The demand for Limousin genetics remains strong with prices for bulls soaring to a top of 14,000gns at the Society’s regional show and sale, held at Ballymena Livestock Mart.
Trade was underpinned by commercial bidders keen to invest in bulls to enhance the profitability of their suckler enterprises. Auctioneer Graham Loughrey said: “There is confidence in the breed and this is evident at the weekly weanling sales. There was a good crowd around the salering, resulting in a steady trade for the better bulls.”
JA McClelland and Sons confirmed a 93% clearance rate, resulting in 41 bulls changing hands to level at £5,962 – representing an increase of £737 on last year’s sale and with eleven more bulls sold.
Leading trade at 14,000gns was the day’s reserve intermediate and reserve supreme champion Eniver VIP, bred by Michael McKeefry from Garvagh. Mr McKeefry had a successful bank holiday weekend, also clinching the Carlisle junior championship, and setting a new herd record of 18,000gns for Eniver Volvo, just a couple of days earlier.
The seventeen-month-old Eniver VIP has two copies of the F94L gene and was sold to John Gallagher for his Mulnafye Herd at Mountfield, Omagh. Sired by the 2018 Carlisle supreme champion Ampertaine Majestic, this bull was bred from the Ampertaine Elgin daughter, Eniver Olay – one of 16 cows in the herd.
Judge Philip Crowe from the 20-cow Powerful prefix in County Cavan, praised the quality line-up at the May Day event. “There was a strong show of good carcase-type bulls. The reserve champion is a big powerful and very correct bull.”
Securing the second highest bid of the day was the reserve female champion, Rathkeeland Veronica from Herbie Crawford, and son Stephen, Maguiresbridge. This two-year-old heifer sold for 11,000gns to Caitlin Kernan for her Kernan Herd based at Armagh.
Sired by the 22,000gns Gunnerfleet Lion, her dam is the Haltcliffe Nijinsky daughter, Rathkeeland Premier – interbreed beef cow champion at Antrim Show in 2024. This heifer has F94L and Q204X myostatin genes, and is in-calf to the 25,000gns Glenrock Redemption.
Next best at 9,000gns was the third prize winner, Ballyrobin Verstappen bred by Joan Gilliland, and niece Kim Montgomery from Antrim. Sired by Glenrock Redemption, and carrying double F94L genes, this twenty-month-old bull was bred from the Wilodge Vantastic daughter, Ballyrobin Felicity. Buyer was Mr A Dobbs from Carrickfergus.
The Gilliland and Montgomery partnership secured the reserve senior championship with the thirteen-month-old Ballyrobin Vance. Boasting double copies of the F94L gene, this bull was sired by Ampertaine Jackpot, and is out of the home-bred Ballyrobin Havannah, who hails from a strong maternal dam line. He was purchased by TG Stevenson from Lurgan for 8,000gns.
Raymond Savage, Drumahoe, realised 7,000gns for the sixteen-month-old Aghadolgan Ace. Sired by Glenrock Redemption, he is the first calf bred from the Aughalion Prince daughter, Haltcliffe Truffle. This bull has double F94L genes and sold to Andrew McKnight from Antrim.
Following close behind at 6,800gns was the seventeen-month-old Rahoney Vectra from Howard McFarland’s herd at Trillick. A second prize winner by the 35,000gns Ampertaine Majestic, he is out of the home-bred Rahoney Noelle and was snapped up by Neill Cole from Killyleagh. This one has F94L and Q204X genes.
Also selling for 6,800gns was the third prize Aghadolgan Awesome bred by Raymond Savage. Sired by the Goldies Goldfinger son, Knock Msport, this sixteen-month-old entry is out of the Goldies Jackpot daughter, Aghadolgan Renee. He has an F94L and Q204X pairing, and sold to Wilson Murphy from Waringstown.
Three lots came under the hammer of auctioneer Graham Loughrey at 6,500gns. They included the June 2024 born senior male champion, Ballynagerragh Vantastic from N Megarry, Crumlin; the August 2024 born Bernish Virgo exhibited by NI Limousin Club chairman Kieran McCrory, Sixmilecross; and the third placed December 2024 entry, Pointhouse Vic bred by Michael Diamond, and son Kile, from Garvagh.
Three senior bulls sold for 6,200gns each, including Kieran McCrory’s Bernish Vulcan; the third placed Fortfield Vinny from C O’Hare, Mayobridge; and Derek and David Campbell’s first prize Mossbrook Vavavoom. Mark McCartan’s first prize intermediate bull, Cranmoney Valiente, also sold for 6,200gns.
