Hollylodge tops Dungannon Export Charollais Sale at 7,500gns

McConell Brothers from Parkgate, Con Antrim had a highly successful Charollais Premier Sale in Dungannon market on Monday (29th July). First off they were victorious in the pre-sale show classes under the critical eye of Southern Ireland breeder, Sarah O’Neil with their December born ram lamb.

The judge went on to back her judgement with a bid of 7,500 gns to secure this son of Erenagh Brave Inca out of a home-bred Voldermort daughter. The lamb was born a triplet and its dam had previously bred the top priced ram lamb at Ballymena sale in 2023. The Hollylodge flock went on to sell three further lambs all over 1,000 gns to average £2,900 for their pen.

Next best in the prices was a ram lamb from the Drew and Stephen Cowan’s Tullyear flock in Banbridge, Co Down. Going to 4,800 gns was Welsh breeders Gareth Jones from Pembrokeshire and Arwyn Thomas from Whitland.

This was a son of Duiske V Man out of a Logie Durno Van the Man ewe. Another son of this sire went for 1,750 gns to Frank Jordan from Co Kilkenny.

Ian Craig’s Ballynoe House flock had excellent trade for his pen of 5 ram lambs, with a top of 3,200 gns for a December twin by Artnagullion Bandit out of a Rockdale Vespasian ewe. This one caught the eye of Southern breeder, Edward Buckley from Co Cork.

Also going south was the first in the run, also by Bandit and selling for 2,200 gns to Michael Power, Co Limerick. The 5 finished the day on an average of £1,816.

Graham Foster from Newtownstewart offered five January born ram lambs sired by his top stock sire, the 24,000 gns Boyo Bravemansgame. Jim Devenney, Co Donegal, put in the final bid of 2,000 gns for one out of Boyo Whitney purchased for £4,000 as a lamb.

Ram lambs from William McAllister’s Artnagullion flock are heading over to the mainland; the first of which sired by the homebred sire, Artnagullion Bandit was the choice of Helen Sloan, Dumfries for the Rigghead Flock, jointly owned with her daughter, Hannah Jackson. Cumbrian breeder, Messrs Graham & Son were purchasers of a very similarly bred lamb at 1,050 gns.

Shearling rams

The reserve show champion was a shearling ram from Graham Foster’s Springhill flock. By Springhill Aston Martin paying 1,200 gns for this tup was G Taylor from Co Leitrim.

At the same money in this section was Hillside Big Mac consigned by Alistair Moore, which went to Thomas Hynes from Co Down.

Ewe lambs

Heading the ewe lambs was a prize winner from Balmoral Show earlier in the season, from Josh Hamilton’s Whitehouse Flock. By Springhill Aston Martin she was knocked down for 1,500 gns to Aiden Loftus, Co Mayo.