Good prices at Thomastown Limousin Dispersal

Thomastown Limousin was established in 1977 by Mary Downey and her son John, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny and for the intervening years the name became synonymous with top quality genetics. The herd, which has operated as a fully closed herd for the last 20 years, took disease control and bio-security very seriously and was a member of the Limo Leader Herd Health scheme run by the society. John made the decision to change his farming system to dairying resulting in the need to disperse this admired herd. He credits his mother Mary with the foresight of establishing the herd and is very grateful for her support, advice and help down through the years. He also acknowledges the tireless work done for the breed (both in terms of promotion and improvement) by Barbara and Nicolas Grubb and in later years Paul Sykes and the staff at the ILCS office. The Downey family, would like to thank their customers down through the years for their continued support. They wish all purchasers of Thomastown genetics the very best of luck. Here at the ILCS we would like to wish the Downey family continued success with their new dairy enterprise. With the quality of cattle on offer at this sale we are sure the name Thomastown will remain to the forefront of Limousin for years to come. Top call at €8,800 was for Thomastown Karolina a daughter of Wilodge Cerberus and Thomastown Fabiola. Karolina is a classy eight and a half month old weanling heifer. She has five star ratings in Replacement Index, Carcass weight, Carcass conformation and Daughter milk. After a flurry of bids Karolina was purchased by E. Blenkhorn & Sons of the noted Elderberry herd based in Elder Farm, Goole, East Yorkshire. The Elderberry herd acquired six heifers in total, speaking to Neil and Barry after the sale they commented “Herd health is of the upmost importance to us, and having seen the catalogue for this sale and knowing the emphasis John has on Herd Health, we were confident that there were cattle here to suit our preferred genetics and female type.” Karolina’s dam Thomastown Fabiola is a powerful Rockstar daughter. She also has Espoir and Genial in her sire stack. Fabiola sold in-calf to Ampertaine Gigolo – due to calve down in early December. She was one of four purchases made by new breeder Tommy O’Harte of Harte Peat Ltd., Co. Monaghan. Also acquired by Tommy O’Harte was the outstanding On-Dit daughter Thomastown Georgina for €8,400. Georgina drew much attention from the large assembled audience, she came to the ring with her twin nine month old Ampertaine Elgin daughters. Proof of her own mothering ability was the fantastic job she has done in rearing these heifers. Georgina sold in-calf to Ampertaine Gigolo. Her daughter Thomastown Kiely was also acquired by Tommy O’Harte for €6,900. Kiely’s half twin Kimberley 2 sold to the Elderberry herd for €3,000. This combined package sold for a total of €18,300. Thomastown Hayley, an outstanding daughter of Sympa and the Ionesco dam Thomastown Dora sold for €8,000. Hayley has five star ratings in almost all traits. She sold in-calf to Netherhall Jackpot to Thomas O'Loughlin. Hayley’s August ’15 born daughter Thomastown Kitty (by Wilodge Cerberus) – an eye-catching multi-stared heifer was snapped up by Dan Tynan for €5,000. She now joins Dan’s renowned Ardlea herd – one of the highlights of the International Limousin Congress 2016 is a visit to this outstanding herd in August. The Elderberry Herd paid €7,000 for Thomastown June 2, an August 2014 born maiden heifer. June has Wilodge Cerberus, On-Dit and Ionesco in her sire-stack. She boasts a muscle score of 135 along with a skeletal score of 120. Joining her will be Thomastown Jessie, also by Wilodge Cerberus. Jessie, a maiden heifer, commanded a selling price of €5,200. She has Ulys Mn and Genial in her back pedigree. Tommy O’Harte paid €5,200 for Thomastown Delilah a powerful Mas Du Clo daughter. Delilah sold in-calf to Ampertaine Commander. She has Epson and Dauphin in her lineage. Delilah’s November 2015 born daughter Thomastown Karrie was acquired by Michael Malone for his Ballinrahin herd based in Co. Laois. Karrie, a daughter of Ampertaine Elgin sold for €2,700. Heading to Dan Reddan, Castletown, Co. Laois is the Sympa daughter Thomastown Holly. This young cow sold with her classy April ’16 born Ampertaine Elgin son Thomastown Louirey. €5,200 was the securing bid for the pair. The stylish August 2015 born heifer Thomastown Kelly was acquired by the Ardlea herd of Dan Tynan for €5,200. Kelly has Wilodge Cerberus, Ionesco and Amiral New in her lineage. She boasts five star ratings in Replacement index, Carcass weight and Carcass conformation. The Cavelands pedigree herd of Paul and Mary Sykes purchased Thomastown Iris 2, a daughter of On-Dit with Epson and Dauphin in her lineage. Iris 