A new record was set today (Monday, November 24) at the Carrick Winter Fair when a Tropique-sired Belgian Blue heifer sold for €33,500.

Lot 411, Polar Bear had been owned by Joe Davis from Williamstown, Co. Galway.

This heifer had won the €2,500 Progressive Genetics and Munster Bovine Future Champions Calf Extravaganza in yesterday’s pre-sale show.

She had gained a strong legion of fans over the weekend and there was little doubt that she was going to create a stir in the ring today.

Heifer

The Tropique-sired Belgian Blue heifer made the headlines today during week two of the Midland and Western Livestock Improvement Society's commercial cattle show and sale - or the 'Carrick Winter Fair' as it is better known.

Week one took place on Monday, November 17, and featured senior cattle and weanling bulls, but it is the weanling heifer show and sale that has become a huge attraction in recent years to livestock enthusiasts from across Ireland and further afield.

The showing of the almost 400-head of catalogued commercial weanling heifers took place at the venue yesterday, while selling of the heifers kicked off this morning.

Taking first in the Elite Pedigree Genetics Commercial Calf Championship was Lot 272, a Trueman Idol-sired heifer owned by Derrick Forde from Co. Galway. This heifer sold this morning for €23,000.

Her dam is Corrandulla Nicole, and the hybrid heifer comes from the same bloodlines as the 2024 Carrick Winter Fair €30,000 sale topper.

Sales

The Midland and Western Livestock Improvement Society was first established in 1926.

The first sale of pedigree bulls was held at the rear of St. Patrick’s Hospital in Carrick-on-Shannon, also in 1926.

According to the society, sales took place in the Shambles Yard - now known as Market Yard - before it took up permanent residence at the showgrounds on the Boyle Road in 1937 - where the top price of £11 was recorded for an Angus bull.