The Irish Simmental Cattle Society hosted its April sale at GVM, Tullamore Mart, Co. Offaly on Friday evening, April 26.
Topping the sale at €5,500 was Clonagh Rocket Explorer for Garrett Behan from Ballyfin, Co. Laois.
This fifteen-month-old son of herd stock sire, Manor Park Hansome is out of the twice Overall Simmental of the year, Clonagh Dora The Explorer, leaving Rocket Explorer a full-brother to the €52,000 record-priced bull, Clonagh Lucky Explorer.
When auctioneer Tom Cox finished the bidding, this young bull was knocked down to a pedigree breeder based in the UK.
The second-highest price in the sale was €5,000, received by Nigel Hogan from Bennykerry, Co. Carlow for Rathnashan Randy.
Again at 15-months-old, this Dermotsown Delboy-sired bull is out of a Curaheen Viking dam, Seafort Beverely.
This National Calf Champion at Strokestown last September, heads north to a Co. Fermanagh-based suckler farmer.
The Overall Champion went to Garrett Behan with Lot 11 Clonagh Pikachu Fab ET.
Judge Martin Regan awarded the Champion to this December 2022-born Kilbride Farm Dragoon son, who is out of a Banwy T-Rex dam, Clonagh Delightfully Fab.
€4,400 was the selling price for this lot, going to a Co. Monaghan suckler farmer.
The Reserve Champion went to Parknakyle Roddy, exhibited by Paddy Meaney, Old Leighlin, Co. Carlow.
At fourteen-months-of-age, this Curaheen Gunshot P-sired bull is out of a homebred Sneumgaard dam, Parknakyle Jolie P and €4,200 was the selling price here to a Co. Laois farmer.
Also hitting the €4,200 mark was Loughnavalley Ross Wave ET for Peter Fagan from Mullingar, Co. Westmeath.
This Curaheen Gunshot P-sired bull which was born in February 2023 is out of Auroch Wave who is sired by Darsham Playboy.
John Storey from Mountmellick, Co. Laois also received €4,200 for his January 2023 born bull Doire-Goile Reggie.
Sired by Omorga Isaac, this bull is out of a Curaheen Dickens homebred dam, Doire-Goile Jane Sunshine.
Ardunsaghan Paddy sold for €3,500 for the Connolly Family from Carrigallen, Co. Leitrim. By Anatrim Bodybuilder, this September 2022-born bull is out of a Curaheen Wakeman dam, BearnaDhearg Janey.
Overall, in the bull section there was a 60% clearance with an average price of €3,557.
A small female section recorded seven entries, four of which sold at an average price of €2,050.
The Simmental society expressed its thanks to the staff at Tullamore Mart, the pre-sale show Judge Martin Regan and all who attended, exhibited, purchased and helped out at the event.