The Western Simmental Club hosted their 29th Annual Ballymote Simmental Cross Breed Heifer Sale at Aurivo Livestock Mart Ballymote on Saturday 05th Oct 2024.

A serious trade for heifers with buyers from north and south very active and keen for Simmental heifers.

**The top price of the day was Lot 2625 (above) an incalf heifer bred by Paul Cryan Keash Ballymote.**
**This heifer was sired by Cloondroon Calling (QCD) and out of a Curaheen Earp cow.**
**She weighed 830kgs and sold for €4,050.**
**She’s due the 19/10/24 to the Ai Simmental Bull Lisnacrann Fifty Cents.**
Paul also bred the second highest priced incalf heifer lot 2631.
This heifer was sired by Curaheen Earp and out of a cruithill future cow.
Sheena weighed 770kgs and sold for €3,700.

**The Top priced Maiden Heifer at yesterday’s sale was Lot 1500 (above) the first Maiden into the ring!**
**This heifer was sired by Knocknarea Nelson and out of a Lisnacrann Sunnyboy cow.**
**She weighed 555kgs and sold for €2,650 (€4.77/kg) owned by Richard Woodmartin.**

The second highest priced Maiden was lot 1603 and she was owned by David Dillon. This heifer was sired by Coose Jericho. She weighed 555kgs and sold for €2,500 (€4.50/kg)

**The Top Priced Weanling heifer was Lot 713 (above).**
**This heifer was sired by Derreen Jack and out of a Ballinalare Farm Galaxy cow.**
**She weighed 460kgs and sold for €2,550 (€5.54/kg) This heifer was bred by Jamie Reape.**

The second highest priced Weanling went to lot 712. This heifer was sired by Derreen Jack and out of a Mullaghcloe Jack flash cow. She weighed 410kgs and sold for €2,400 (€5.75/kg) she was bred by Jamie Reape.

A clearance rate of 98% was achieved with 57 heifers from the sale being exported to the north.

A long time supporter of the sale David Dillon had the following to say;
“I’m bringing heifers to the Simmental X sale in Ballymote since it was started by the club 29 years ago. It was always a good venue to showcase West of Ireland Sim X breeding females and its reputation spread among suckler farmers as a place to source good quality genuine stock. The trade at yesterday’s sale 5/10/24 was the best I have witnessed in a long time. I had 19 maidens at this years sale and they averaged 478.2 kgs in weight and €1868 in money which equates to €3.91 per kg which I was extremely happy with. The maiden heifers were an exceptional trade showing there is a huge demand for breeding heifers that are not overly muscled, but will calve unassisted and rear a calf.”

The club also spoke with father and daughter duo John & Emma Corless;
“We’ve Been selling Simmental heifers at Ballymote for the last 18 years. We’ve Always found there’s a good trade year on year. We had 14 heifers in it this year. 12 maidens, majority of which were born in spring 2023, the Average price for these heifers was €1942 and they averaged to a weight of 540kgs. We also had two weanlings which averaged €1500 at an average weight of 405kg”

Paul Cryan breeder of the highest priced heifer stated;
“Personally I would like to thank all the committee and everybody who helped on the day of the sale its a credit to everyone involved how professionally they booked in and penned all the cattle without any fuss and no stress on the stock Well done. Regarding the Simmental breed and why i have stood by them down through the years the best example I can give is by taking my best breeding cow in the herd on her first calving she gave me twin heifer calves which were sold at the 2023 sale for a combined total of €6400 and her second calf which was also a female was sold at 2024 sale for 3700 which is a total €10100 and her 3rd calf also a female will b making her appearance at the 2025 sale, with a Simmental cow like that in your herd how could you turn to any other breed.”
Paul who purchased his first Simmental heifer in 1996 also bred the top priced heifer at this years sale hitting the €4050 mark for his incalf heifer.

Pictured above left to right at the presentation of the Arthur Dillon cup for the highest priced heifer: Jamie Reape club Secretary, David Dillon, Paul Cryan seller of the top priced heifer with his grandnieces Eabha & Saorla and Jimmie Murphy Club Chairman on the far right.
Arthur Dillon Davids father was one of the founding members of this sale 29 years ago!

As we conclude on a very successful 2024 sale we look forward to our 30th Anniversary sale next year which we’ll hope will be even stronger. Those wishing to purchase a Simmental bull to breed heifers like these can look no further then the Irish Simmental Premier Sale on October 26 in Roscommon Mart!