That a day ….. this years Christmas Cracker sale last Saturday can only be described as a fantastic day, smashing the highest average price set at the same sale the previous year by over €400 to set a new highest ever sales price of €6,086. 74 bulls presented for sale, of with 58 were sold, making a clearance rate of 78%. In total 24 bulls were exported, 1 going to Wales, 1 to Scotland and the rest to Northern Ireland.
Setting the top price of the sale was the shows Intermediate Champion, Beachview Uberto. Born in August 2023, he was bred by a stock bull Theforge Sonny who was by the UK sire Fury Action and a dam by Prime Roberto. He was bred by Sarah Curran and Dermot O’Dowd from Co. Meath and he found his new home across the water in Wales.
Beachview Uberto
Following closely behind and after securing the Reserve Senior Championship was Goodmoove Usher (et), owned by Conor Melvin from Hollystown, Co. Dublin. Bred by the Society bull Nevers and out of a Ecrin bred dam, he carried a 4 star Terminal index of €135. He sold to Dovea Genetics for €14,500.
Goodmoove Usher (et)
The next top price of the sale went to Kilvilcorris Udo. A third prize winner in his class, he was born in September 2023 and had a 5 star terminal index of €163 and a 4.1% easy calving figure. Bred by Matt & PJ Ryan from Co. Tipperary, he sold for €10,200 to N.C.B.C. in Naas, Co. Kildare.
Kilvilcorris Udo
Also selling at €10,200 was Lisnagre Un Known (et), bred by Jim Geoghegan from Co. Westmeath. Having being the Senior Male Calf Champion at the Society’s National Calf Show in Carrick-on-Shannon only a couple of months previously, he was placed second in the pre-sale. He carried one copy of the F94L gene and had a 4 star terminal index of €136. Sired by Doonally New and with Jupiter as the maternal grand-sire, he sold to a farmer in Co. Roscommon.
Lisnagre Un Known (et)
The next bull to sell was Fieldview UEFA who reached €10,000 for breeder David Erskine from Co. Monaghan. Placed first in his class at the pre-sale, he is bred by the Society’s bull Magicien and out of a home bred dam by Chic. He carried a 5 star terminal index of €148 and an easy calving rate of just 3.4%. He headed across the water to Scotland.
Fieldview UEFA
The next highest price was achieved for Gerard McIntyre, from Shercock in Co. Cavan. With two entries in the sale, twins Dhuish Upton and Dhuish Ugene, born November 2023. Our Judge on the day Mr. Chris Curry from the Burradon’s herd in the UK, tapped them forward as both his Junior and Reserve Junior Champions respectively. Both entries carried a 4 star terminal index of €145 and both sold to Northern Ireland purchasers. Ugene with the price tag of €9,200 and Upton for €8,600. This is the first time that a set of twins have every achieved the champion and reserve champion at our sales. Such a great achievement.
Dhuish Ugene & Upton
Three bulls sold with the price tag of €9,000;
First up was Larahill Unexpected Luck (et) bred by Co. Westmeath breeder John O’Connor. By Doonally New and out of a Major dam, he had a 5 star Terminal index of €159. He sold to a farmer in Northern Ireland.
Larahill Unexpected Luck (et)
The next lot was a third prize winner in his class at the pre-sale, for breeder Jon Regan from Co. Leitrim. Out of Fiston and a home bred cow, Liscally Uni carried a 5 star Terminal index of €158 and a 5 star Replacement index of €113.
The last lot to sell for €9,000 was Aquanchoua Ultan (et), bred by Peter McLaughlin from Redhills in Co. Cavan. Sired by Doonally New and with both Pirate and Hermes as his grand-sire, he carried a single copy of both the F94L and Q204 gene. He found his new home in Co. Fermanagh.
Aquachoua Ultan (et)
Peter’s second lot to sell was Aquachoua Ubix 2 (et) at €8,600. A second price winner in his class, and a full brother to Ultan, he carried a 5 star Terminal index of €154. He sold to a farmer in Co. Roscommon.
Aquanchoua Ubix 2 (et)
Dreamteam. Unbeatable (et), bred by Kate Norris from Co. Donegal and a first prize winner in his class, headed to Co. Tyrone in Northern Ireland with a price tag of €8,600. He was sired by Goldstar Echo and out of their home bred cow, Dreamteam. Superwoman (et) by Invincible. He carried a 5 star Terminal index of €139.
