Full house for Lissadells at Roscommon
Martin Ryan
SHOWING two champions — Reserve Champion and capping the judging ring success with the leading price of the day in the salesring — made it truly a day to remember for the Lissadell Herd at the Simmental Society Premier Show and Sale at Roscommon Mart on Saturday.
While the genes of the Ballinful, Co Sligo herd have produced progeny to merit a very generous share of awards over recent years, the achievement of Kieran and Paul Mullarkey on Saturday made the day one of their best ever.
Adding to the sashes and rosettes was the tribulation at the crack of auctioneer Denis Barrett’s gavel to record €9,100 for a 12-month-old heifer which received a well-deserved round of applause from the packed salesring for the highest price of the day by a considerable margin.
There was a clean sweep of the top awards for the Lissadells in the Junior Bull section with Lissadell Jacob P the choice of show judge David Donnelly of the Atlow Herd for the championship. In addition, the Reserve Championship for Lissadell Jupiter was followed by another Championship success in the Weanling Heifer Section for Lissadell Just the One.
The herd prefix ‘Lissadell’ dates back to the current breeders’ great-grandfather, Jack Mullarkey who was manager of the herd of Angus cattle kept at the historical mansion and extensive estate nearby in Co Sligo.
The herd has shown the breed champion at the National Livestock Show at Tullamore for three years in a row as well as bringing home Simmental laurels from the Balmoral Show in 2016, not to mention an extremely successful run at the summer agricultural shows.
On Saturday, December 2017born Lissadell Jacob P, Junior Champion Bull of the Show, bred by Curraheen Gunshot P and dam, Tawley Gretta sold for €3,100.
Reserve Junior Champion Bull, Lissasdell Jupiter, bred by Dermotstown Delboy and dam, Cladymore Edith Imp, sold for €2,600, while his full sister, November 2017-born Lissadell Just The One, topped the trade selling for €9,100 to Eoin McGovern.
Senior Champion Bull was Brideland Jaguar, a September 2017-born bull to Littlerock Dervela Annie by Woodhall Ferran 14, exhibited by Timothy A O’Leary, Ballincollig, Co Cork sold for €4,100.
Reserve Senior Bull award went to Mooneking Jamiroquai from the herd of David King, Limekiln House, Backmoone, Athy, Co Kildare. Bred by Clonagh Direct Debit and dam, Mooneking Gloria, the star-laden bull sold for €1,800.
Demand for the bulls was weak with a 45pc clearance at an average of €2,543.
Two bulls sold for €3,300 each. Mary O’Halloran, Chamberlainstown, Cahir, Co Tipperary sold Bearna-Dhearg James; and Keith Vickery, Carbery Farm, Rosscarbery, Co Cork sold Carberry Juniper 2 at the same price, while Mary O’Halloran received €3,000 for Bearna-Dhearg Jet.
Joseph Kelly, Mount, Ballynacally, Co Clare sold Mount Johansson for €3,000.
THERE WAS A CLEAN SWEEP OF THE TOP AWARDS FOR THE LISSADELLS IN THE JUNIOR BULL SECTION