Scottish breeders made their presence felt at the Simmental Premier event at Roscommon, buying several of the lead priced bulls and heifers including the sale leader at €15,600.
In turn, average prices and clearance rates improved on the year for both bulls and heifers.
Bulls averaged €4672 with a clearance rate of 64% – up from €4640 and 58% at the same sale last.
Topping the trade at €15,600 when selling to Perthshire breeders, Neil and Finlay McGowan, of the Incheoch herd, Alyth, Perthshire, was Coose Prague P. This 17-month-old heterozygous polled bull from John and Ronan Tuohy, Whitegate, Co Galway, is sired by the stock bull Tulla Jaguar P and out of the Curaheen Drifter-sired dam, Coose Kesli.
The Tuohy family also took €10,000 from an undisclosed buyer for Coose Picasso P. Another by their Tulla Jaguar P stock bull, this heterozygous polled September 2022-born entry is out of the Promi PP-sired dam, Coose Lucy Luca P.
West Lothian-based breeder, Robert Cook, Kinneil Farm, also forked out the cash, going to €6200 for Lissadell Powerhouse ET from Kieran and Paul Mullarkey, Ballinfull, Co Sligo. This yearling son of Dermotstown Delboy is bred from the Milnafua Graduate dam, Corbally Eires VIP.
Topping the females at €10,600 was Bighill Princess Jacs ET which sold as part of a draft entry from Fergal Doherty, Carrigart, Co Donegal. A 20-month-old maiden by Curaheen Warrior ET and out of a Dermotstown Delboy-sired Bighill Jacqueline Via ET, she sold to an undisclosed buyer.
Next at €9200 was the reserve yearling heifer Dermody Princess, from Noel and Keith Jagoe, Drinagh, Co Cork. A Saltire Impressive-sired entry, out of the Glebefarm Tyson-sired dam, Dermody Kandy, this 14-month-old was purchased by the Weatherup family, Ballyclare, Co Antrim, buying for their Lisglass herd.
Taking the yearling heifer title and selling for €6100 was Bloomfield Penny Browne, from Paul McArdle, Castleblaney. Similarly aged, this youngster is by Ballinalare Farm Galaxy and out of the Kilbride Farm Newry dam, Corbally Classic Vintage. She sold across the Irish Sea with John and Tina Gosemore of Newtown House Simmentals, Chester.
Judge, Reece Simmers, Backmuir, Keith, found his senior heifer champion in Gerry Neenan’s Fearna Nelly Sparkles P from Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo. A 26-month-old by Curahhen Gunshot, out of Fearna Ko Ko ET, a Glebefarm Tyson daughter, she made €9000 to Ross McArdle, Dundalk, Co Louth. She sold in calf to Coose Napoleon P.
Philomena Galligan, Drumfin, Co Sligo, took the reserve senior heifer honours with Gortin Nepeta P, another by Curaheen Gunshot, this time out of the Curaheen Dickens dam, Gortin Jennie. Conor McGovern, Kells Co Meath secured this similarly aged entry at €5100.
Moyle Patsy, a 22-month-old, was a reserve junior heifer for Bertie Houston, Newtowncunninghan, Co Donegal, and sold for export at €5100. Her pedigree features Curaheen Dickens and the Shanehill Brandy dam Moyle Hazel.
Weaned heifers peaked at €5600 paid for by the section champion, Rathnashan Pippa Empress, which sold to the judge, Reece Simmers, Keith. The yearling from Nigel Hogan, Bennekerry, Co Carlow, is a daughter of Saltire Impressive and out of the Auroch Bullet dam, Seafort Empress.
Hitting €7200 was Paul McArdle’s Bloomfield Pretty Lady ET, another similarly aged entry by Impressive but out of the Dermody Butcher dam, Brookwood Fancy Lady ET. She headed home with Wesley Abraham, Co Fermanagh.
Draft heifers from Peter and Marion O’Connell’s Raceview herd from Mallow, Co Cork sold particularly well and to €9000, €8500, €7600, €6200, and €6100.
Dearest was Raceview Pretty Lady Gretta, a 14-month-old by the herd-sired Raceview Mattie J Beauty, out of Raceview Lady Gretta by Raceview His Royal Di ET. She joins the Mullyknock herd of Robert Forde, Tempo, Co Fermanagh.
Raceview PCH Vivkim ET sold for €8500 to Nigel Glasgow, Cookstown. Similarly aged, this Coose Jericho P-sired heifer is out of Raceview Chantelle Vivian which in turn is sired by Raceview Vince Rayanne.
Next at €7600 was Raceview Primrose Lucky, a 15-month-old heifer by Raceview Mattie J Beauty purchased by Martin McElmeel, Co Armagh.
Selling at €6200 was Raceview Princess Lucky, a twin to the previous lot which headed home with Willie and Jennie Cotter of the Dripsey herd, Co Cork.
New breeder Gearoid Kennedy from Portlaoise secured the last heifer of
the day Raceview Picole JD Kim for €6100. This 10-month-old heifer is another by Raceview Mattie J Beauty.
Heifers averaged €4043 with a clearance rate of 82%, up from the 2022 sale which levelled at €3560 with 76% of the numbers forward finding new home.
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