Santiago Tops Swatragh Sale

The Northern Ireland Charolais Club’s final sale of the season took place on Friday 4^th November 2022, and saw a total of 33 bulls sold to an average price of £4239.77 and a 63% clearance. The bull sale was followed by the female sale, in which 9 animals found new homes with an average price of £4386.67. Finally, proceedings closed with a draft sale from J Smyth’s Bessiebell herd, which reached an incredible top price of 10,400gns.

The top price for bulls was 7,200gns, and was secured by two entries. The first to go under the hammer was the day’s Overall Male Champion and Supreme Champion: 18-month-old Drumconnis Santiago from J McGrath in Dromore, Co. Tyrone. Santiago’s dam, Drumconnis Jessica, is a homebred daughter of multiple show-winning heifer Wesley Euphoria and goes back to the 20,000gns Perth Champion Thrunton Trojan. He was sired by Sportsmans Monarch, who sold for the top price of 12,000gns at Stirling in 2017. This stylish young lad caught the eye of T Butler, who won the bid and will be taking Santiago home to Ballycastle, Co. Antrim.

Next to sell for 7,200gns was 15-month-old Junior Champion Brogher Senator, from T Phair’s Brogher herd in Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh. Senator was sired by the ever-popular AI bull Whitecliffe James, and his dam Brogher Omaria is a daughter of the 10,000gns Goldies Icon. Securing the final bid for this strapping young bull was J Delargy of Cushendall, Co. Antrim.

Selling for the next highest price of 7,000gns was the day’s Reserve Overall Male Champion Drumilly Samson. Samson was bred by J Paynter of the Drumilly herd in Co. Armagh, and was sired by the French-born AI bull Invictus. Samson’s dam is Drumilly Favourite, a daughter of the sought-after Oldstone Egbert. The successful bidder for this young bull was W Donnell of Donemana, Co. Tyrone.

The next highest price was 6,800gns, and was secured by 16-month-old Ardmachree Sonny, bred by A & O Quigley of Macken, Co. Fermanagh. This impressive bull was sired by the 70,000gns Barnsford Ferny, and his dam is Blelack Hillary; a Maerdy Dublin daughter. Sonny will be making the trip over to Ballycastle, Co. Antrim under the care of winning bidder S McCambridge.

Reaching the next highest price of 6,000gns was the day’s Reserve Senior Champion, 19-month-old Brigadoon Sorrento, from the well-known herd of W D & J A Connolly of Ballynahinch, Co. Down. Sorrento is out of Brigadoon Milan, a homebred daughter of Brigadoon Himself, and he was sired by the 15,000gns Newhouse Maxamus. Sorrento will be making the long journey over to Sandy, Orkney, to the holding of final bidder Coligarth Farm.

The top price for females was 6,700gns, and was secured by the Female Champion and Reserve Supreme Champion Battleford Snowball, bred by B Finnegan of Dungannon, Co. Tyrone. This wasn’t Snowball’s first brush with success, having previously won the title of Reserve Junior Female Champion at Balmoral earlier in the year. This stunning young heifer was sired by Mornity Nero, and her dam Bessiebell Maisie goes back to the 22,000gns Newhouse Bigal. Winning the bid and taking Snowball home was D Knox of Colchester, Essex.

The day’s Reserve Female Champion Loughriscouse Risika was close behind Snowball, selling for a final price of 6,200gns. Risika was bred by H & H Heron of Newtonards, Co. Down, and was sired by the popular AI bull Harestone Hercules. Her dam Goldies Lassie is a daughter of notorious easy-calver Blelack Digger. Risika has her fair share of Championship titles to her name, including Reserve Female Champion at Balmoral and Senior Female Champion at the Northern Ireland National Show, both in 2022. Taking this impressive girl home is J Porter of Bridgend, Islay.

Finally, the draft from J Smyth’s Bessiebell herd in Newtownstewart, Co. Tyrone, topped out at 10,400gns for 9-month-old heifer calf Bessiebell Tilly. Tilly was sired by the 22,000gns Newhouse Bigal, and her dam Aghyoule Finoula goes back to the renowned Doonally New. Tilly will be making the trip up to Dalry, Ayrshire, to the holding of winning bidder G Renfrew.

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Show Results:

Class 1 – BULL, born on or between 5 December 2020 & 14 March 2021
1^st – W D & J A Connolly – Brigadoon Sorrento – s. Newhouse Maxamus
2^nd – A McCammond – Cloughanduff SJ – s. Mountain Landmark
3^rd – H & H Heron – Loughriscouse Royal – s. Harestone Hercules
4^th – J & H Gervis – Drumcullion Sid – s. Aghafad Prince
5^th – K Rice – Lenalea Superstar – s. Maerdy Dublin

Class 2 – BULL, born on or between 2 & 17 April 2021
1^st – W D & J A Connolly – Brigadoon Sancerre – s. Newhouse Maxamus
2^nd – C & S McIlwaine – Corrick Striker – s. Maerdy Fiend
3^rd – W D & J A Connolly – Brigadoon Samurai – s. Newhouse Maxamus
4^th – K Harper – Pollyarnon Sam – s. Cloverfield Excelent
5^th – K Harper – Pollyarnon Sigon – s. Cloverfield Excelent

