Champion Angus to 4,800gns at Dungannon

Aberdeen Angus bulls reached a top price of 4,800gns at yesterday’s native breeds show and sale, held at Dungannon Farmers’ Mart.

Bidding was selective from start to finish, with auctioneer Trevor Wylie reporting that eight bulls changed hands to level at £2,618 a head.

Ron McHattie, chief executive of the Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society said:”Good bulls attracted a ready market, but the quality was variable throughout the classes and the plainer lots proved harder to sell.”

Securing the male championship award and the day’s top bid of 4,800gns was the 19 month-old Drumhill Quinlan K316 ET, brought out by the husband and wife team of Jonathan and Lisa Doyle from Cookstown, County Tyrone.

This much-admired entry is the result of an embryo imported from Canada. His dam is the Cudlobe Lancer daughter, Argwen Queen 28G ET, while his sire is the North American-bred Southland Full Throttle 15R. Backed by a Breedplan milk value of +14, placing him in the top 10% of the breed, this bull has a Terminal Sire Index (TSI) of +26 and a Self Replacing Index (SRI) of +35. Buyer was suckler herd owner John Hatrick from Londonderry.

Judge for the event was pedigree Hereford breeder Des Kelly, Ballygawley, County Tyrone. He described the male champion as a good beast with scale, a level topline and excellent conformation.

The first bull into the sale ring, Glenhoy Top Tiger K285 ET, realised the second highest price of the day of 4,000gns, for Avril Robson and husband John, Augher, County Tyrone. This May 2010-born entry stood third in his class and is the result of an embryo from a mating between the Canadian-imported DMM Top Lass 18P, and the HF Kodak 5R son, HF Tiger 5T – sire of HF Rebel 53Y which sold recently in Canada for $95,000.

The Robson’s founded their 10-cow herd in 1996 and were delighted to achieve a new herd record at the Dungannon venue. This bull is +13 for milk, has a TSI+31 and an SRI+43. He sold to Ernie Cahoon, Strabane, County Tyrone.

Fordel Eisenhower Y423 was behind the breeding of Camus Ensign L851 which came under the hammer at 2,000gns for Joe Campbell, Strabane, County Tyrone. This 13 month-old entry was bred from the Galcantray Preditor daughter, Camus Evita C941 and sold to Robert Darragh, Castlederg, County Tyrone.

Also selling at 2,000gns was the youngest bull in the catalogue, Coltrim Lord Jupiter L762, brought out by Neville and Ivan Forsythe, Moneymore, County Londonderry. This third prize bull is sired by the herd’s jointly owned stock bull Wedderlie Net Profit E916 and is out of the Kiltariff Dynamic daughter Coltrim Lady Jane G573. He is in the breed’s top 10% for milk and in the top 20% with a daughter calving ease score of +2.1. Buyer was Derek McClements, Aughnacloy, County Tyrone.

The reserve male championship ribbons went to the yearling bull Woodvale Elixer L294 exhibited by Alwyn Armour, Dromara, County Down. Sired by the noted Ankonian Elixir 100, he is out of Woodvale Eyrie – one of 18 females in the herd which was established in 1995.

A small entry of pedigree heifers topped at 2,200gns, paid to Marcus and Norman Rutledge, Omagh, County Tyrone, for their female champion Railview Parisa K254. Born in May 2010, she is by the Sunset Acres Bang son Priestown Jupiter and is out of a home-bred dam by Maine Dragon. This one joins the Loughans pedigree herd owned by Ulster and Ireland rugby hooker Rory Best.

Claiming the reserve female championship award was the May 2010-born Carmean Erica K277, bred by John Lawrence, Magherafelt, County Londonderry. Sired by Woodvale Total G616, she is out of the Cheeklaw Eirwyn daughter Carmean Emma. She caught the eye of Philip Burns, Ballinamallard, County Fermanagh at 1300gns.

Results from the judging ring:

Class 1 – bull born between 02/05/10 and 13/11/10 – 1, and male champion, Jonathan Doyle, Cookstown, Drumhill Quinlan K316 ET by Southland Full Throttle 15R; 2, Avril Robson, Glenhoy Mightyben K311 by Bunlahy Big Ben G217; 3, Avril Robson, Glenhoy Top Tiger K285 ET by HF Tiger 5T.

Class 2 – bull born between 01/01/11 and 29/04/11 – 1, and reserve male champion, Alwyn Armour, Dromara, Woodvale Elixer L294 by Ankonian Elixir 100; 2, Neville and Ivan Forsythe, Moneymore, Coltrim Emporer L752 by Wedderlie Net Profit E916; 3, Neville and Ivan Forsythe, Coltrim Lord Jupiter L763 by Wedderlie Net Profit E916.

Heifer, born between 02/01/10 and 14/01/10 – 1, and female champion, Marcus and Norman Rutledge, Omagh, Railview Parisa K254 by Priestown Jupiter; 2, and reserve female champion, John Lawrence, Magherafelt, Carmean Erica K277 by Woodvale Total G616.