The dispersal sale of Kevin McOscar’s Island Farm Angus Herd took place on Friday, June 13, at Beatties Pedigree Centre, Omagh, Co. Tyrone.
Every entry in the sale was ‘on the market’ once bidding on that lot had started, and the auctioneer on the day, Richard Beattie was met with strong ringside and online bidding through MartEye.
The lead call of 11,000gns was paid for Blelack Princess Chartreuse T848, a 2017 daughter of Warrenho Emperor M425 out of the highly-regarded show cow Blelack Cinders M965.
There was huge interest in this top-performing female, who sold with her March-born heifer calf at foot to Mark Wattie from Tonley Angus in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
Keen to tap into the same genetics was Samantha Allen from Victoria Bridge in Co. Tyrone, who paid 8,200gns to secure a daughter of Blelack Princess Chartreuse T848.
This eye-catching four-year-old daughter of Stouphill Marcus Prince U251 was accompanied by her heifer calf out of Blelack Dark Magic.
Another matron that earned the name of one of the herds’ top performers was Weeton Evora S489, with her genetics “in fierce demand,” according to Libby Clarke.
Her two-year-old daughter Island Farm Evora Mist Z554 attracted a final bid of 7,400gns from new breeder James Johnston from Aghalee in Co. Antrim.
Island Farm Evora X075 was snapped up by Ivan Forsythe, Coltrim Angus for 7,000gns. She sold with her March bull calf at foot by Blelack Dark Magic.
Chasing this at 7,100gns was Island Farm Pretty Y145, who was Junior Champion at Clogher Show as a yearling. Of note, this lot is a daughter of Ribble Passionetta N010, and was purchased by Wesley Hamilton, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone.
The selection of young bulls sold to heights of 8,200gns, with the top price paid by Gerry McGreevy, Hilltown, Co. Down for a quality two-year-old son of Dark Magic out of the home-bred dam – Island Farm Pippy X891.
Yearling heifers were met with spirited bidding with Island Farm Elle Evora A646 changing hands at 6,000gns.
Out of the mighty Weeton Evora S489, whose progeny dominated the dispersal, she is another daughter of the stock bull Blelack Dark Magic X124 and now also joins the herd of James Johnston, Aghalee, Co. Antrim.
The Island Farm Herd was founded by selecting a small number of females from top herds located in Britain and given current Irish-UK movement restrictions, this helped heighten the demand from breeders to secure these sought-after genetics on their doorstep resulting in a 100% clearance.
