With a very large crowd in attendance and the festive mood set, this years Christmas Cracker had a top price of €15,500 which was achieved for the Senior Champion of the Show Rosanna Van Gogh. The average price of €7,236 was up €1,147 from the same sale last year; 21 bulls sold for €8,000 or higher and a clearance rate of just under 80% was achieved.
Rosanna Van Gogh, the property of Pat Stephens from Tullow, Co. Carlow was the Senior Champion of the Show and received the top price of the sale. Sired by Rosanna Olmetta and out of Rosanna Lillybell, with the famous Rosanna Daisybell as the grand-dam, this May 2024 born bull carried 1 copy of the Q204X gene. He sold to a farm in Belturbet in Co. Cavan.
Senior Champion – Rosanna Van Gogh
The next top price was achieved for the Intermediate Champion of the show Goldstar Van Gogh (et). Sired by the Society bull Neptune and out of Goldstar Tartine, he was bred by Martin Ryan from Thurles in Co. Tipperary and was a single carrier of both the F94L and Q204x gene. He sold for €14,500 to Dovea Genetics.
Intermediate Champion – Goldstar Van Gogh (et)
€14,000 was the next highest price and this was achieved for the Reserve Senior Champion of the Show, Clenagh2 Viper. Sired by Military and out of Clenagh Royalty, he was bred by Barry Quinn from Newmarket-on-Fergus in Co. Clare and found his new home in Co. Laois.
Reserve Senior Champion – Clenagh2 Viper
€10,400 was achieved three times at the sale: –
The first lot to sell was Noble Valhalla. Bred by Harry Noble from Edgeworthstown, he was sire by Noble Twining and had Organdi and Meillard in his back pedigree. He was a single carrier of the F94L gene and sold to a farm in Co. Cavan
Noble Valhalla
The next to sell was the Reserve Intermediate Champion Clonmahon Vadim (et). Bred by Eddie Daly from Summerhill in Co. Meath, he was born in September 2024 and sired by Neptune. He had Oldstone Egbert, Texan-Gie and Bourgogne in his back pedgiree. He was a single carrier of the Q204X gene. He sold to a farm in Belmullet in Co. Mayo
The final lot to sell for €10,400 was the Reserve Junior Champion Brocca Viking. Bred by John Barry Moran from Athlone in Co. Westmeath, he was sired by Corrie Alan and out of Brocca Ophelia (et). He was born September 2024 and carried 1 copy of the Q204X gene. He found his new home in Strokestown, Co. Roscommon.
Reserve Junior Champion – Brocca Viking
€10,200 was the next highest price and it secured the first prize winner Aughnacreevy Victorious (et). Bred by Fergal & Liam McDermott from Killeshandra in Co. Cavan, he was a single carrier of the F94L gene and sired by Doonally New. He was born in September 2024 and sold to Tullamore in Co. Offaly
Aughnacreevy Victorious (et)
Two lots for with the price tag of €10,000.
First up was Tobergal Verdun (et). Bred by Jamie Heffernan from Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, Verdum was sired by Doonally New and out of Lisnagre Lily, with Lisnagre Elite (et), Domino and Major in his back pedgiree. He was a double carrier of the F94L gene and found his new home in Co. Clare.
Tobergal Verdum (et)
The next lot was the 1st prize winner in the pre-sale Cloonslanorcd Voodoo (et). Sired by the society bull Neptune and out of Goldstar Shirley Temple (et), he was bred by Cormac Dolan from Strokestown in Co. Roscommon. He didn’t have far to travel to his new home in Fourmilehouse in Co. Roscommon.
Cloonslanorcd Voodoo (et)
Clenagh Victorious reached €9,600 for owner Michael Quinn from Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co. Clare. Sired by Whitecliffe James and out of home bred dam Clenagh Lacey (et), he was a double carrier of the F94l gene. He was sold to a farm in Co. Limerick.
Clenagh Victorious
€9,500 was paid for the Junior Champion of the Show Larahill Valentino (et). Bred by John O’Connor from Mullingar in Co. Westmeath, he was sired by Neptune and out of a home bred dam Larahill Tess (et). He was a single carrier of the Q204X gene and had Pirate, Meillard, Bourgogne and Doonally New in his back pedigree. He headed north of the border to Plumbridge.
Junior Champion – Larahill Valentino (et)
€9,000 was achieved for the 3rd prize winner Derryolam Very Good (et). Bred by Oldstone Egbert and out of Derryolam Brigid, he was born 12th August 2024 and was a single carrier of both the Q204X and F94L gene. He was bed by Niall McNally from Carrickmacross in Co. Monaghan and sold to a breeder in Mohill in Co. Leitrim.
Derryolam Very Good (et)
The next highest price was €8,800 and it was paid twice.
First to receive it was Noble Voodoo. Bred by Harry Noble from Edgeworthstown in Co. Roscommon he was sired by Noble Price and out of a home bred dam with Blelack Digger, Balthayock Adonis and Goldstar Echo in the back pedigree. He was born in August 2024 and found his new home in Co. Sligo.
The second to achieve €8,800 was Larahill Vegas (et). Born in July 2024 and sired by Pirate, he carried 1 copy of the Q204X gene and was bred by John O’Connor from Mullingar in Co. Westmeath. He headed North to Lisburn.
Larahill Vegas (et)
€8,600 was reached three times at the sale:
The first lot to reach it was LisnageeraghVictory 22. Bred by Co. Galway breeder Des Joyce, he was sired by Lapon and had Whitecliffe James, Blelack Digger and Doonally New in his back pedigree. He was a single carrier of the the Q204X and F94L gene and sold to a farm in Shercock in Co. Cavan.