2 sold in-calf to Ampertaine Gigolo for €5,100. She came to the ring with five star ratings in most traits. Her August ’15 born Wilodge Cerberus daughter, Thomastown Kayleigh, was purchased by Matthew J. Reidy for €3,700. Kayleigh came to the ring with an array of five star ratings. The in-calf Bavardage daughter Thomaston I 1329 sold to the Elderberry herd for €5,100. I 1329 has Highlander and Ionesco in her sire stack. This September 2013 born heifer is due to calve in August to Armoric. Selling at €5,000 was Thomastown Izidora, a daughter of Bavardage. Izidora is due to calve in August to Kaprico Eravelle. She has Ionesco and Amiral Nau in her sire stack. She was acquired by Barry Desmond. The Ballykinnacurra Herd of father and son team John and Sean Moroney purchased the maiden heifer Thomastown Kate 2. This February 2015 born heifer has Bavardage, Sympa and Ionesco in her lineage. €4,550 was her selling price. Thomastown Isabelle was snapped up for €4,300 by the Blenkhorn family of the Elderberry Limousin herd. Isabelle, a daughter of Wilodge Goldcard, with Ionesco and Hortensia in her sire stack, is due to calf in October to Malibu. Renowned stock man Richard O'Beirne, Tuam, Co. Galway purchased the six year old Ionesco daughter Thomastown Ena for €4,300. Ena is in-calf to Ampertaine Foreman. She has Genial and Eleazar in her sire stack. Dan Reddan’s second acquisition at this sale was Thomastown Cindy, an Ionesco cow with her December 2015 born Loosebeare Fantastic son Thomastown Kermit at foot. This mother and son combination realised €4,200. Also breaching the €4,000 mark was the Eleazar daughter Thomastown Clarrise. This eight year old cow has Epson and Duvalier in her pedigree. Clarrise is in-calf to Ampertaine Gigolo. She was purchased by Raymond Lee for €4,000. Clarrise’s daughter Thomastown Karly was acquired by John Moore’s Buckfield Herd based in Westport, Co. Mayo. Karly was born in September 2015, she sold for €3,000. Her sire is the Glenrock Ventura son Ampertaine Elgin. The Bridgefield Herd of George McCague, Newry, Co. Down paid €3,900 for the Haltcliffe Dancer daughter Thomastown Hadassa. This young cow sold in-calf to Ampertaine Foreman. Hadassa’s Ampertaine Elgin son Thomastown Keaton sold for €1,900. Keaton has five star ratings in Docility, Carcass weight and Carcass conformation. Patrick Brennan purchased this September 2015 born bull. The multi-starred Wilodge Cerberus maiden heifer Thomastown Jessica sold for €3,900 to Joe Maher, of the Parkhill herd based in Ballyfoyle, Co. Kilkenny. Jessica’s dam has Rockstar and Ionesco in her lineage. Selling at €3,700 was the in-calf Bavardage daughter Thomastown I 1340. This September 2013 born heifer sold in-calf to Kaprico Eravelle, she has five star ratings in Replacement index, Carcass weight, Carcass conformation and Daughter milk. She was acquired by Wicklow based Kieran O’Brien. The Highlander daughter Thomastown Freda sold for €3,600. Freda came to the ring with her Bavardage daughter Thomastown Katherine. Freda sold due to calf in October to Ampertaine Gigolo. She was purchased by the Cavelands Limousin herd of Paul and Mary Sykes. Katherine, an August 2015 born calf was acquired by Gerry O’Connell, Co. Mayo for €2,100. Noel Kenny’s Tomriland herd based in Ashford, Co. Wicklow paid €3,600 for Thomastown Joyce. This maiden heifer is a daughter of Wilodge Fastrac and the Rubis daughter Thomastown Amelia. Thomas O'Loughlin acquired the mother and daughter Thomastown Etna and Kirsten for €6,000. Etna has Ionesco, Hortensia and Drumeel Knight in her lineage. She sold in-calf to Ampertaine Gigolo for €3,600. Her September 2015 born daughter Kirsten was sired by Loosebeare Fantastic. She sold for €2,400. The in-calf Wilodge Goldcard daughter Thomastown I 1328 sold for €3,600. I 1328 is due to calve in late August to Kaprico Eravelle. She joins the Bridgefield Herd of George McCague. €3,600 was top call for the Wilodge Cerberus daughter Thomastown Imelda. Imelda sold in-calf to Ampertaine Gigolo. She has a muscle score of 119, coupled with a skeletal score of 129. She was acquired by Orla Curtin, Clarina, Co. Limerick for the Corcamore Limousin herd. David Cogan of Clooncara Limousins based in Kilmovee, Co. Mayo purchased the Uskudar daughter Thomastown Farrah. Farrah sold in-calf to Ampertaine Gigolo for €3,500. Her August 2015 born daughter Thomastown Kiri sold for €2,200 to an undisclosed purchaser. Kiri’s sire is Ampertaine Elgin. County Mayo based John Connor purchased the Bavardage daughter Thomastown Joan for €3,500. Joan, a first calving heifer, sold in-calf to Kaprico Eravelle. She has five star ratings in most traits. Also at €3,500 was the Wilodge Cerberus daughter Thomastown Jenny. This maiden heifer has On-Dit and Espoir in her lineage. She was purchased by Peter Richardson.
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