The annual April Hereford bull show & sale was held in Nenagh on Thursday 6^th April and a show stopper it was with impressive stats to report with a top price of €8300, an average price of €3700, 74% clearance rate and 80% of bulls sold for over €3000!

The headline of the day was Dunsinane Ned 2 selling for the top price of €8,300 to Limerick breeder Pat Hayes of Kildromin Herefords. Ned was placed third in his class on the day. Bred by Glenn Jacob from Wexford, Ned was sired by Dunsinane Clyde and bred from a Haven Kingpin dam. He has a four-star replacement index and five stars for the terminal index and there’s plenty of milk in this bull’s pedigree. Mr. Hayes was one happy man when after a tight race auctioneer Eamonn Gaffney dropped the hammer at €8,300!

As usual the show kicked off the day with Mr. Neil Twomey of Ringfort 1 Herefords, Banteer, Co. Cork judging the four bull classes. Neil is well used to being the other side in the showring especially after having an exceptionally successful showing career during 2022 when he won the Overall Reserve Supreme Champion 2022 with Ringfort 1 Carlos. Neil also sold Ringfort 1 Cristobal to Dovea Genetics last year through the Irish Hereford Prime Sustainability Programme.

It was the youngest bull in the sale that caught the judge’s eye for Champion; Moyclare Victory by Michael Molloy, Offaly. At just 15 months old, this Caislean Jake & Moyclare Rose 40 son was tapped out as overall Champion before going on to sell to a West Cork breeder for €5,500. Victorious in evaluations also – this young bull has a page of stars with five stars for both replacement and the terminal index, very easy calving figures and impressive DBI value of €129.

There was great anticipation earlier in the sale when John Hayes of Curraghliffe Herefords, Meath bought the second highest priced bull of the day. The number 13 can be unlucky for some but not for Maurice Geary when he sold his second lot for the day – Lot 13 Dromona Paddy for €6,100. This August 2021 bull is a Hollowpoint Broker son and bred from a Kye dam sired by Freetown Nevada. Paddy has four stars for both the terminal and the replacement index along with a DBI value of €108.

The second bull auctioned for the Dromona herd belonging to Maurice Geary did not disappoint either. Dromona Ned, second prize winner and sired by Gageboro Morgan and bred from a Tullaha Apple dam, has five stars for the replacement index and milk, easy calving figures and four stars for terminal traits. Ned was a first prize winner on the day and sold for €3,400.

Reserve Champion on the day was awarded to Bonleapoll 1 Del Boy by Peter Cooke, Tipperary. This December 2021 born bull was sired by Churchcrosspoll 1 Hurler and bred from a Tory Hill Remus dam. Del Boy was crowned Senior Male Champion at the National Hereford Calf Show in 2022 aswell as winning numerous shows during the Summer of 2022. Del Boy has four stars for the terminal index, easy calving figures and a DBI value of €106 – he was sold to an Offaly breeder for €4,200.

The third bull into the ring won first prize in his class – Lot 5 Cave Hill Apache – an Allowdale Rambo 838 son who’s bred from a Kilsunny Goliath dam. Apache, with four stars for the replacement index, sold for the next top price of the day at €4,000 to County Wexford.

Near the end of the sale there was success for John Farrell of the Boyanna herd, Westmeath. John had two young bulls for sale and both moved on to new homes. Boyanna Arthur, born January 2022, was sired by a Cave Hill Storm son and a Glaslough Esquire dam. With a below average calving figure of 1.7% and an above average DBI vale of €89 – Arthur was purchased by a local Nenagh farmer for €3,700.

The second and final lot for the day for the Westmeath herd was Boyanna Ada – Also born in January and sired by a Cave Hill Storm son – he was bred from a Rathcor Ranger granddaughter. Ada has a page of stars with four stars for the replacement index, milk, carcase weight and carcase conformation along with five stars for the terminal index and a below breed average calving figure of 1.7%. Ada was purchased by a Tipperary dairy farmer for €3600.

A long way from home, Nigel Heatrick from Glaslough Herefords, Monaghan was happy to be leaving Nenagh with an empty trailer after selling his three lots. Glaslough X Factor lived upto his name when the hammer dropped at €3,600. X Factor, bring a non-carrier for polled, was sired by Cill Cormaic Quinlan and bred a Ballyaville Ger dam. This December 2021 born bull has a four-star terminal index and an above average DBI value of €98.

Glaslough Washington, 3^rd prize winner during the show and Glaslough Zach both sold for €3200 also.

Another Allowdale Rambo 738 son also sold well on the day – Ballinalickpoll 1 Rambo by Willie Duff, Tipperary. Rambo was bred from a Panmure 1 Henry daughter. He has five stars for both the replacement index and milk, four stars for the terminal index and an excellent DBI value of €119. A neighbouring farmer purchased Rambo for €3,500.

Two bulls sold for €3,300 on the day also;

Lot 12 – Crowenstown Captain Marvel, by Christine, Elisa & Tara Drumm, Westmeath, was sired by Bowmont Vancouver D103 and bred from a Haven Kingpin daughter.

Lot 36 – Dunlever Tarzan, by Michael Bird, Meath, was placed third in his class on the day before selling for €3,300. The second youngest bull in the sale, Tarzan was sired by Dunlever Winston – a Balleen Revival son and bred from a Knockmountagh Tarzan dam.

Many thanks are extended to the show judge, Mr. Neil Twomey, Sale auctioneer, Mr. Eamonn Gaffney, Central Auctions Nenagh and Irish Hereford Prime for their continued sponsorship.