Lisnageeragh Victory 22
The second lot was Coolembley Valentin bred by Martin Herity from Drumcliffe in Co. Sligo. Sired by Neptune and out of Liscally Rosie (et), he was a single carrier of both the F94L and Q204X gene and sold a farm in Moydow in Co. Longford.
Coolembley Valentin
The third lot was for Enniscrone Vladimir (et) bred by Ronan Gallagher from Enniscrone in Co. Sligo. Sired by Doonally New and out of a home bred dam Enniscrone Jillian (et), he was born 19th September 2024 and was a single carrier of the F94L gene. He found his new home in Co. Galway
€8,200 was achieved twice: –
The first was for Mullinasella Viceroy bred by Sean McCaffrey from Carrick-on-Shannon in Co. Leitrim. Sire by Ballym Rocco and out of home bred dam Mullinasella Mary, he was a single carrier of the F94L gene and found his new home in Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal.
The second lot to achieve €8,200 was Enniscrone Victor (et). Bred by Ronan Gallagher from Enniscrone in Co. Sligo, he carried 1 copy of the F94L gene and was sired by Doonally New out of a home bred dam. He sold to Co. Monaghan.
The next highest price was €8,000 and this was paid twice: –
Second prize winner Bud Victus bred by Olivia Purcell from Athboy in Co. Meath was to first lot to achieve this price. He was bred by Roughan Ourasis and out of home bred dam Bud Pirro. He was a single F94L carrier and sold to a breeder from Carnew in Co. Wexford.
The second lot was Enniscrone Vincent (et). Bred by Ronan Gallagher from Enniscrone in Co. Sligo, he was sired by Doonally New and out of Enniscrone Jessica. He carried 1 copy of the Q204X gene and sold a farm in Co. Sligo.
Cuillmore Vincent bred by Thomas Keane from Westport in Co. Mayo sold for €7,800. Sired by Dromiskin Viceroy and out of home bred dam Cuillmore Marta, he carried 1 copy of the Q204X gene and had Pirate, Meillard, Enfield Plexus, Hermes, Doonally New and Mogador in his back pedigree.
€7,600 was reached for Inismurray Venom (et). Bred by Paul Burke from Grange in Co. Sligo, he was sired by Ocean and out of MacMelvin I Heidi. He was a single carrier of both the Q204X and F94L gene and sold to a farm in Killeshandra in Co. Cavan.
Inismurray Venom (et)
Ghrainseach Valeur (et) bred by Conor Beirne from Strokestown in Co. Roscommon sold for €7,600. Sired by Cloonglasna11 Socks (et) and out of Cloughbrack Sapphire, he had Pirate, Sportsman Columbo, Cloverfield Excelent and Knockmoyle Loki (et) in his back pedigree. He sold to Clogher in Northern Ireland.
Cloonglasna11 Vincie (et) bred by Padraig Egan from Ballina in Co. Mayo achieved €7,500. Sired by Neptune and out of a home bred dam Cloonglasna11 Jenny, he headed to a farm in Navan, Co. Meath.
Cloonglasna11 Vincie (et)
The next highest price was €7,200 for Bud Vandam bred by Olivia Purcell from Athboy in Co. Meath. Sired by Neptune and out of Bud Nukita, he was born 28 June and carried 1 copy of the F94L gene. He sold to a farmer in Eslin Bridge in Co. Leitrim
Two bulls sold with the price tag of €7,000:-
First up was Tullyvillage Volvo. Born 4th July 2024 he was bred by Willie Flynn from Ballinasloe in Co. Galway and sired by Tullyvillage Shane out of home bred dam Tullyvillage Matilda. He was a double carrier of the F94L gene and found his new home in Co. Galway.
The second lot was Rosanna Vikingstar. Bred by Pat Stephens from Tullow in Co. Carlow, he was sired by Rosanna Olmetta and out of Rosanna Lavender with Rosanna Fameaux as the maternal grand-sire. He was a single carrier of the Q204X gene and headed to Newry in Co. Down.
Other leading prices: –
€6,800 for Crossmolina Van. Bred by Alan Wood from Co. Mayo. Sired by Ashleigh Admiral.
€6,600 for Aughnasheelin Vault. Bred by Michael McGirl from Co. Leitrim. Sired by Maerdy Sinndar.
€6,400 for Crossane4 Velociraptor (et). Bred by Eoin McGovern from Co. Leitrim. Sired by Goldstar Echo
€6,200 for Gallaway Vaughan. Bred by Michael Kiernan from Co. Leitrim. Sired by Knockmoyle10 Loki (et)
We would like to thank our Judge Allan Drysdale from Perthshire in Scotland. Allan has been breeding pedigree animals for over 20 years and is a well know breeder in the UK and Scotland. He has over 60 pedigree animals, 120 commericals and 800 ewes so we thank him to taking the time out of his busy farming life to come and judge at our sale. Also thanks to Grainne Burke from Co. Sligo who was our shadow judge on the day.
Thanks to all who supported the sale. To all the exhibtiors, purchasers, stewards, and the staff in Elphin Mart. Alot of work goes into running these events and it wouldn’t be possible without everyone’s support and we wish all the purchasers every luck with their new bulls.
This was also our Inspectors John Beirne’s last sale working on behalf of the Society after 30 years of service . A presentation was made to John by our President Aiden MacHale and Council members on behalf of the Society and John received Honorary Lifetime Membership of the Society for his hard work, commitment and dedication over that period. We wish John well in his retirement from the Society.
Our next show/sale will be in in Tullamore Mart on Saturday 21st February and we will be back in Elphin Mart for our Premier Show/Sale on Saturday 21st March.