CORRICK MAJOR MARCHES TO 4800GNS TOP PRICE AT THE AUTUMN NORTHERN IRELAND SIMMENTAL CLUB SALE

Solid trade driven by commercial demand.

The Autumn Northern Ireland Simmental Club sale took place on Friday 21 October at Dungannon Mart, where five bulls sold, all going to commercial homes, to a top price of 4,800gns and an average of £3,003.

Top of the lots at 4,800gns was the Reserve Male Champion Corrick Major from Cecil and Scott Mcilwaine, Newtonstewart, Co Tyrone, whose 20-cow pedigree herd was established in 1979. Corrick Major, is a June 2021 born lad sired by Seafort Gill, who also sired the herds March Dungannon Male Champion Corrick Laird, and the 8,000gns Corrick Logic, sold at Stirling in February this year. In total, Seafort Gill’s five Corrick sons sold to date have averaged £4851.20 apiece. Bred out of Corrick Heidi, who goes back to the 12,000gns Kilbride Farm Bantry, Major was purchased by F Watson, who runs a 150 strong suckler operation in Kircubbin, Co Down. Commenting on his purchase Mr Watson said “I was delighted to secure Major, for me he ticked all of the boxes. A good balanced bull from front to back, he carried himself very well. We breed all our own replacements and finish all our other calves for beef and the Simmental is the perfect breed to produce good mothers and as a terminal sire”.

The pre-sale show judge Paul McArdle travelled from Co Monaghan, Eire, where his Broomfield Simmental herd is based. His pick for the Supreme and Male Champion, Dressogue Mario, was next in the trade stakes, and the first of a trio of bulls to be knocked down for 2,500gns. The May 2021 born Mario, is out of the 8,000gns Delfur Decider-sired Dressogue Gloria and by the herd sire Clonagh Fifty Shades who has bred over 70 sons and daughters into the Dressogue herd since his purchase in 2015. Bred and exhibited by Seamus O’Kane, Mario is the first Dungannon champion for the 35 cow Dressogue herd based in Omagh, Co Tyrone, and on only his third visit to the sale. Most of the family’s sales from their closed herd are made from the farm gate to repeat customers. E McMenamin, Kesh, Co Fermanagh, was the man with his hand in the air as the hammer went down.

Matching the 2,500gns price tag was Phillip Robb’s 19-month-old bull Slieve Croob Magnificent, from Ballynahinch, Co Down. Sired by the homebred Slieve Croob Juggernaut, his dam is Kilbride Farm Fanni 54h, a third time calving daughter of the 7,000gns Stirling Reserve Senior Champion Corskie Damario. Mark Fawcett, of the Rushlin Simmental herd, Gortadrehid, Co Fermanagh was the lucky purchaser and commenting on his purchase Mr Fawcett said, “I was really pleased to secure Magnificent, as I need a durable bull to work on my hill farm. We have a 20 head Simmental cross suckler herd which we run alongside our Marina and Caravan park and I was looking for a bull which is going to get the job done without me having to watch over him”.

The other bull to secure 2,500gns, was Cladymore Mr Muscle, who had been tapped out as the Junior Champion and first in his class in the presale show. Offered for sale by AW Reaney and Sons, Mowhan, Co Armagh, and purchased by Thomas Hall, Dungannon, Co Tyrone, he is the eighth calf to be bred out of the Ashland Brandy daughter Cladymore Edel, and with the popular AI bull Auchorachan Hercules being the sire of this August 2021 born bull.

The final bull sold was the blue ticket winner Camus Macduff, who was purchased by Edgar Cumins, Lisburn, Co Antrim, for 2,000gns. A 17-month-old, who was offered for sale by Mr J Campbell, Strabane, Co Tyrone, Macduff is by the 8,500gns Islavale Cracker, and is out of Camus Imprint, who goes back to the Eire bred Ex92-rated Dermotstown Delboy, the Balmoral Champion in 2014 and 2015.

There were seven quality Simmental females on offer and with five sold to average £2,772. The top priced at 3,700gns was Corrick Luma, the Reserve Female Champion from Cecil and Scott Mcilwaine, who had also secured the top price in the bull section. Luma is a September 2020 born daughter of the 2013 Ploughing bull champion Curaheen Dickens and Corrick Francis 14, who goes back to the Roscommon Premier Show junior bull champion Carbery Carribbean. She was purchased by Ian MaGill, who takes her back to join his Ballyrolly Simmental herd in Newtownards, Co Down.

Just behind at 3,600gns was D McElmurry’s 23-month-old heifer Wellbray Diana Kim, from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, who caught the eye of Chris Traynor of the Kilmore Simmental herd, Armagh, Co Armagh, when she placed second in her class earlier in the day. The popular AI bull Samark Superman is the sire here, and Kim is bred out of the first calving Raceview K Diana Kim, who is a daughter of the prolific AI bull Kilbride Farm Newry, who has bred over 1200 progeny into the national herd.

Two lots then went on to sell for 2,000gns a piece. The first being the Dressogue Maisie, a blue ticket winner bought forward for sale by Seamus O’Kane, Omagh, Co Tyrone. Sired by the 11,000gns Islavale Invincible, her Dam is Dressogue Irish Lady, who goes back to the Eire bred Clonagh Fifty Shades. Edward Henry, Newtownards, Co Down, was the purchaser of this March 2021 born heifer.

The Reserve Supreme and Female champion and 19-month-old Breaghey Vida-M420, was the other heifer to be knocked down at 2,000gns. Bred and exhibited by Andrew Clarke, Tynan, Co Armagh, she was snapped up by Connor Wilkinson, Lisburn, Co Antrim, to join his Killultagh Simmental herd. She is out of the Breaghey Vida 1, who goes back to the aforementioned Dermotstown Delboy, and  sired by Omorga Regan.

Selling for 1,900gns and completing the Simmental lots was Rehall Majesty, a heifers calf bred out of the 8,000gns Delfur Decider-sired Rehall Kerry. Sired by Rehall Karl, the July 2021 born Majesty, who stood third in her class, was presented by W and K Stubbs, Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh and purchased by P Woods, Collone, Co Armagh.