The Premier Hereford Spring Show and Sale was held on Saturday 25^th March in GVM Tullamore. The sale was a smasher with one polled Hereford bull in hot demand. Drumgoonpoll 1 Sydney, bred by Aidan McCabe, Cavan, was the show stopper of the day when two breeders fought it out to purchase this November 2021 born bull. As with every sale though there can only be one buyer & Wade McCrabbe of Ardstewart Herefords stuck in until the end and purchased the Fabb 1 Northern Star son. There was amazement around the ring as the auctioneer dropped the hammer at €11,600. Sydney is bred from Corlismorepoll 1 Sydney 981, a Dendor 1 Kohinoor pp dam. Sydney has five stars for the replacement index, terminal index and conformation along with €106 for the DBI.

The sale was a great success all round with the average price resting at over €4,000 and 70% clearance rate. The day began as always with the pre-sale show which was judged by Mr. Matthew Goulding of Gouldingpoll Herefords. With four strong classes of bulls – it was no small job for the Kerry native but with much deliberation Mr. Goulding tapped out his chosen Champion as Knockglass Andrew, exhibited by Alan Gibbons, Roscommon. This April 2021 born bull was sired by Balleen Val and bred from a Cill Cormaic Marvel dam. The bull did not disappoint in the sales ring either when he sold for €4,000.

The second top price of the day was awarded to Moyclare Unreal, bred by Michael Molloy, Offaly. This July 2021 born bull was sired by Caislean Jake and bred by a Brocca Saviour dam. He is a half-brother to Moyclare Quinlan who is currently standing in Free Town and Dieulacresse Herefords in the UK. Unreal lived upto his name when it came to having a page of stars – with five stars for both the replacement and the terminal index, milk and carcase weight and a DBI value of €105. Moyclare Unreal was sold for €5,300 to a dairy farmer from Offaly.

The sale started off on a high when the first bull into the ring: lot 1 – Ardmulchan Sherry, by Phil & Catherine Smyth, Meath, sold to a breeder from Offaly for €5,200. This April born bull was sired by Ballinveney Tiger and bred from a Church Preen Galileo dam. This tall Tiger son has a four-star replacement index and had been working before he was moved off farm.

Another bull from North Leinster secured €5,200 – polled Hereford Knockmanta 1 Burly who was sold to Northern Ireland. Another Fabb 1 Northern son in demand – this January 2022 born bull was bred from a Wirruna Daffy D1 daughter. Burly has a DBI value of €101, five stars for the replacement index and four stars for the terminal index. Burly is a full brother to Handsome who is herd sire at Arranview Herefords in Scotland & was awarded Reserve Hereford bull of the Year 2022.

There was continued success for Eamon & John McKiernan of Knockmountagh/Knockmanta Herefords, Louth, when they sold their second lot of the day; Knockmountagh Ranger. Ranger, sired by Allowdale Rambo 738 and bred from a Bowmont Storm granddaughter is a fully horned and tested non-carrier polled bull. With five stars for the replacement rate and four stars for the terminal index and carcase conformation – Ranger is a powerful bull with great conformation and growth. Ranger was purchased by the Scott family of Knockfin & Athgreine Herefords, Laois for €4,500.

There was further success for Alan Gibbons, Roscommon, when he sold lot 5 – Meadowhillpoll 1 Ronaldo for €4,300. Ronaldo was sired by Normanton 1 Laertes and bred from a Mawarra Sentimental dam. Along with a super temperament, Ronaldo has a DBI value of €136, four stars for the replacement index and five stars for the terminal index, carcse weight and carcase conformation.

The same buyer who purchased Meadowhillpoll 1 Ronaldo also purchased lot 31 – Corlismore Dozer 170 by Sean & Gary McKiernan, Corlismore Herefords, Cavan. This Allowdale Rory 594 son was born in October 2021 and bred from a Cill Cormaic Leo dam. With four stars for the terminal index and carcase weight and five stars for the terminal index and a DBI value of €88 – Dozer was sold for €4,000.

Nigel Heatrick of Glaslough Herefords struck a win when he sold Glaslough Winner for €3,700 to a fellow Monaghan farmer. This April 2021 born bull was sired by Airhill Raffael and bred from a Ballyaville Ger dam. This fully horned bull has four stars for the terminal index and carcase weight.

There were a number of bulls sold for €3,500 on the day also;

Mountwilliams Oxygen, bred by Aidan Farrell, Westmeath, was sired by Butlerstown Duke and bred from a Cave Hill Storm dam. This June 2021 bull has four stars for both the replacement & the Terminal index along with four stars for carcase weight and conformation.

The second bull out of the Corlismore herd also sold for €3,500 to Wexford breeder Niall Jones. Corlismore Europa 182 was sired by Corlismore Pompeii, a Yarram Pompeii son and bred from a Shiloh Farm Dynamite. Europa has five stars across the board in terms of Terminal traits.

Regulars to the show ring – Tom & Anselm Fitzgerald also sold both their lots on the day for €3,500 to Co. Galway. Grianan Wonderkid, bred from the IHBS Breed Improvement sire: Pute Nascar N13 and bred from Grianan Orange P 741, Wonderkid has a five star terminal index, four star replacement index and a DBI value of €99.

Grianan Wonder is also sired by a Breed Improvement sire; Karoonda Sampson and again bred from the famous Orange line – Grianan Orange R786. Wonder has five stars for the terminal index and carcase confirmation along with above average DBI value of €85.

Heifers

There were also four heifers for sale on the day – all of which moved onto greener pastures. Corlismore Herefords offered & sold two heifers on the day;

The first heifer was polled by Fabb 1 Nutcracker and bred by Corlismorepoll 1 Sydney 011, from the famous Sydney line which has produced three National Champions. This heifer is from the same family as the top priced bull of the sale; Drumgoonpoll 1 Sydney. With five stars for the replacement index and milk, Sydney was sold to Wexford for €3,400.

The second Corlismore heifer was fully horned; Corlismore Honesty 160. This was a big tall Allowdale Rory 594 heifer who was bred from a dam bred from Shiloh Farm Dynamite who was the National Hereford Champion in 2018. Honesty has a four-star replacement index and four stars for milk. Honesty was purchased by breeders from Tipperary for €2,700.

A further horned heifer was offered for sale from Patsy Smith, Borin Herefords, Cavan. Borin Kate, sired by Allowdale Rambo 738 and bred from a Corlsimore dam also, has four stars for the replacement rate and sold to a fellow Leitrim breeder for €2,300.

Colin Burke from Coralstown Herefords, Westmeath & breeder of the top priced bull sold during the Premier Autumn Sale 2022 also exhibited a heifer on the day. Coralstown Rosie 1 is sired by IHBS Breed Improvement sire; Pute Nascar N13 and bred from a Trillick George dam who is a full sister to Coralstown Hurricane who sold for €5,500 last Autumn. This March 2021 heifer was crowned Reserve Champion & sold to Northern Ireland for €2,000.

Many thanks are extended to the pre-sale inspector Mr. John Beirne, the show judge, Mr. Matthew Goulding, Sale auctioneer, Mr. Eamonn Gaffney, GVM Tullamore, all stewards on the day and Irish Hereford Prime for their continued sponsorship.