Dreamteam. Unbeatable (et)
The Reserve Junior Champion of the day went to Jim Geoghegan from Co. Westmeath for his offering Lisnagre Uno (et). Born 1st September 2023, he carried a 5 star Terminal index of €147 and was a single carrier of the F94l gene. Sired by the Society bull Horace JD and his home bred dam Lisnagre Pio (et) by Pirate, he sold for €8,200 and found his new home in Co. Tyrone.
Lisnagre Uno (et)
Also selling at €8,200 was first prize winner in this class Clenagh2 Uber. Bred by Barry Quinn from Co. Clare, he was sired by the Society bull Ocean and out of the home bred cow Clenagh Royalty. He carried a 5 star Terminal index of €167, one of the highest in the catalogue and a had a calving ease of just 4%. He also had 1 copy of the F94L gene. He sold to a farmer in Co. Monaghan.
Clenagh2 Uber
Selling at €8,000 was Ballym Unbelieveable bred by the Quinn Family from Co. Offaly. Out of their stock bull Ballym Saloup by the Society’s bull Magicien and a home bred dam Ballym Patent, he had a 4 star Terminal index of €145 and a 4 star Replacement index of €88. He found his new home in Portarlington, Co. Laois.
Ballym Unbelievable
The Senior Champion of the show went to Clenagh Upton, who sold for €7,000. Born May 2023 he was sired by Grangwood Royal Oak (et) and out of a Doonally New bred dam. Bred by Michael Quinn from Co. Clare, he carried a 4 star Terminal index of €145. He found his new home in Co. Laois.
Clenagh Upton
Other top prices of the sale;
€7,200 for Goldstar Ultravolt (et) sired by Jumper and exhibited by Martin Ryan from Co. Tipperary.
€7,200 for Bostonia Usher (et) sired by Goldstar Echo and exhibited by Brendan Feeney from Co. Sligo.
€7,000 for Cloonohill Unstoppable sired by Cloonohill Padirac and exhibited by Noel McGoldrick from Co. Longford.
€6,600 for Ballynabreen Unikue sired by Malakoff and exhibited John G. McDermott from Co. Donegal.
€6,000 for Inismurray Ugene (et) sired by Fiston and exhibited by Paul Burke from Co. Sligo
€6,000 for Ballym Ultimate Boy sired by Ballym Royal and exhibted by the Quinn family from Co. Offaly
€6,000 for Islandview Unii sired by Neptune and exhibited by Tommy McLaughlin from Co. Donegal
€6,000 for Culkenny Ursomeboy sired by Ocean and exhibited by Anthony McColgan from Co. Donegal
€6,000 for Larahill Ulysses sired by Pirate and exhibited by John O’Connor from Co. Westmeath
€5,800 for Tateetra Upton sired by Pottlereagh Mark and exhibited by John Kingham from Co. Louth
€5,800 for Lisnagre Uro (et) sired by Horace JD and exhibited by Jim Geoghegan from Co. Westmeath
€5,800 for Nolagh Ultan sired by Melvin Piper and exhibited by Martin Shevlin from Co. Cavan
€5,600 for Liscally UB40 sired by Lapon and exhibited by Jon Regan from Co. Leitrim
€5,400 for Tawny Up to Speed sired by Tawny Full Throttle and exhibited by Ciaran Daly from Co. Leitrim
€5,300 for Inish Usher sired by Neptune and exhibited by Louis McGonagle from Co. Donegal
€5,200 for Cuillmore Useful sired by Pirate and exhibited by Thomas Keane from Co. Mayo
€5,100 for Larahill Underdog 1 (et) sired by Texan-Gie and exhibited by John O’Connor from Co. Westmeath
€5,000 for Fieldview United sired by Doonally New and exhibited by David Erskine from Co. Monaghan
A big thank you to our Judge Mr. Chris Curry from the Burradon’s Herd in the UK who did a excellent job and to our shadow judge Jack Sheridan from Co. Cavan. We hope you both had an enjoyable day.
Also a big thank you must go to Ciaran and all who work at Elphin Mart. The facilities presented were immaculate and we know a lot of hard work went into getting the area ready for the sale.
We would like to thank all the purchasers and we wish you every luck with your new bulls and thank you also to our exhibitors, the quality of cattle on display was second to none. It made a great end to the Society’s 60 Anniversary year.
The Society’s next Show/Sale will be in Tullamore Mart on Saturday 22nd February and we will return to Elphin Mart with our Premier Show/Sale on Saturday 22nd March 2025.