BYGONE DAYS: Dungannon Mart hosts show and sale of Aberdeen Angus cattle

Dungannon Farmers’ Mart at Granville, Co Tyrone, was the setting this week in October 1987, reported Farming Life, for the first premier show and sale of pedigree Aberdeen Angus cows, bulls and heifers to be staged in Northern Ireland.
Laheens Berty was the supreme champion, at the first premier show and sale held by the Northern Ireland Aberdeen Angus Club in October 1987 which was held at Dungannon Farmers' Mart at Granville. The cow was owned by Fred Rea of Glarryford. Mr Rea is pictured receiving the championship award from Stephen Crawford, cattle adviser, John Thompson and Sons Ltd. Picture: Farming Life archivesLaheens Berty was the supreme champion, at the first premier show and sale held by the Northern Ireland Aberdeen Angus Club in October 1987 which was held at Dungannon Farmers' Mart at Granville. The cow was owned by Fred Rea of Glarryford. Mr Rea is pictured receiving the championship award from Stephen Crawford, cattle adviser, John Thompson and Sons Ltd. Picture: Farming Life archives
Laheens Berty was the supreme champion, at the first premier show and sale held by the Northern Ireland Aberdeen Angus Club in October 1987 which was held at Dungannon Farmers' Mart at Granville. The cow was owned by Fred Rea of Glarryford. Mr Rea is pictured receiving the championship award from Stephen Crawford, cattle adviser, John Thompson and Sons Ltd. Picture: Farming Life archives

Farming Life reported that the show and sale had proved popular and “an undoubted success”.

Prices at the event, organised by the Northern Ireland Aberdeen Angus Club, reached 1340 guineas, paid by M McCullough of Gortin, for the third prizewinner in the junior bull class, an animal exhibited by J Morrison of Armagh.

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The overall champion was a bull shown by Fred Rea of Glarryford, Co Antrim. The animal, winner of the John Thompson Cup, was sold at 1250 guineas to N Shaw of Saintfield, Co Down.

The reserve male champion at the first premier show and sale held by the Northern Ireland Aberdeen Angus Club in October 1987 which was held at Dungannon Farmers' Mart at Granville was Ernie of Ballykeel which was owned by T A McLaren, right, from Sixmilecross. Included in the picture is Fred Pauley. Pictures: Farming Life archivesThe reserve male champion at the first premier show and sale held by the Northern Ireland Aberdeen Angus Club in October 1987 which was held at Dungannon Farmers' Mart at Granville was Ernie of Ballykeel which was owned by T A McLaren, right, from Sixmilecross. Included in the picture is Fred Pauley. Pictures: Farming Life archives
The reserve male champion at the first premier show and sale held by the Northern Ireland Aberdeen Angus Club in October 1987 which was held at Dungannon Farmers' Mart at Granville was Ernie of Ballykeel which was owned by T A McLaren, right, from Sixmilecross. Included in the picture is Fred Pauley. Pictures: Farming Life archives

The third prizewinner in the intermediate bull class was also from the Rea herd and was knocked down at 1210 guineas to Mr Watt Greer of Dundonald, Co Down, who also paid 825 guineas for another Rea bull.

T A McLaren of Sixmilecross, Co Tyrone, exhibited the reserve champion. The bull, which was also reserve male, sold at 1160 guineas to W Smyth, Ballynahinch, Co Down. Mr McLaren sold two other bulls at 820 guineas (to I Hamilton) and 720 guineas (to J Moore).

Miss Margaret Buchanan of Augher received 1090 guineas for the youngest bull on show. The animal went to G Hunter from Armoy, Co Antrim.

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D G Mackey, Lisburn, sold a second prize bull at 1060 guineas to Gilbert Craig, Claudy, Co Londonderry. T Morrison, Ballymoney, Co Antrim, paid 1000 guineas for a bull shown by T McCullough of Ballygawley, Co Tyrone.

Moneybroom Julie, the female champion at the first premier show and sale held by the Northern Ireland Aberdeen Angus Club in October 1987 which was held at Dungannon Farmers' Mart at Granville was owned by D G Mackey of Lisburn. Picture: Farming Life archivesMoneybroom Julie, the female champion at the first premier show and sale held by the Northern Ireland Aberdeen Angus Club in October 1987 which was held at Dungannon Farmers' Mart at Granville was owned by D G Mackey of Lisburn. Picture: Farming Life archives
Moneybroom Julie, the female champion at the first premier show and sale held by the Northern Ireland Aberdeen Angus Club in October 1987 which was held at Dungannon Farmers' Mart at Granville was owned by D G Mackey of Lisburn. Picture: Farming Life archives

Tony Mills of Clogher, Co Tyrone, sold his first prize senior bull at 800 guineas to I Richardson, and sold another bull at 630 guineas to D Graham of Dundrod. The same price was paid by I Boyce, Garvagh, for a bull presented by Jim Scott, Killyleagh, Co Down.

Heifers sold to 960 guineas for the champion, presented by D G Mackey. The reserve champion, offered by Robert Campbell, Seaforde, Co Down, was withdrawn at 910 guineas. Gilbert Craig sold two heifers at 640 guineas to Mr Gormley and D Anderson.

