21/10/2026
The Western Simmental Club held their 31st annual Simmental cross breeding heifer sale in Ballymote mart on Saturday 3rd October 2026. 144 of the 166 animals entered in the sale were offered for sale on the day.
On the day there phenomenal demand from buyers both north and south for the heifers with buyers both ringside and on-line fighting hard to purchase their chosen animals.
There were 40 exceptional in-calf heifers on offer on the day, in-calf to both Simmental and Limousine bulls. Any fears that the sale would not meet the dazzling hights of last years, 30th Anniversary sale were soon put to bed.
Trade was on fire with very strong demand, all but one in-calf found new homes. The first lot in the ring a March ‘24 born daughter of Bunavalla Nigel sold for €5,300. The highest priced in-calf heifer a November ‘23 born daughter of Coose Kingston PP reached a staggering €5,650. Sold by local farmer Paul Cryan, she was in calf to the Limousine bull, Loyal, and due to calf on 6th December.
By the time the last in-calf heifer exited the ring the average price of in-calf sold was €4,135 up €135 on 2025, which was just over €2,000 higher than 2024.
As the first of the maiden heifers entered the sales ring it was clear that demand Simmental cross heifers did not end with the in-calf heifers. The sale continued in the same vain with maiden heifers in the 400kg to 500kg reaching €7.18 per kg, with lot 1527 an April 25 born 425kg daughter of Curaheen Gunshot P selling for €3,050. The average price in this category was up just over €1,000 on 2024.
In the 500kg to 600kg heifers sold to €8.84 per kg with a April ‘25 born daughter of Rainmore Kojack weighing in at 520kg selling for €4,600. At €8.84 per kg she was the highest price per KG maiden heifer on the day. Heifers in this category soled to an average of €3,140. Again up just over €1,000 on 2024.
In the over 600kg category heifers sole to an average price of €4,112 with a 660 kg Morhan North Star sired 2 year old selling for €7.90 a kg. Average prices were €100 up on last year and over €2,000 up on 2024. Lot 1518 a March ’25 born heifer sired by Esker Nero received the highest price maiden on the day. She weighed in at 625kg and was sold for €4,450.
Moving on to the weanling section a total 20 weanlings went through the ring hitting a maximum €8.35 per kg. The top price on the day, €3,550 for a 425kg January 26 born heifer out of the renowned bull Lisnacrann Fifty cent went to lot number 713. There was a full clearance on the day with the average price of €2,765 for weanlings on the day. This was similar to the average price in 2026 but up €1,700 on 2024 average.
Over all there was a 99% clearance on the day with 40 % of animals sole exported to Northern Ireland.
The high-light of the day for many people present was not the fantastic prices in the ring but the presence of Brian Kennedy, his wife Anette and his son and daughter Cormac and Carragh. Brian is a son of the late Padraig Kennedy, a founder member of the Ballymote sale.
Padraig sadly passed away in 2025, May he rest in peace.
To acknowledge the great work Padraig put into the Simmental breed and in particular the Ballymote breeding heifer sale, the Kennedy family sponsored the ‘Padraig Kennedy Memorial Cup’. The cup was presented on the day by Brian and his family to Michael Caulfield the seller of the highest priced per KG maiden heifer at the sale. The Kennedy family also provided €100 sponsorship to the purchaser of said heifer.
The Western Simmental Club would like to thank Brian and the Kennedy family sponsoring the Padrig Kennedy Memorial cup.
The Western Simmental club would like to thank David Faughnan, mart manager and the mart staff for their help and assistance both on the day and on the lead up to the sale.
A special word of thanks to all our sellers, it is your dedication to the Simmental breed and the exceptional quality stock on sale year after year that has made the Western Simmental Club Ballymote Simmental cross sale the success it has become and will continue to be in the years ahead.
For anyone thinking about breeding Simmental cattle going forward, the Irish Simmental Society are holding premier Autumn sale on Saturday 24th October 2026 with 45 bulls and 78 heifers available to purchase on the day.
Irish Simmental Cattle Society
Western simmental club