Class 3 – BULL, born on or between 25 April & 2 May 2021
1^st – S & D Bothwell – Killadeas Superman – s. Battleford Laser
2^nd – C & S McIlwaine – Corrick Sultan – s. Fieldview Nathaniel
3^rd – P & V McDonald – Glencoe Spartan – s. Liscorran Magic
4^th – H C Stubbs & A A Burleigh – Derryharney Standclear – s. Straniff Nooky
5^th – H C Stubbs & A A Burleigh – Derryharney Superman – s. Sagesse Pierre

Class 4 – BULL, born on or between 3 & 8 May 2021
1^st – J McGrath – Drumconnis Santiago – s. Sportsmans Monarch
2^nd – S & D Bothwell – Killadeas Sebastian – s. Dunlon Ulick
3^rd – W Whyte – Innisrush Sheriff – s. Westcarse Houdini
4^th – B O’Kane – Keadyview Samsmyman – s. Maerdy Obama
5^th – H C Stubbs & A A Burleigh – Derryharney Spiderman – s. Straniff Nooky

Class 5 – BULL, born on or between 14 & 16 May 2021
1^st – J R Paynter – Drumilly Samson – s. Invictus
2^nd – S & D Bothwell – Killadeas Sid – s. Killadeas Norman
3^rd – S & D Bothwell – Killadeas Simon – s. Killadeas Norman
4^th – A Dunne – Crummer Skyler – s. Woodpark Elgin
5^th – R McWilliams – Stranagone Shadey – s. Lochend Apache

Class 6 – BULL, born on or between 24 May & 6 June 2021
1^st – L Ruddy – Kenaghan Showman – s. Inverlochy Ferdie
2^nd – J Crawford – Coolnaslee Sun – s. Carwood Nico
3^rd – C & S McIlwaine – Corrick Superman – s. Sagesse Pierre
4^th – R McWilliams – Stranagone Sonny – s. Stranagone Jones
5^th – J McBride – Moorlough Seb – s. Anside Foreman

Class 7 – BULL, born on or between 10 June & 1 July 2021
1^st – T O’Neill – Glenramble Spartacus – s. Whitecliffe James
2^nd – T O’Neill – Glenramble Sailor – s. Balmyle Bollinger
3^rd – G Hadnett – Sydenville Sensational – s. Newhouse Maxamus
4^th – W Short – Woodpark Stan – s. Deeside Gulliver

Class 8 – BULL, born on or between 2 & 31 July 2021
1^st – S & D Bothwell – Killadeas Steel – s. Battleford Laser
2^nd – S & D Bothwell – Killadeas Steam – s. Battleford Laser
3^rd – A & O Quigley – Ardmachree Sonny – s. Barnsford Ferny
4^th – G Henderson – Sandelford Saracen – s. Blelack Immaculate
5^th – A Dunne – Crummer Scotsman – s. Goldies Icon

Class 9 – BULL, born on or between 31 July & 25 September 2021
1^st – T Phair – Brogher Senator – s. Whitecliffe James
2^nd – J McBride – Moorlough Sterling – s. Newhouse Bigal
3^rd – P Hackett – Fury Sam – s. Fury Leader
4^th – W Short – Woodpark Spartacus – s. Blelack Immaculate
5^th – W Short – Woodpark Superman – s.  Jingle

Class 10 – FEMALE, born on or before 14 September 2020
1^st – H & H Heron – Loughriscouse Risika – s. Harestone Hercules
2^nd – H & H Heron – Loughriscouse Pippa – s. Harestone Hercules
3^rd – B O’Kane – Carnview Rose – s. Oldstone Egbert
4^th – A & O Quigley – Ardmachree Riona – s. Blelack Digger
5^th – A & O Quigley – Ardmachree Rita – s. Jingle

Class 11 – FEMALE, born on or after 26 December 2020
1^st – B Finnegan – Battleford Snowball – s. Mornity Nero
2^nd – B Finnegan – Battleford Summer – s. Blelack Blackberet
3^rd – Devine Brothers – Brownhill Suzie – s. Rumsden Fawkes
4^th – G Nelson – Drumacritten Sasha – s. Whitecliffe James
5^th – H C Stubbs & A A Burleigh – Derryharney Samantha – s. Sportsmans Linesman

Senior Championship – Overall best bull from Classes 1-3
Champion – S & D Bothwell – Killadeas Superman – s. Battleford Laser
Reserve – W D & J A Connolly – Brigadoon Sorrento – s. Newhouse Maxamus

Intermediate Championship – Overall best bull from Classes 4-6
Champion – J McGrath – Drumconnis Santiago – s. Sportsmans Monarch
Reserve – J R Paynter – Drumilly Samson – s. Invictus

Junior Championship – Overall best bull from Classes 7-9
Champion – T Phair – Brogher Senator – s. Whitecliffe James
Reserve – T O’Neill – Glenramble Spartacus – s. Whitecliffe James

Overall Male Championship – Overall best bull from Classes 1-9
Champion – J McGrath – Drumconnis Santiago – s. Sportsmans Monarch
Reserve – J R Paynter – Drumilly Samson – s. Invictus

Overall Female Championship – Overall best female from Classes 10-11
Champion – B Finnegan – Battleford Snowball – s. Mornity Nero
Reserve – H & H Heron – Loughriscouse Risika – s. Harestone Hercules

Overall Supreme Championship – Overall best animal from Classes 1-11
Champion – J McGrath – Drumconnis Santiago – s. Sportsmans Monarch
Reserve – B Finnegan – Battleford Snowball – s. Mornity Nero