The annual Spring Hereford show & sale was held in Kilmallock on Friday 14^th April. The weather picked up and so did the trade with every bull sold in the year except one and the average price for the sale finishing up at €3,200.

The day kicked off at 11am with the show where Mr. Michael Barrett of Gurtaleen Herefords, Co. Cork took on the task of judging. There were five classes to judge but this didn’t deter the Cork man and soon he chose his Champion of the day; Clondrinapoll 1 1375^th, by Gerard & Declan Donnelly, Clare. This August 2021 bull was sired by Cill Cormaic Perseus and bred from a Solpoll 1 Lawman daughter. He has four stars for the replacement index, and five stars for milk. Clondrinapoll 1 1375^th went on to top the sale when he sold for €5,100.

The Donnelly’s sold their second lot for the day; Clondrinapoll 1 1371^st for €4,100 after placing first in class during the show. This October 2021 bull was sired by Fabb 1 Northern Star and bred from a Balleen Gilbert dam. Along with having a DBI value of €97, he has four stars for both the replacement and the terminal index.

Clondrina’s genetics continued to shine throughout the sale. Michael Barrett awarded Reserve Champion to Tommy & Maura Cregan’s Tullaha Finnian. This June 2021 bull was sired by Rossmore Nelson Mandela and bred from a Clondrina 1069^th dam. With four stars for the terminal index and carcase conformation – Finnian sold to Kerry for €3,700.

The second top price of the day was awarded to Glaslough Yorkie, by Nigel Heatrick, Monaghan. Yorkie was sired by Cill Cormaic Quinlan and subsequently bred from a Clondrina 1110^th daughter. The fully horned four-star terminal bull with a DBI value of €104 was purchased for €5,000.

Nigel was happy to go home to Monaghan with an empty trailer when he sold his second for €3,200 – Glaslough Zeb. Zeb was sired by Airhill Raffael and bred from a Ballyaville Ger dam.

The next top price of the sale was €4,400 for Trillick Boxer 2, by JJ Farrell, Longford. Boxer was sired by Pulham Ranger and bred from a Glaslough Rooney dam. Boxer has five stars for the terminal index, carcase weight and carcase conformation along with an easy calving figure of 1.7%.

Moyclare Upbeat, by Michael Molloy, Offaly, lived upto his name when he was sold to a Limerick farmer for €4,200. Upbeat, sired by Caislean Jake and bred from a Ballinalick Ledger dam, has five stars for the terminal index and carcase weight, easy calving figure of 1.7% and a DBI value of €110. Moyclare Herefords have proven to be sought after thus far throughout the Hereford Spring sales with three bulls averaging €5,000.

Kye Paddy 958 matched Upbeat when he sold for €4,100. Bred by Padraig McGrath, Roscommon, Paddy 958 was sired by Free Town Nevada and bred from a Free Town Hotspur dam. Paddy also has five stars for the terminal index and carcase weight and a DBI value of €90. Kye Herefords parted with three bulls which averaged €3,300.

Fortregal Billy, by Gerard & Sheila Lucey also did his job during the sale when he sold for €3,800. Billy was sired by Allowdale Rambo 475 and bred from Coisceam Imelda, a Lisnalurg Celtic daughter. This full horned bull has a page of stars with five stars for both the replacement and terminal index along with five stars for both carcase weight and milk.

Another bull selling for €3,800 during the sale was Bonleapoll 1 Don Juan, by Peter Cooke, Tipperary. Don Juan who placed first in his class, was born in August 2021, was sired by Gouldingpoll 1 Superstar Et and bred from Glaslough Sara 2, another Clondrina 1110^th daughter. Don Juan also has a page of stars with five stars for the replacement index, terminal index, conformation, four stars for carcase weight, milk and a DBI value above average of €83.

Peter Cooke’s second lot for the day – Bonleapoll 1 Denisthemenace, sold for €3,600 to a Limerick farmer. This September 2021 born bull was also sired by Gouldingpoll 1 Superstar Et and bred from Udel 1 FR Lively Gem. This Homozygous polled bull has a super set of figures with five stars for both the replacement and terminal index, an easy calving figure of 1.8% and a DBI value of €88.

Another success of the sale was Heterozygous polled bull Awbegpoll 1 Ainsley by Adrian Curtin, Co. Cork. Born in July 2021, this Dernaroy 1 Oscar son was bred from Blueheather Cindy, a Kye Harry 686 dam. Ainsley has five stars for the replacement index and carcase conformation, four stars for the terminal index, carcase weight and milk along with a DBI value of €89. The hammer dropped for Ainsley at €3,700.

Many thanks are extended to the show judge, Michael Barrett, Sale auctioneer, Mr. Eamonn Gaffney, the staff of GVM Kilmallock and Irish Hereford Prime for their continued sponsorship.