Mercury Red Unbeatable Kim ET lived up to her name when she hit the sales ring at the Irish Angus Cattle Society’s show and sale at Carrick-on-Shannon last weekend.
The third youngest heifer in the catalogue, born in January-2020, changed hands for €13,200 on Saturday, December 11th, 2021.
The five-figure sum is understood to be a new sale price and could be the highest price for a Red Angus animal in Europe.
By Luddenmore Fionn and out of Friarstown Empire dam Gigginstown House Kestral N14, she was presented for sale by Shane & John Murphy from Banteer, Co. Cork.
There was brisk activity from an opening bid of €2,000, with the Haugh family from Lisseycasey, Co. Clare securing the lot.
Angus prices
Hot on her heels at €9,300 was the senior champion heifer, Millbawn Twinkle, exhibited by Amanda Bogan & Conor Craig, Edgeworthstown, Co. Longford.
This April-2020-born heifer is by Rawburn Jagger Eric and is out of a Cudlobe Millennium homebred dam Millbawn Nancy. Securing this maiden heifer was TJ Duffy from Westport, Co. Mayo.
Exhibiting the junior heifer champion was Keith & Caroline Vickery from Roscarbery, Co. Cork with Carbery Taelynn.
Liam Maher, Co. Tipperary forked out €6400 for this HF Rebel daughter and out of a Hallington Endeavor dam, Carbery Lady.
Also securing the reserve senior champion, Loughglass Thumbelina, was Liam Maher at €5,600. Exhibiting this February-2020 Keirsbeath Karma daughter was Noel & Lisa Dowd from Creggs, Co. Roscommon.
The reserve junior heifer champion, Mount Tabitha Et, was exhibited by Joe Kelly, Ballynacally, Co. Clare.
Again, sired by Keirsbeath Karma and out of a Young Dale Touch Down dam, Luddenmore Flora, this September-2020-born heifer was purchased by Sean & Paul Morton, Co. Leitrim for €3,700.
Another highlight of the day was the purchase of Lot 106 Carrigroe the Angie by French customer Emmanuel Spinnewga for €5,000.
By Carrigroe Real Mccoy and out of a Rathosheen Hugo dam, Carrigroe Patsy, this July-2020 born heifer was exhibited by J & F Appelbe, Clonakilty, Co. Cork and is in-calf to Kealkil Prime Lad.
Other Angus heifer prices:
- €5000 for Carbery T Ideal exhibited by Keith & Caroline Vickery and sired by Roscarbery Lord Henry;
- €4300 for Carrigroe Show Girl sired by Rathosheen Hugo and exhibited by J & F Appelbe;
- €4200 for Steil S Gearldine exhibited by Cathal & JJ McCormack and sired by Early Sunset High Time;
- €4100 for Steil T Helene sired by Knockarlow P0665 and exhibited by Cathal & JJ McCormack;
- €4100 for Currycramp Tenerife sired by Knockmontagh Robert and exhibited by Thomas Mulligan;
- €4000 for Coolrain Tessa exhibited by Nigel Peavoy and sired by Friarstown Ideal Pete;
- €3700 for Portanes T Junction exhibited by John & Michael Lynch and sired by Portanes Nigel;
- €3600 for Rathosheen Tess sired by Keirsbeath Karma and exhibited by Liam McEvoy
- €3200 for Luddenmore T467 Frances sired by Young Dale Touch Down and exhibited by Michael Sheahan;
- €3000 to Anthony Dockery for Rockville S Hazel sired by Borrow Tiger;
- Also, €3000 for Clooncolligan Toyah sired by Drumsna Pat and exhibited by Kevin Diffley;
- €3000 to Brenda & Niall Faughnan for Callowhill Tabby sired by Liss Brendan;
- €3000 for Newbridge Thunder sired by Ardnaree Notoriously and exhibited by Brendan & Edel McCawley.
A spokesperson for the society said:
“To summarise the heifer section, there was an 86% clearance resulting in a very steady trade throughout the sale with an average price of €3,567.”
“With 19 heifers exchanging hand at €3000 or over, this sale clearly reflected the confidence presently experienced in Angus cattle both within pedigree and commercial herds.”
Angus bull prices
The bull section recorded a top price of €7,100 for Laheens Triumph, a September-2020 born bull sired by Stouphill Bomber and out of a homebred Bohey Jasper dam, Laheens Daisy N365.
Exhibited by Cormac Duignan from Eslin Bridge, Co. Leitrim Robert Robinson, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone snapped us this bull.