The winner of the Systamex prize as the purchaser of the highest priced animal was M McCullough. He received the prize from Kevin Boyd of Coopers Animal Health.

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A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Aberdeen Angus Club thanked Mr E Wylie and Mr G Wylie for the way that they had handled the sale and for their co-operation on the day.

The spokesperson said: “Our sincere thanks, also, to auctioneer Stephen Swale, who carried out his job to perfection and was able to take the best price out of the cattle from the keen bidding.

“The setting for the sale was ideal, as it is central to all parts of Northern Ireland and also for breeders from across the border.”

He said the club also felt gratitude to judge Mr George Cormack who had selected his winners based on “potential and belief”.

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Meanwhile in other Northern Ireland Aberdeen Angus Club news, it was reported that Mr Victor Wallace of Omagh was judge of the Aberdeen Angus classes at Perth. Farming Life noted of Mr Wallace: “He is one of Northern Ireland’s leading stockmen and judges of Aberdeen Angus cattle.”

While a club spokesperson said of Mr Wallace: “He is greatly honoured to be judging at the Perth bull sale, where the Angus Society is celebrating the Golden Jubilee of its patron, Her Royal Highness The Queen Mother who runs the famous Castle of Mey Herd. Part of the celebration will be 12 elite females being offered for sale at Perth.”

SUCKLED CALVES IN HIGH DEMAND AT BALLYMONEY

The suckled calf sales had got off to a flying start at Ballymoney Mart during this week in 1987 reported the Farming Life.

The 481 head presented contained a large percentage of top quality calves from the Glens of Antrim.

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Lightweight bullock calves peaked at £173.33 per 100kg for a 225kg Simmental of £390 from V Hamilton, Cushendun.

Medium-weight bullocks sold at £157.10 for a Charolais, 275kg at £432; strong bullocks sold to £490 for a 335kg Charolais (£146.27).

Bull calves sold to £156.10 per 100kg for 205kg Limousin at £320 from Patrick McKay, Cushendun.

Lightweight heifer calves sold to £127.78 per 100kg for a Simmental, 180kg at £230. Stronger lots sold to £117.86 for a 280kg Simmental at £330.

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Bullock calves (under 260kg): V Hamilton, Cushendun, Simmental, 225kg, £390 (£173.33), 240kg, £392 (£163.35), B McAuley, Newtowncrommelin, Simmental, 190kg, £318 (£167.37), 210kg, £338 (£160.95), 225kg, £362 (£160.90), A Wilkinson, Ballycastle, Charolais, 240kg, £392 (£163.35), pair of Charolais, 425kg, £335 each (£159.52), R McCurry, Simmental, 210kg, £330 (£157.14), pair of Simmental, 455kg, £335 each (£152.70), pair of Simmental, 465kg, £335 each (£152.40). L Hamilton, Cushendun, Simmental, 210kg, £320 (£152.40), J Hogg, Fivemiletown, Charolais, 225kg, £350 (£155.55), D McCormick, Armoy, Simmental, 235kg, £362 (£154.05), F and A McGowan, Dunloy, Simmental, 240kg, £365 (£152.10), A McSparron, Cushendun, Simmental, 200kg, £302 (£151), C McVicker, Ballintoy, Charolais, 215kg, £325 (£151.16), 240kg, £361 and J Snow, Kesh, Simmental, 255kg, £382 (£150).

Bullock calves (260kg upwards): Mrs H McVicker, Ballycastle, Charolais 275kg, £432 (£151.67), F and A McGowan, Dunloy, Simmental, 310kg, £460 (£148.40), R McCurry, Cushendall, Simmental, 320kg, £472 (£147.50), W Moore, Macosquin, Charolais, 335kg, £490 (£146.27), Limousin, 310kg, £450 (£145.16), S Black, Glenarm, Charolais, 255kg, £370 (£145.10), J McKillop, Cushendall, Simmental, 260kg, £382 (£146.92), L Hamilton, Cushendun, Simmental, 270kg, £390 (£144.44), S Black, Carnlough, Limousin, 325kg, £462 (£142.15), A McSparron, Cushendun, Simmental, 260kg, £372 (£143.10), B McAuley, Newtowncrommelin, Simmental, 260kg, £375 (£144.23), D McMullan, Corkery, Simmental, 260kg, £370 (£142.31) and 260kg, £365.

Heifer calves (241): J J McAllister, Cushendall, Simmental, 180kg, £230 (£127.78), 190kg, £235 (£128.68), 210kg, £255 (£121.43), 195kg, £232 (£118.97), 205kg, £242 (£118.05), M Hamilton, Cushendun, Simmental, 205kg, £255 (£124.39), 210kg, £258 (£122.86), 210kg, £252 (£124.39), 210kg, £258 (£122.86), 210kg, £252 (£120), 260kg, £300 (£115.39), 250kg, £280 (£115.20), J Snow, Kesh, two Charolais, 410kg, £250 each (£121.95).