Buyers at this year’s Irish Charolais Cattle Society Premier show and sale in Elphin, on the 25 March were looking to purchase bulls with British linage giving high euro star indexes and good calving figures.
Leading the trade at €7,000 was the October 2015 born bull, Drumcullen Longshot. Exhibited by John Fleury from Killyon, Co. Offaly, this catchy bull is a son of the herd’s former stock bull, Vexour Granville. Imported from the UK from breeder Jan Boomaars, Woldingham, Surrey, in 2012 when he was just a year old, Granville has certainly left his mark on the Drumcullen herd, siring a number of high priced cattle in recent years. A second prize winner in the pre-sale show, Longshot sold with a five-star terminal index of €134 and a calving figure of 7.3% to Michael Phillips from County Sligo.
The pre-sale show was judged by Patsy Mc Cabe from the Blakestown herd in county Louth. He found his senior champion in the form of Sionhill Lazer exhibited by the Carey’s from Killucan, Co. Westmeath. One of the ringside favourites from the moment he entered the ring, Lazer is a November 2015 born son of British bred Balthayock Hamish from David and Nick Walter, Balthayock, Perthshire. He went under the hammer with a five-star terminal index of €129 and a calving figure of just 6.4%. He was knocked down to James Johnston from Northern Ireland at €5,500.
The reserve senior male champion went to another British sired son this time out of Elgin Davinci bred by Roy Milne, Lhanbryde, Morayshire. Westmeath breeder Aidan Farrell was the exhibitor of Williamstown Lenny, a November 2015 born bull who stood top of the line in a strong second class of bulls, but failed to meet his reserve in the sales ring.
Taking home the junior champion of the show was the winner of the last class of bulls, Drummand Master. Just over 13 months old on sale day, this young bull was bred and exhibited by Michael Quigley from Inniskeen, Co. Monaghan. A son of the UK sire JHC Campbell and Sons’ 18,000gns Thrunton Fairfax, Master exchanged hands at €4,800 to M and P Connolly from Roslea, Co. Fermanagh.
Getting back to the top sellers again, Michael Kavanagh from Brownshill, Co. Carlow was next in line with their first prize winner, Brownshill 14 Major. A pre-sale favourite having won the junior male champion at last year’s National Charolais Show, this January 2016 born son of the British 70,000gns Royal Welsh Show supreme champion Barnsford Ferny bred by Tom and Sheena Gatherer, won his class before selling for €5,800 to Thomas Whitehead, Goresbridge, Co. Kilkenny.
Hitting the €4,800 mark was Carrickbrack 96 Maximus exhibited by Noel Maxwell from Convoy, Co. Donegal. This January 2016 born son of the renowned easy calving UK sire Blelack Digger bred by Neil Massie, was one of the highest index bulls catalogued with a five-star terminal index of €153, a five star replacement index of €132 and a calving figure of just 6.5%. This bull’s pedigree is no stranger to success in the sales ring, with full brothers selling for numerous high prices in Ireland and Scotland. He was snapped up by County Mayo breeder Joe Mc Donnell from Louisburgh.