There was a small entry of Aberdeen-Angus cattle at the Native Breeds Show and Sale hosted by Dungannon Farmers’ Mart.

Leading the annual autumn sale at 5,000gns was the female champion Drummeer Bell Z316 bred by Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society’s senior vice-president Alan Morrison, and his wife Naomi, from Maguiresbridge, County Fermanagh.

This very smart maiden heifer was reserve Native Breed champion at the Fermanagh Stars Calf Show last year. She was bred from Drummeer Beauty U877 and sired by the Netherton Mr Brazilian E377 son, Hillmount Maximus W706 – a home-bred bull registered under the Hillmount prefix of YDP member and trainee auctioneer, James Morrison. Hillmount Maximus is the stock bull in Robert Turkington’s Trasna Herd at Lurgan, County Armagh.

Drummeer Bell Z316 attracted strong attention from ringside and online bidders. The closing bid came from Mervyn Robinson, herd manager at the Cherryvalley Herd owned by Randox Laboratories chief, Peter Fitzgerald from Crumlin, County Antrim. Cherryvalley Estate is establishing a pedigree Aberdeen-Angus herd to run alongside its highly acclaimed and successful pedigree Beef Shorthorn herd.

Bulls sold to a top of 3,000gns, paid to Ivan Forsythe, Moneymore, County Londonderry, for the fifth place Coltrim Pedro Z134 TSI+40, SRI+52. Sired by the herd’s stock bull Island Farm Master Missie X854, he was bred from the Coltrim Echo U992 daughter, Coltrim Princess Z526. This seventeen-month-old bull sold to Reggie Ewart from Killylea, County Armagh.

Island Farm Master Missie X854 was also behind the breeding of Ivan Forsythe’s male and supreme champion, Coltrim Black Bando Z123. This March 2023 born entry was bred from the Coltrim Javier Eric U911 daughter, Coltrim Blackbird X515. He sold for 2,800gns to Trevor Irwin from Stewartstown.

Judge David Alexander, Ballymena, awarded the reserve male and reserve overall championship to Dartrey Dellirious Z232, bred by Hylda Mulls, Scarva, County Armagh. Born in March 2023, he was sired by Mosshall Red Junior Eric U911 – crowned best stock bull in the NI Aberdeen-Angus Club’s 2023 herd competition. His dam is the home-bred Dartrey Della U843. This bull failed to meet his reserve and returned home unsold.