The annual Premier Hereford Autumn Show and Sale took place on Saturday, October 14, at GVM Tullamore, Co. Offaly.
A sale report from the Irish Hereford Breed Society noted “an unusually small entry of bulls for the sale” and attributed this to the “strong trade seen all spring” both at sales and on-farm.
There were 22 bulls presented for sale and 11 heifers in total. The society noted that trade on the day was somewhat affected by the weather, milk price and the delayed farm payments.
Despite this, the average price for bulls settled at €3,300 with 60% of heifers also being sold later during the day to an average of €2,100.
In the pre-sale show, the judge was Tony Bradstock from Freetown Herefords in the UK. Tony previously travelled to judge the spring show and sale in Tullamore, Co. Offaly a number of years ago.
The judge tapped out Kye Bouncer 972 as his male champion. Bred by Padraig McGrath, Co. Roscommon, this March-born bull was sired by Pulham Ranger and bred from a Freetown Hotspur dam.
Bouncer has five stars for the terminal index, carcass weight, conformation and daughter milk along with Dairy Beef Index (DBI) of €124 and was purchased for €3,500 later in the sale.
Bradstock’s choice of reserve champion went to Corlismore Egghead 188, bred by Sean and Gary McKiernan, Co. Cavan.
Egghead is a Shiloh Farm Dynamite son and bred from a Grianan Firecracker dam, both of which are National Hereford Champions.
This March-born bull has five stars for both the terminal index and carcass weight as well as a DBI of €116.
He was crowned champion at both Arva and Cloone shows earlier this year. Egghead was purchased for €3,700.
The sale-topper was lot 8, Griananpoll 1 Wolford, bred by T. and A. Fitzgerald from Co. Westmeath.
Another March-born son, Wolford was sired by Hereford Breed Improvement sire, CCR Stamina and bred from a Fabb 1 Northern Star dam.
This homozygous polled bull has five stars for both replacement index and terminal index, a calving ease of 2.1% and a DBI of €111.
Favoured by a Galway farmer – Wolford topped the sale at €4,000.
Moyclare Valiant sealed the deal before the sale ended when he sold to a Kilkenny breeder who had trouble accessing the sale online for €3,700 after placing first in his class.
Bred by Michael Molloy, Co. Offaly, Valiant was sired by Caislean jake and bred from a Freetown Nadal dam.
Valiant has five stars for terminal index, carcass weight, conformation, four stars for replacement index, a calving figure of 1.8% and a DBI of €112.
The second lot from Corlismore Herefords also sold on the day. Emperor was tapped out as first in his class by the judge before being purchased in the sale for €3,500.
Emperor was sired by Fabb 1 Northern Star and bred from a Corlismore Pompeii dam and has four stars for the replacement index.
Cave Hill Don also sold on the day earning €3,200. Don was bred by Padraig Farrell from Co. Westmeath and was sired by Dunlever Don and bred from a Gageboro Morgan dam.
Don was Hereford champion at Athlone, Mullingar and Moate shows during the summer along with winning the Interbreed Champion at Moate also. Don has a very easy calving figure of 1.9%.
Hereford heifers
The Female Champion was awarded to Coralstown Grainne bred by Colin Burke, Co. Westmeath.
Grainne is a Pute Nascar N13 daughter and bred from a Trillick George dam.
The Female Reserve Champion on the day was won by Kilsunny Lass Twirl, by Edward Dudley, Co. Tipperary.
This April 2022-born heifer was sired by Airhill Rory and bred from a Glaslough Judge dam.
There were 11 heifers presented for sale, of which six were sold.
The society wished all purchasers the best of luck and thanked all exhibitors and staff as well as auctioneer Eamonn Gaffney, judge Tony Bradstock, photographer Tricia Kennedy and Irish Hereford Prime.