Club chairman Kieran McCrory claimed the intermediate, male and supreme overall championships with November 2024 born Bernish VIP. Sired by the 52,000gns Carlisle champion Craigatoke Seanog (May 2023), his dam is the Westpit Omaha daughter, Bernish Tequilajuli. The champion failed to meet his reserve and returned home unsold.
The female champion, Pointhouse Aggie, sold at 3,800gns for Michael and Kile Diamond. Sired by the home-bred 42,000gns Pointhouse Paul, she is out of the Guards Boomer daughter, Pointhouse Thedream. With a F94L myostatin pairing, this fifteen-month-old heifer joins F Breen’s herd at Kircubbin.
Six heifers sold to average £4,742 per head.
Results from the showring…
Specials
Male and Supreme Overall Champion: Kieran McCrory, Bernish VIP. Reserve: Michael McKeefry, Eniver VIP.
Senior Male Champion: N Megarry, Ballynagerragh Vantastic. Reserve: Joan Gilliland and Kim Montgomery, Ballyrobin Vance.
Intermediate Champion: Kieran McCrory, Bernish VIP. Reserve: Michael McKeefry, Eniver VIP.
Junior Champion: Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Alastair. Reserve: Dermot McCusker, Kilclass Alpha.
Female Champion: Michael and Kile Diamond, Pointhouse Aggie. Reserve: Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Veronica.
Classes
Class 1, Female – 1, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Veronica by Gunnerfleet Lion; 2, Howard McFarland, Rahoney Victoria by Lowerffydd Empire; 3, Jim Quail, Lynderg Valencia by Lynderg Dimitri.
Class 2, Female – 1, Michael and Kile Diamond, Pointhouse Aggie by Pointhouse Paul; 2, Jim Quail, Lynderg Annabelle by Gleneagle Pascal; 3, Jim Quail, Lynderg Apricot by Telfers Munster.
Class 3, Senior Bull – 1, N Megarry, Ballynagerragh Vantastic by Ampertaine Sokrates; 2, Joan Gilliland and Kim Montgomery, Ballyrobin Vance by Ampertaine Jackpot; 3, Joan Gilliland and Kim Montgomery, Ballyrobin Verstappen by Glenrock Redemption; 4, Michael and Kile Diamond, Pointhouse Viking by Plumtree Fantastic.
Class 4, Senior Bull – 1, Derek and David Campbell, Mossbrook Vavavoom by Carmorn Cantona; 2, Peter and Serena Murphy, Carrickaldreen Vivaldi by Claddagh McCabe; 3, C O’Hare, Fortfield Vinny by Millgate Rob; 4, Ruairi McCloskey, Owenbeg Valentino by Clarragh Neymar.
Class 5, Intermediate Bull – 1, Kieran McCrory, Bernish Viper by Craigatoke Seanog; 2, Mel and Diane Lucas, Lukeroyal Viva by Maraiscote Regie; 3, Jim Quail, Lynderg Valide by Lynderg Hero; 4, Ian Davidson, Ballyrickard Vince by Gleneagle Icon.
Class 6, Intermediate Bull – 1, Kieran McCrory, Bernish VIP by Craigatoke Seanog; 2, Michael McKeefry, Eniver VIP by Ampertaine Majestic; 3, Howard McFarland, Rahoney Vaughan by Whinfellpark Lomu; 4, S McGookin, Ballycairn Vegas by Knock Msport.
Class 7 – Intermediate Bull – 1, Mark McCartan, Cranmoney Valiente by Ampertaine Elgin; 2, Howard McFarland, Rahoney Vectra by Ampertaine Majestic; 3, Michael and Kile Diamond, Pointhouse Vic by Knock Msport; 4, MJ Conway, Craigatoke Vantastic by Graiggoch Rambo.
Class 8 – 1, Junior Bull – 1, C and F McAuley, Carmorn Apollo by Seanita Superhero; 2, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Aftermidnight by Lowerffydd Empire; 3, Raymond Savage, Aghadolgan Awesome by Knock Msport; 4, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Alto by Rathkeeland Toplimmymaverick.
Class 9 – Junior Bull – 1, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Alastair by Rathkeeland Toplimmymaverick; 2, Dermot McCusker, Kilclass Alpha by Huntershall Rosco; 3, MJ Conway, Craigatoke Anthony by Craigatoke Seanog; 4, Howard McFarland, Rahoney Azariah by Ampertaine Topper.
ENDS
Report written by Julie Hazelton on behalf of the N.I. Limousin Cattle Club
Photography – Alfie Shaw Agri Images
