The Irish Charolais Cattle Society hosted its annual Christmas Cracker show and sale of bulls last Saturday (November 30), at Elphin Mart, Co. Roscommon.

The annual society event featured a total of 74 bulls presented for sale, with 58 of these sold, marking a clearance rate of 78%.

In total, 24 bulls were exported, with one going to Wales, one to Scotland and the rest to Northern Ireland.

The average sale price at this year’s event was up €400 on last year, setting a new record average sale price of €6,086. The judge on the day was Chris Curry from the Burradon Herd in the UK.

Setting the top price of the sale, was the show’s Intermediate Champion, Beachview Uberto.

Rated two-stars on the replacement index and one-star on the terminal index within breed, the bull took the top price of the sale, despite the low star ranking.

Born in August 2023, he was bred by 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.

Following closely behind and after securing the Reserve Senior Championship was Goodmoove Usher (et), owned by Conor Melvin from Hollystown, Co. Dublin.

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 four-star terminal index of €135. He sold to Dovea Genetics for €14,500.

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 five-star terminal index of €163 and a 4.1% easy calving figure.

Bred by Matt and P.J. Ryan from Co. Tipperary, he sold for €10,200 to the National Cattle Breeding Centre (NCBC) in Naas, Co. Kildare.

Also selling at €10,200 was Lisnagre Un Known (et), bred by Jim Geoghegan from Co. Westmeath.

Having been the Senior Male Calf Champion in the society’s National Calf Show at the Showgrounds, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Roscommon, only a couple of months previously, he was placed second in the pre-sale show.

He carried one copy of the F94L gene and had a four-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.

The next bull to sell was Fieldview UEFA, who reached €10,000 for breeder David Erskine from Co. Monaghan.

Placed first in his class in the pre-sale show, he was bred by the society’s bull Magicien and out of a home-bred dam by Chic. He carried a five-star terminal index of €148 and an easy calving rate of just 3.4%. He headed across the water to Scotland.

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 in November 2023.

These two bulls were tapped forward as the Junior and Reserve Junior Champions respectively.

Both entries carried a four-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 ever achieved the champion and reserve champion at a Charolais society sale.

Three bulls sold with the price tag of €9,000 and 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 five-star terminal index of €159. He sold to a farmer in Northern Ireland.

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 five-star terminal index of €158 and a five-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.

Peter’s second lot to sell was Aquachoua Ubix 2 (et) at €8,600. A second prize winner in his class, and a full brother to Ultan, he carried a five-star terminal index of €154. He sold to a farmer in Co. Roscommon.

Dreamteam Unbeatable (et), bred by Kate Norris from Co. Donegal was a first-prize winner in his class and sold 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.

The Reserve Junior Champion of the day went to Jim Geoghegan from Co. Westmeath for his offering Lisnagre Uno (et). Born September 1, 2023, he carried a five-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.

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 five-star terminal index of €167, one of the highest in the catalogue and a had a calving ease of just 4%. He also had one copy of the F94L gene. He sold to a farmer in Co. Monaghan.

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 four-star Terminal index of €145 and a four star Replacement index of €88. He found his new home in Portarlington, Co. Laois.

The Senior Champion of the show went to Clenagh Upton, who sold for €7,000. Born in 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 four-star Terminal index of €145. He found his new home in Co. Laois.

Other top prices of the sale included:

€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.

The society expressed its thanks to judge Chris Curry and shadow judge Jack Sheridan from Co. Cavan, as well as all the team at Elphin Mart.

A word of thanks was also given to the purchasers and exhibitors at the end of year event saying: “It made a great end to the society’s 60th anniversary year.”

Related Stories:

Bord Bia working to ‘streamline’ farm audits – O’Toole

What is the outlook for farm incomes in 2025?

EU farm org leaders stress Mercosur ‘tension’ to new commissioner

Christmas Cracker

Charolais 'Christmas Cracker' sale to take place this Saturday

Charolais Christmas Cracker sees top price of €15,000