The Irish Hereford Breed Society’s Autumn Premier Show and Sale took place at GVM Tullamore, Co. Offaly, on Saturday, October 15.
Judges on the day were UK-based Philp and Laura Vincent, owners of the Pulham Hereford Herd in South Norfolk and the auctioneer was Eamonn Gaffney.
The first class of the day was for bulls born between October 29, 2020 and February 28, 2021.
First prize went to Coralstown Hurricane, who went on to take the Male Champion title.
Second prize in this class went to Michael and Sinead Conry of Rathnollag Herefords, Co. Roscommon. The father-and-daughter duo kicked off the sale in good fashion with their January 2021-born bull Rathnollag Buster.
The second class of the day was won by Griananpoll 1 Vegas for the Fitzgeralds of Grianan Herefords, Co.Westmeath.
The Fitzgeralds had a successful day, taking home a combined total of €7,000 for their two bulls.
Born in March 2021, Griananpoll 1 Vegas was the first bull to reach €4,000 after winning his class earlier that morning.
Vegas is five-star replacement and four-star for carcass weight. He was sired by Gouldingpoll 1 Moonshine ET and is going back to a Dendor 1 Greta 31st dam.
Vegas was purchased by a pedigree breeder in Northern Ireland. The Fitzgerald’s other bull at the sale, Grianan Wildfire, sold for €3,000. Wildfire was sired by Pute Nascar N13 and is going back to a Grianan Cooperobin 712 dam.
A bull belonging to Alan Gibbons of Strokestown, Co. Roscommon secured second place in the second class.
Mullaghey 1 Tom 4 was awarded second and was sired by Knockglass Donald and bred from a Grousehallpoll 1 Premier ET dam. Tom went on to sell for €3,000 in the ring.
The award for third in the class went to Ardstewart Gunner, owned by Nelson and Wade McCrabbe from Co. Donegal, who sold for €3,000.
The third class of the day was for bulls born between June 26 and September 30, 2021.
Taking top spot in this class was Eamon and John Mc Kiernan with their bull Knockmanta 1 Major 2. Major 2 went one step further and was also tapped out as Reserve Male Champion.
This July 2021-born bull was sired by Fabb 1 Northern Star and is out of a Knockmanta 1 Jessica 3 dam. The hammer fell at €3,000 for Major 2, who boasted a five-star replacement and four-star terminal index.
Hitting €4,000 was the youngest bull in the sale Mountwilliams Pogba belonging to Aidan Farrell of Mountwilliams Herefords in Co. Westmeath.
Pogba is a September 2021-born bull sired by Butlerstown Duke and going back to a Mountwilliams Iris ET dam. Pogba has five-stars for replacement and has a calving ease figure that is lower than the breed average.
Hereford heifers
Class one in the female section went to Loughglas 1 Wanda owned by Nigel Heatrick Co. Monaghan.
This November 2020-born heifer was sired by Clooncullane Major 343 and went on to sell for €2,800.
Second in the class went to Kye Rosie 933, a Pullham Ranger daughter for Padraig McGrath, and later went on to sell for €2,650.
Third in the class went to Nigel Heatrick with Glasslough Wendy, Wendy was a July 2020 heifer and sold for €2,400.
The second heifer class of the day saw Lios Breacpoll 1 Patricia placed first in her class and was also tapped out as female champion on the day.
This stylish heifer was bred by Hereford breeders John and Enda Flynn from Newtonforbes, Co. Longford.
Patricia is a July 2021-born heifer, sired by Fabb 1 Northern star going back to a Grianan Orange T868 cow. Patricia went on to make the highest female price of the day at €4,900.
Second place and reserve champion went to Kye Ger 965 from Padraig Mc Grath, Elphin, Co. Roscommon.
The September 2021 heifer was sired by Pulham Ranger and out of a Kye Ger 749 dam.
The hammer fell at €2,700 for Ger 965.
Third in the class went to Aughakil 1 Pumpkin from Kenton Crowe Co. Leitrim who later went on to sell for €2,450
Crowenstown Prettymaid 3 was also a big attraction selling for the second-highest heifer price of the day at €3,300 to a Cork herd.
Bred by the Drumm family of Delvin Co. Westmeath, the February 2021 heifer was sired by Mawarra Sentimental ET1 HYF and bred from an Allowdale Prettymaid 557 daughter.
Prettymaid 3 has a five-star rating for replacement, carcass weight, carcass confirmation, daughter milk and daughter calving interval.