A combination of strong Hereford calf prices at the marts and continued demand for quality assured Hereford cross steers and heifers at premium prices for the Hereford beef schemes pushed demand at the Irish Hereford Breed Society’s Premier spring bull sale at GVM Tullamore.

A large crowd attended the event with commercial producers outbidding pedigree breeders in many instances to secure the bull of their choice.

The day’s top price was reached when the hammer dropped at €4,700 for the twenty one month old Reserve Champion Castledalypoll 1 Michael. Bred by Michael and Grainne Farrell, Kilcleagh Castledaly, Moate, Co Westmeath this thick bull full of muscle is sired by their stock bull Castledaly Jeff a Bowmont Storm A584 son. The dam Castledalypoll 1 Sandy is a granddaughter to the very successful Churchill Storm V583 and is one of a small but select cow herd which is a consistent producer of quality stock. The purchasers Summerhill Farms, Dungarvan, Co Kilkenny run a large suckler operation.

JJ Farrell, Trillick, Longford a regular amongst the prize-winners had three bulls forward at the event and what a a day out for the herd. Trillick Daniel by the successful herd sire Steil Gerard sold to David Byrne, Ballykelly, Monasterevan at €4,400. Out of Cloughran Sally by Corlismore Winner he is a well-muscled bull whose full brother was exported to the UK in 2015 where later in the year was awarded Horned Hereford bull of the year. Trillick Lawman by Free Town Hotspur a sixteen month old son to Trillick Bea sold at €3,900 to Aidan Hynes, Mountrath while the third bull from the herd Trillick Admiral 2^nd again sired by Free Town Hotspur out of Steil Gerard daughter Trillick Fairy sold as a stock bull to Hereford breeder Thomas Plunkett, Castletown Finea, Mullingar at €3,700 to average a very pleasing €4,000 for the three bulls exhibited.

The Championship was awarded to Glaslough Pacesetter a bull from the herd of regular exhibitors Sam & Nigel Heatrick, Glaslough, Co Monaghan which also had three bulls on offer all by herd sire Glaslough Karl. Pacesetter a seventeen month old son to Glaslough Hattie was purchased at €3,800 by Paul Larkin, Dunderry, Navan, Co Meath. Glaslough Pete a September born bull out of Glaslough Honey sold to Michael Morrison of Castlerichard, Killeagh, Co Cork at €3,000 while his herd sibling Glaslough Patch found a new home at Croghan, Killeshandra when bought by Brian McNally again at €3,000.

Eamon and John McKiernan, Newtown, Monasterboice, Co Louth exhibited Knockmountagh Dazzler a Hollow Point Broker son to Knockmountagh Carmel. A very promising bull he was purchased by Hereford breeder Patrick Lynch, Ullanes, Ballymaherra, Co Cork at €3,800.  Charles Sweeney, Letterkenny, Co Donegal bid a further €3,800 to secure a second offering from the Co Louth duo Knockmountagh Joker 2^nd. This is a Yarram Star General W251 son out of a Churchill Storm daughter Knockmountagh Edwina.

It was John Waters, Gowlan, Longford who bid €3,700 to take home Kye Manhattan 688, a Free Town Hotspur son shown by Padraig McGrath, Kye, Elphin. This September born son of Kye Patty is a granddaughter of Yarram Pompeii V055.

Cill Cormaic Moses a Cedar Liam son from David Larkin, Kilcormac, Birr sold at €3,500 to Michael Mooney all the way from Blackwater, Co Wexford to purchase a sire for his dairy herd.

Other principal prices included Feevaghmore Invader from Willie Kennedy, Ballyforan, Co Roscommon sold at €3,100 to Patrick J Killeen, Aghlish, Roscrea, Michael Molloy’s Moyclare Nevis at €3,000 to Noel Harney, Aughrim, Ballinasloe, Riverrock Buster exhibited by Tony Hartnett sold at €3,000 to Robert Fitzgerald and two Aidan Farrell bred Churchill Storm sons and ET brothers at €3,000 each Mountwilliams Invincible to James Fay, Dysart and Mountwilliams Indurain to Herbert Pollock, Newtowngore, Co Leitrim.

Society President John Neenan, Broadford, Charleville who attended the event was well pleased with the sale average of €3,340, a range of €4,700 to €2,400 and a clearance of 72%. He complimented the exhibitors on the standard of bulls forward and wished those who had purchased well.