVINCIBLE – SOLD FOR €4,900

Bred by Mattie Kelly, Cloughbrack, Newbridge, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway.

GLENREE IVAN – SOLD FOR €4,350

Shown by breeder by John O’Grady, Creggane, Glenamaddy, Co. Galway

KILMORE ISAAC – SOLD FOR €4,300

Bred by Joe Gilfillan, Kilmore, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Roscommon

PREMIER HOLIWOOD – SOLD FOR €4,300

Bred by Kevin Whealan, Spafield, Ballykenny, Borris in Ossory.

TULLAGHAN HOTSPUR – SOLD FOR €4,200

Bred by Michael Daly, Wardhouse, Tullaghan, Co. Leitrim

SLIEVEBAWN IRONMAN – SOLD FOR €4,000

Bred by James Duke, Caggle, Strokestown, Co. Roscommon

FIRST PRIZE WINNER – AUGHNASHEELIN HARLEY

Shown by breeder by Michael McGirl, Drumany, Aughnasheelin, Carrigallen, Co. Leitrim. Sold for €3,150

FIRST PRIZE WINNER – LUDDENMORE HERCULES

Bred by Michael Sheahan, Luddenmore, Grange, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick.

TENSE MOMENT…WAITING FOR THE JUDGE’S DECISION ! SENIOR CHAMPION ON LEFT, RESERVE ON THE RIGHT

KILVILCORRIS HUGO – SOLD TO BALLYHAISE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE FOR €3,900

Shown by breeder PJ Ryan with his niece Jane, from Drom, Borrisoleigh, Thurles with Tara Fitzsimons, John Doherty & Damian McDonald, Teagasc, Ballyhaise.