Aberdeen Angus bulls sell to 3,100gns

Topping the day’s trade was the first prize winning Lurgaboy Arnie P462 ET brought out by first-time exhibitors John Conlon, and four-year-old son Joe, from Markethill, County Armagh.

Sired by Penguin Jock G296, he was bred from the Haymount Wurz F676 daughter Penguin Annie K427 – bought privately to establish the herd in 2013. John and Joe Conlon own three pedigree Aberdeen Angus females which are managed alongside a herd of 35 Hereford cows.

This seventeen-month-old bull came under the hammer of auctioneer Trevor Wylie, selling to ABCD Farms Ltd based at Beragh, County Tyrone.

The husband and wife team of Alan and Lana Cheney, Trillick, County Tyrone, scooped the male and supreme overall championship ribbons with the twenty-three-month-old Lana Mizzle P911 TSI+29 SRI+44. He was sired by stock bull Blackhaugh Easy Papa G728, and is out of a home-bred dam by the noted Rawburn Transformer ET. In the breed’s top 1% for daughter calving ease +6.7, he sold for 2,800gns to W Brownlee, Loughgall, County Armagh.

Judge Alwyn Armour from the noted Woodvale Herd based at Dromara, described the supreme champion as a long bull, with great width and excellent muscle.

Next best at 2,300gns was the second placed Coolermoney Ricardo P423 TSI+19 SRI+26 bred by Adrian Parke, and son Graeme, from Strabane, County Tyrone. This twenty-three-month-old bull was sired by the three times All-Ireland Aberdeen Angus Champion Rosemead Karona J957, and is bred from the Coneyisland Legend daughter Coolermoney Rosita J003. Buyer was A McMaster from Kircubbin, County Down.

The Matchett family – Nigel, Gail, Sarah and Sam from Portadown, County Armagh, claimed the reserve male championship award with the fourteen-month-old Birches PridenJoy R656 TSI+20 SRI+37. Sired by Aynho Rossiter Eric B125, he was bred from the Cashelane Bowie daughter Carrigroe D Patsy – one of 18 cows in the herd. This bull was reserve junior champion at the inaugural Pedigree Calf Fair at Balmoral.

“The reserve champion is a young bull with great breed character, a good carcase, and sound legs and feet,” added the judge.

Aberdeen Angus females peaked at 2,400gns, paid to Adrian Richardson, Maguiresbridge, County Fermanagh, for the six-year-old cow Hillview Pretty Kelso K057. Sired by Coneyisland Legend E112, she was bred from the Castle of Mey Elscot daughter Idvies Proud Irene A060. Included in the deal was her two-month-old Dalrene Cruz 11F bull calf. Buyer was M McKenna from Maghera, County Londonderry.

The Cheney duo also scooped the female and reserve supreme championship awards with the thirteen-month-old heifer Lana Peneloplay R121. She was sired by Nightingale Playfair K527, and is out of a home-bred dam by Blackhaugh Easy Papa G728. This one failed to meet her reserve and was withdrawn unsold.

Results from the showring include:

Bull, born between 18/05/14 and 15/06/14: 1, male champion, Alan and Lana Cheney’s Lana Mizzle P911; 2, Adrian and Graeme Parke’s Coolermoney Richardo P423; 3, Freddie Davidson’s Drumcrow Proms P578.

Bull, Born between 09/08/14 and 31/12/14: 1, John and Joe Conlon’s Lurgaboy Arnie P462 ET; 2, John and Joe Conlon’s Lurgaboy Builder P425 ET; 3, Mr and Mrs R Strain’s Creevy Earl Mattias P492.

Bull, born between 01/01/15 and 03/04/15: 1, reserve male champion, Matchett Family’s Birches Pridenjoy; 2, CJ Strain’s Ballyvaston Lord Ted R974; 3, Rev Sean Moore’s Millbrae Eric R655.

Female, born between 08/01/15 and 16/05/15: 1, female champion, Alan and Lana Cheney’s Lana Peneloplay R121; 2, Adrian Richardson’s Hillview Pretty Ruby R332.

Averages: 7 bulls £2,295.