Joe Moran from the Powerstown Herd in Goresbridge, Co. Kilkenny purchased both male champions. First up at €4,000 was the senior bull champion, Liscolvin T, Son of Cathy, exhibited by Martin Garvey, Kilmore, Co. Roscommon.
Born in May-2020, this HW Farghal sired bull is out of a Lawsons Ford Bagatelle-bred cow, Logboy Cathy.
€6,000 was the finishing price for the junior bull champion, Clooncarne Thunder, sired by HF Rebel. Thomas Mulligan from Dromod, Co. Leitrim exhibited this December-20200born bull out of the dam, Currycramp Polly, by Clooncarne Frank.
Furthermore, the Duignan family continued on a winning streak, this time when exhibiting the reserve junior bull champion, Laheens Tasty ET.
Sire by the renowned Bohey Jasper and out of a Luddenmore Fionn dam Laheens Daisy, this September-2020-born joins the Coolcran Pedigree Herd of Michael & Grainne Horan from Knockmore, Co. Mayo selling for €6,700.
Hitting the €6,300 mark was Corry Thunder, exhibited by Hugh Joseph McCawley, Drumkeerin, Co. Leitrim.
This September-2020-born bull is by Newbridge Pluto and out of a homebred dam, Corry Peggie by Corry Gerry. Alex Fleming Kingscourt, Co. Cavan was the purchaser here.
More Angus bull prices
- €4150 for Steil Topgun sired by Fordel Lockdown and exhibited by Cathal & JJ McCormack;
- €3350 for Tubridmore T-Off exhibited by Denis Twomey and sired by Rawburn Boss Hogg;
- €3300 for Garryedmond Trevor sired by HF Rebel and exhibited by Patrick Noonan;
- €3300 for Carrigroe The Game Changer sired by Coonamble Elevator and exhibited by J & F Appelbe;
- €3100 for Ernehill Thor sired by Drumcrow Lord Jim and exhibited by Francis & Noel Fitzpatrick;
- €3000 for Corlismore Tomohawk exhibited by Sean & Garry McKiernan and sired by HW Farghal;
- At €3000: Corlismore Trademark exhibited by Sean & Garry McKiernan and sired by Rawburn Boss Hog;
- €3000 for Drumcarbin Touch of Class exhibited by Shane McKiernan and sired by Drumcarbin Rito Fromsallowglen;
- Also, €3000 for Dungimmon Terence exhibited by Adam Woods and sired by Carrigroe Kian;
- €3000 for Mercury Touchy King ET exhibited by Shane & John Murphy and sired by Mercury Royal Tinge.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the society said:
“Overall, in the bull section, there was a 62% clearance with the older bulls proving harder to sell.”
“The 42 bulls sold averaged €3,192. On another positive note, 16 bulls sold for €3,000 or more with the same number of bulls selling as 2020.”
Frank McKiernan’s death
Furthermore, breeders will remember the date itself will as the day of the untimely passing of the renowned Angus breeder, Frank McKiernan from Lacken Lower, Ballinagh, Co. Cavan.
The spokesperson said news broke shortly after the completion of the judging and silence descended on the cattle lines.
Many people have described him as “one of the best breeders of Angus cattle in Ireland”, with his herd leaving its mark across all corners of Ireland and Scotland alike.
“Fittingly, Franks last achievement was receiving the reserve senior champion at this sale when Drumcrow Twenty Twenty was tapped forward as reserve senior champion by judge on the day John Farrell.”
“When this stylish May-2020-born bull entered the sales ring, silence greeted a lovely tribute by the auctioneer, Francis McGowan.
Following a minute’s silence and subsequent round of applause, this Fordel Lockdown bull, out of a Drumcrow Dora, sold for €6100 to the Gigginstown Angus Herd in Co. Westmeath.
Frank’s other two animals catalogued on the day also sold well. Drumcrow Tribesman, a September-2020-born bull made €6,400. He was acquired by Certified Angus Beef Group, where he will enter Dovea for semen collection.
This bull is by Fordel Lockdown and out of another homebred dam, Drumcrow Naomi by Drumcrow Joker.
Drumcrow Tara, a September-2020-born heifer again by Fordel Lockdown, went under the hammer at €3,200.
Padraig O’Reilly, Killeshandra, Co. Cavan acquired this heifer, out of another homebred dam, Drumcrow Lotti by Drumcrow Partner Perfect.
 from the Irish Angus Cattle Society's show and sale of heifers and bulls held in Carrick-on-Shannon on December 11th, 2021.){kind=link}