Pictured above: Lot No. 72: Faughill Ranger sold for €7,000 – bred by Co. Leitrim breeder Charlie Clancy and purchased by Mountbellew Agricultural College
The first Irish Limousin Society sale of the year – the Premier Bull Show and Sale – took place on Saturday, March 12th in Elphin Mart in Co. Roscommon.
A packed sale ring led to a clearance rate of 75% of the 61 bulls that were presented for sale on the day, in what can be described as a strong trade for Limousin males.
The average price for the sale amounted to €4,170, with 11 bulls purchased by Northern Irish buyers – including five bulls by James Alexander from Co. Antrim.
However, the top price of the day was secured by Faughill Ranger – awarded top of his class – with the hammer falling at €7,000 on Saturday afternoon. This bull was bred by Co. Leitrim breeder Charlie Clancy and purchased by Mountbellew Agricultural College.
Born on November 13, 2020 – his dam is Faughill Ellie and his sire Ampertaine Commander – he boosts 5-stars on both the Replacement and Terminal Index, while also carrying 5-stars for carcass weight and carcass conformation.
The high prices continued with another two bulls hitting €6,000. First up was senior male champion Bostonia Rocky – bred by Brendan Feeney, Scurmore, Enniscrone, Co. Sligo. His sire is Ampertaine Gigolo and his dam is Millburn Notable and has a Replacement Index value of €108 (4-stars) and a Terminal Index value of €132 (5-stars). He also has 5-stars for carcass weight and conformation.
Additionally, lot number 53 – Milbrook Raul – also sold for €6,000; this bull was bred by William Smith, Oldcastle, Co. Meath and has 5-stars on the Terminal Index and for carcass weight and conformation.
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- Faughill Ranger sold for the top price of €7,000
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- Bostonia Rocky hit €6,000
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- Milbrook Raul sold for €6,000
The senior reserve champion went to Co. Offaly breeder, John Kenny, for his bull – Carrefour Roddy – with the hammer falling at €4,800, and has Grangeford Jojo Et and Ampertaine Elgin.
The junior male champion was awarded to Ballybrown Superduper – bred by Bobby O’Connell from Clarina, Co. Limerick. However, sired by Plumtree Fantastic, a bid of €5,000 was not enough to secure Superduper.
Additionally, the junior reserve champion went to lot number 49 – Clonguish Ronaldo – bred by Joeseph McGarry, Newtownforbes, Co. Longford, and sold for €5,400. He was sired by Lodge Hamlet going back to a Clonguish Nora dam.
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- Carrefour Roddy sold for €5,400
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- Ballybrown Superduper: €5,000 was not enough to secure this bull
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- Clonguish Ronald sold €5,400
The top 10 priced bulls averaged €5,380 – selling from €4,700 up to €7,000. Furthermore, €5,000 or higher was paid for seven bulls, while over 20 made between €4,000 and €5,000; €4,600 was secured by eight more bulls.
Lot number 14, Liscarn Rainbow, went under the hammer for €5,000. Presented by Philip Dunne from Co. Cavan, Rainbow is sired by Bavardage going back to a Grangeford Jezebelle dam and has 5-stars for Replacement and Terminal Index, carcass weight and carcass conformation.
Mayo breeder Sean Garrett secured €5,200 for his bull – Ammaghmore Reno, while Teleri Thomas from Longwood, Co. Meath sold Keltic Ravel for €5,000.
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- Liscarn Rainbow made €5,000
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- Ammaghmore Reno sold for €5,200
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- Keltic Ravel sold for €5,000
Furthermore, lot number 18 – Corcamore Romeo – made €4,600. This bull was bred by Brendan Curtin from Co. Limerick.
Corcamore Romeo made €4,600
Another two bulls that made €4,600 were Mount Scott Ronan – bred by Ahey Bridge Farms Ltd. – and Liscarn Requin – from the herd of Philip Dunne in Co. Cavan, while Ballyline Seanie went under the hammer for €4,700; he was bred by Bertie Mannion in Co. Roscommon.
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- Ballyline Seanie made €4,700
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- Mount Scott Ronan sold for €4,600
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- Liscarn Requin made €4,600
Commenting on the sale, Ronan Murphy, CEO of the Irish Limousin Cattle Society said: “We’re delighted with how the sale went on Saturday with a strong trade for the Limousin breed.
“There was definitely a lot of confidence around the ring, with purchasers from suckler and dairy farming circles, which ultimately led to the high clearance rate of 75%.”
Other prices on the day:
The Irish Limousin Cattle Society would like to congratulate all breeders on a successful start to the spring sales and wish all purchasers the very best of luck with their new bulls.
The society would also like to thank Martin Irvine for judging the show and to Elphin Mart, and to everyone that helped make the sale a huge success.
Here are some photos captured by photographer Alfie Shaw on the day.
