It was a day to cherish for the men from the West at the recent Premier Sale in Elphin, especially the Mc Govern brothers from County Sligo. The family are no strangers to success, having picked up National titles and Calf Championships in recent years. However, this one trumped all those accomplishments. The Fivemilebourne men topped the sale at €11,000 with their Overall Junior Champion, Crossane4 Unique ET, as well as taking the Reserve Junior Championship with Crossane4 U2 ET, who went on to sell for €7,300.
Overall, 43 Charolais bulls sold for an eye watering average of €5,020. The heifers topped at €10,000 for the Overall Champion, Whinfort Tiffany, a fantastic heifer exhibited by life long breeder, Jeremy Mc Gonigle from County Donegal. The heifers sold averaged just short of €4,500.
Crossane4 Unique ET
The Junior Champion Crossane4 Unique ET and the Reserve Junior Champion Crossane4 U2 ET are remarkably full brothers. They are son’s of the ever consistent Goldstar Echo, who has continuously produced outstanding Charolais cattle over the last decade. Their dam is the Thrunton Bonjovi daughter, Portnason Hermione, making them full brothers to 2019 National Charolais Show Champion, Crossane4 Niamh. Unique was first through the sale ring as Champion, flying away to €11,000, before getting knocked down to Victor Chestnutt and Richard Beattie from Northern Ireland.
Crossane4 U2 ET
The Reserve Junior Champion Crossane4 U2 ET traded at €7,300, selling to Terence Mc Garrigle from County Fermanagh. Both bulls are just over 14 months old and carry five star terminal indexes, as well as carrying one copy of the F94L profit gene.
Bostonia Terry
Sligo’s success did not stop there, as Bostonia Terry exhibited by the Feeney brothers from Enniscrone in County Sligo was awarded the Overall Senior Champion. This powerful son of Anside Foreman is out of a Newhouse Bigal daughter, and carries a five star terminal index of €147, as well as carrying one copy of both myostatin genes. He went on to sell for the second highest price of €10,600, heading to a suckler farmer in County Mayo.
Fieldview Texas
Well known Monaghan breeder David Erskine was next best at €8,400, with Fieldview Texas, a 17 month old son of Ocean who goes back to the herd’s successful breeding cow, Fieldview Crystal. This classy bull offered a nice balance of indexes, along with a calving figure of just 3.3% on beef cows. He also carries one copy of the F94L profit gene. A pedigree breeder from Northern Ireland secured this one.
Corralara Tiago
Local breeder Michael Mc Gowan was next best in the sales ring, selling Corralara Tiago for €7,500. This stylish bull is a son of Derryolam Impeccable and goes back to Prime Roberto on the dam’s side. Born in December 2022, Tiago sold with a calving figure of 5.6% on beef cows and a carcass confirmation score of +2.27. This one went North to County Antrim.
Mullaghteelin Ultan
Receiving a call of €6,600 was Sarah Curran from County Meath for Mullaghteelin Ultan. This powerful young bull is a son of Corrie Alan and goes back to Lisnagre Elite and CF 52 on the mother’s side. He catalogued with a carcass weight figure of +44.7kgs and carries one copy of the Q204X gene. He went across the Water to Owain Llyr in Wales.
Ballym Talent
A bid of €6,200 secured Ballym Talent exhibited by the Quinn family from County Offaly. This 15 month old bull catalogued with an impressive array of indexes, along with a calving figure of just 4.2% on beef cows. He is a son of the herd’s French bred stock bull Ballym Mylove and a homebred Pirate dam. Talent also offered two carries of the F94L profit gene. A suckler farmer from County Roscommon had the final call on the Offaly bred bull.
Patrick Doherty from County Donegal had a brilliant day’s trading, as he sold his two lots for a total of €11,300. Fahan TJ ET, who was first under the hammer at €6,000 is a son of the great Hermes and a Utrillo Mic bred dam. Selling at €5,300 was his stable mate Fahan Tombay ET, a son of the popular Pirate and a Ashleigh Admiral bred dam. Both bulls carry five star terminal indexes, as well as carrying one copy of the Q gene.
One of the first bulls through the ring, Ballydownan Thomas ET exhibited by Peter Spollen from Geashill in County Offaly exchanged hands at €5,800. This powerful bull is a son of the great CF 52 and a homebred dam going back to Ballydownan Vicky ET. He will join a suckler herd in County Roscommon.
Noble Tallisman
Judge for the day Murray Lyle from Scotland found his Reserve Senior Champion in the form of Noble Tallisman. A December 2022 born bull, Tallisman was exhibited by Harry Noble from County Longford and is a son of their homebred bull, Noble Rock. He displayed a five star terminal index along with a carcass weight figure of +42.5kg. He was wrapped up by a suckler farmer from County Monaghan at €5,500.
Other leading prices in the bull section included:
€5,300 for Firoda Tempo sired by Neptune and exhibited by Seamus Nolan from County Kilkenny
€5,100 for Shessiagh Thiago sired Magicien and exhibited by Stephen Mc Grenaghan from County Donegal
€5,100 for Inismurray Uteddy ET sired by Whitecliffe James and exhibited by Paul Burke from County Sligo
€5,100 for Ballydownan Tayto ET sired by CF 52 and exhibited by Peter Spollen from County Offaly
FEMALES
Whinfort Tiffany
Judge Murray Lyle wasted no time in awarding the Female Championship to Whinfort Tiffany, who was exhibited by long standing Donegal breeder, Jeremy Mc Gonigle. This tremendous heifer displayed all the characteristics of a real Charolais, coincided with a nice balance of indexes, along with a calving figure of just 4.6% on beef cows. A daughter of the great maternal French sire Bourgogne and a Nippur bred dam, Tiffany topped the female trade at €10,000, selling to fellow Donegal breeder James O’ Donnell.
Liscally Tulip 2 ET
Jon Regan from North Leitrim parted company with Liscally Tulip 2 ET for a sum of €5,200. This November 2022 born heifer is a daughter of the French sire Ballym Mylove and a homebred dam going back to Maerdy Entry. Once again, indexes were in abundance, along with a calving figure of just 4.3% on beef cows. She was snapped up by Cormac Mc Breen from County Cavan.
Sagesse Uragh ET
Sligo breeders were back in the limelight once again, when Brendan and Niall Canning from Rosses Point sold Sagesse Uragh ET for €5,000. This 13 month old heifer is a daughter of Clenagh Lyle, and goes back to Sagesse Brillante on the dam’s side. She went North to a herd in County Fermanagh.
The Society would like to congratulate all exhibitors on what was another successful Premier Sale. Of course the success of all our Sales depends on our customers. To them we must say a massive thank you for choosing Charolais. The next Society Bull Sale will take place in Tullamore on Saturday the 20th April.