The second annual Genetic Gems Hereford Female sale took place on Saturday (November 19) at GVM Tullamore Mart, Co. Offaly.
The sale took place in conjunction with the Next Gen Herefords Youth Competition and the National Hereford Calf Show, which also took place at the venue over the weekend.
The sale featured 14 heifers with 12 of these selling to an average price of €6,079, and three embryo packages that averaged €983/embryo.
Topping the day’s trade was Gouldingpoll 1 Ravette 1262. This heifer was intended to be sold in two lots, with the option for the purchaser to double their final bid to own Ravette outright.
The hammer fell at €11,000 for a half-share of the animal and, as per the optional aspect, it was later agreed to sell both shares of Ravette for a total of €22,000 to one breeder, smashing the 2021 record price of €9,000.
Ravette 1262 is an 11-month-old heifer who sired by Panmure 1 Henry, while her dam is Gouldingpoll 1 Ravette going back to Dorepoll 1 Patriot.
Gouldingpoll 1 Ravette 1262 sold to Kieran Mariga and farm manager Paul McGrath. The heifer will now join the Coolmara Herd based in Co. Cork.
Not stopping there, the Gouldingpoll Herd of Matthew and Rita Goulding from Co. Kerry achieved the next top price of the day; €6,500 for Gouldingpoll 1 Duchess 1244 ET.
She was sired by Gouldingoll 1 Superduty and is out of the famous Duchess line, and hails from the same maternal line as the 2022 Royal Highland Show Champion.
The successful bidder for this lot was Bill Kiely.
Grianan Orange W944, owned by the Fitzgerald family, witnessed frantic bidding before being knocked down at €6,300 to John Delee.
This heifer was sired by Karoonda Sampson and out of a daughter of Grianan Parker. John Delee was also quick to snap up the Fitzgerald’s second offering of the day when he secured Grianan Orange W941 for €5,100.
Orange W941 was sired by Gageboro Morgan and is out of a Grianan Freddy Dam.
The next-highest price of the day went to a heifer that is the progeny of the Balleen Herd, owned by Tom Brennan. Balleen Cece was a first-prize winner from this year’s National Livestock Show in Tullamore, Co. Offaly.
Sired by Ballinveney United 2 and out of a Towra Brillant dam, the hammer fell on this lot at €5,500 to John Boddy, who beat off stiff competition from some well-known UK breeders.
Trading at €5,000 was the December 2021-born, Hillockpoll 1 Ivy who was this year’s National Heifer Calf Champion and multiple prize-winner.
Sired by Normaton 1 Laertes and out of a Dorpoll 1 Transatlantic dam, she sold to Shane Larkin.
Next up, at just 10 months of age, was Kyepoll 1 Honey 969 from Padraig and Catherine McGrath.
Sired by the very popular Fabb 1 Northern Star and out of UK import, Dendor 1 Honeysuckle, Kyepoll 1 Honey 969 was sold to Cathal McCaffery at €4,700.
From the same herd, Kyepoll 1 Stae 971, also by Fabb 1 Northern Star and out of Firbosa 1 Rosa 321, was sold at €3,250, and headed to Northern Ireland to join Raymond Pogue’s herd.
The hammer fell at €4,000 for Keenaghpoll 1 Simone, a heifer belonging to Edwin and Robert Jones.
This was another heifer sired by Fabb 1 Northern Star and out of a Moyclare Lieutenant dam; she makes her way to Cork to join the herd of James Kingston.
Also at €4,000 was Moyclare Rose 51 from Michael Molloy, sired by Free Town Nadal and going back to a Brocca Saviour dam, she sold in-calf and joins the Essmore Herd of Francis Elmore.
Another prize winner from the summer show circuit was Drumboy Geordie from Shane Kilraine. Sired by UK bull, Pulham Powerhouse, she sold at €3,500 to Niall Jones.
And finally, selling at €3,000 for Coolmara Herd was Lighthouse Anabelle, sired by Allowdale Rory 909 and out of an Allowdale Rambo 654. She sold in-calf and heads back to Cork to join the herd of Billy and Aine Fitzgerald.
Genetic Gems Hereford embryo sale
There were three Hereford embryo lots consisting of four embryos each. These lots sold for an average of €983/embryo and are heading to Denmark to join Nordbaek Herefords.
The Genetic Gems Hereford sale organisers thanked all the vendors, purchasers and underbidders and also auctioneer Denis Barrett and team.