The Athenry Mart in Co. Galway recently hosted the second Irish Limousin Cattle Society spring show and sale of the year. The event showcased a total of 40 bulls, with the show of bulls commencing at 9:30 a.m. and the sale starting at 12:30 p.m. The auctioneer for the day was George Candler, while the judge was Elanor Reilly from Co. Cavan. The sale witnessed a powerful trade, leading to an 88% clearance rate – an increase from last year’s 62% at the equivalent sale.
The average price for the sale amounted to just under €4,000, which was an increase of €700 from last year’s average. The top price of the day was secured by the champion bull, Drumline S 1185, bred by James Hannon from Co. Clare. His dam is Wood Road Jasmine ET, and he is sired by Tomschoice Lexicon. The bull has five-stars on both the replacement and terminal indexes, five-stars for carcass weight and carcass conformation, and five-stars for docility. Drumline S 1185 was purchased by artificial insemination (AI) company, Dovea Genetics, for an impressive €9,100.
The Reserve Champion Carrickmore Scoobydoo ET, bred by Connell Brothers from Co. Meath, was the first bull to enter the ring and sold for €5,200. His sire is Ampertaine Foreman, and his dam was Baileys Iceprincess. He has a replacement index value of €105 (four-stars) and a terminal index value of €155 (five-stars). Additionally, he has five-stars for carcass weight and conformation.
Meath breeder Teleri Thomas had another great day in the sale ring, selling Keltic Sam Tan for €5,400. Sired by Tomschoice Lexicon and out of the dam Keltic Nest, he carries five-stars on the replacement index and terminal index. Teleri also secured €5,100 for her bull, Keltic Septembergold. Another Tomschoice Lexicon son, he has five-stars on both the replacement and terminal index, five-stars for carcass weight, carcass conformation, and four-stars for daughter milk.
Lot number 11, Ruan Sudo, was awarded first in his class and sold for €5,000. This bull was bred by Sean Lyons from Co. Clare and has five-stars on the terminal index and for carcass weight and conformation. Sired by Milan Marciano, he has a calving difficulty figure of 5.3% on beef cows. Lot number 42, Ballykinncurra Showman, went under the hammer for €4,600. Presented by John Moroney from Corofin, Co. Clare, Showman is sired by Fest Noz and has five-stars for replacement and terminal indexes, carcass weight, and carcass conformation.
Mayo breeder Frank Philbin also secured €4,600 for his Limousin bull Clydagh Soney, an October 2022-born son of Lodge Hamlet. Shannon Silver, a Gamin son, went under the hammer for €4,500. Bred by Sarah McElligott from Co. Kerry, Silver boasts five-stars on both indexes and is 4.2% calving difficulty on beef cows. Martin Hansberry’s bull, Skehana S Max, a November 2021-born Mereside Godolphin son, went under the hammer for €4,000. He carries five-stars on both the replacement and terminal indexes.
Selling for €3,800 was John and Stephen Lynch’s Limousin bull, Ballinascraw Sheldon. Born in August 2021, he is sired by Aughakilmore John out of Ballinascraw New Years’ Baby. The next Limousin society show and sale will take place in Roscrea on Monday, May 1, and the final show and sale of the season will take place in Roscommon on Saturday, May 20.