What a day for Tullaha Herefords from Charleville, Co. Limerick. The Tullaha herd of the late John Neenan who passed away so suddenly and unexpectedly almost a year ago provided the day’s top price of €4,600. Tullaha Donny selected from the herd to represent it at last year’s national calf show by John himself missed out on that event due to John’s untimely death.

The herd now in the hands of daughter Maura and her husband Tommy made no mistake in the preparation for Saturday’s event. This smashing 5 star Terminal, son of Rossmore Nelson Mandela out of the homebred Tullaha Stephanie was also fertility tested.  Once opened the bidding was spirited until the hammer dropped at €4,600. In fact, the underbidder had difficulty in gaining access to the bidding ring due to the cap on numbers around the ring. This fine bull has moved onto new pastures in neighbouring Tipperary.

It was a shining day for the North West of Ireland too with Ardstewart Eby Gum fetching the second highest price of the day of €3600. Ardstewart Eby Gum is sired by Cill Cormaic Prince 2 & bred from Borin Emma. This 5 star Terminal Bull is a tremendous herd sire with a pedigree to match; bred by the McCrabbe family in Donegal, he was purchased by a fellow Donegal farmer. It is very positive to see quality bloodlines remaining in that part of the country.

K & M Diffley from Co Leitrim exhibited Duibhgiolla Lad a Blackwater Lad son, bred out of a home bred cow Duibhgiolla Marta which sold for €3,100 to a pedigree breeding herd in the sunny south east.

Trillick Showman bred by JJ Farrell, Longford, is a bull with a lot of style along with having good indexes sired by Glaslough Rooney. This fertility tested bull sold to a pedigree Hereford Breeder in County Dublin on a bid of €2,900.

Beaghmore Pilot, an 18 month old Gageboro Morgan son bred by Leila McCabe, Carrigallen sold at a satisfactory €2,800 to Ballinasloe, Co Galway.

The top price for a heifer was paid for Appel 1 Savannah, a 5 star, Solpoll 1 Lawman daughter with excellent figures & from one of the best cow families of the Appel Herefords belonging to John Appelbe from Cork. This heifer, scanned suitable for breeding sold at €3050 to Dungannon in Northern Ireland – thus expanding this quality gene pool nationwide.

Padraig McGrath a regular exhibitor from Roscommon had Kye Holly 867, a 4 star heifer sired by Glaslough Rooney & bred from Kye Holly 684 on offer. She sold at €3,000 to a Tipperary herd having been pipped for the top price by a tight margin.

A number of bulls were sold at home by breeders in advance of the sale as some purchasers were uncertain if Covid regulations would change requirements in relation to travel, attendance etc. Amongst those were two five, star bulls Corlsimorepoll 1 Bradstock 028 & Corlsimorepoll 1 Henry 033 bred by Sean McKiernan, Co Cavan both sold privately off farm at €3,000 & €3,500 ahead of the Premier Sale.

In spite of the current restrictions – The Society are happy with the outcome of the Premier Autumn Hereford sale & feel that even though normal circumstances were not available i.e. showing, washing, maximum numbers allowed around the ring etc, the sponsorship by Irish Hereford Prime to the purchasers of the top five highest priced bulls provided an incentive to those interested in securing the top animals. Irish Hereford Prime will once again provide a similar incentive at Kilmallock to the purchasers of the five top priced bulls. Overall, exhibitors were well satisfied with the demand and clearance of stock.

Well done to all exhibitors on the day & the very best of luck to all purchasers & breeders.

The Society holds its final sale of the 2020 season at GVM Kilmallock this coming Friday October 23^rd where 27 useful Hereford bulls will be put forward. The sale starts at 1.00 pm. Online bidding is available by contacting GVM Kilmallock in advance of the sale on (063) 98555. Full sale catalogue is available HERE!