The final Hereford show & sale was held in Nenagh on Thursday 18^th May and was a great success to round off the year with just three of the 24 bulls presented for sale going home again. The sale average stopped at €3,300 and the top price earned was the fantastic €5,100. Over 60% of the bulls sold for over €3,000 on the day also.

The star of the show was Dromona Oscar by Maurice Geary, Limerick. The Geary’s have had a very successful season after selling two bulls in the Nenagh April sale including the second best price of the day – €6,100 for Dromona Paddy and €3,400 for Dromona Ned also. Dromona Oscar, an August 2021 bull was sired by Allowdale Rambo 738 and bred from Dromona Prettymaid 893 – an F.H. William dam. With five stars for the replacement index, milk, carcase weight and conformation – it is no surprise this August bull was appealing and purchased by a Pedigree Hereford breeder from Westmeath for €5,100.

The judge for the show was Mr. Tommy Cregan of Tullaha Herefords, Limerick. Tommy is no stranger to the show ring with at both showing and judging. Tommy chose the West Cork bull; Gurtaleen Inchvale Joker as his Champion for the day. This November 2021 bull was sired Pulham Powerhouse and bred from a Moyclare Phoenix dam. Joker has four stars for the terminal index and five stars for carcase weight and conformation along with a DBI value of €94. Breeders, Michael & JJ Barrett, Cork, sold Joker to Donegal for €4,100.

Reserve Champion and joint second top price on the day was awarded to Ardmulchan Trailblazer by Phil & Catherine Smyth, Meath. This January bull was Reserve Champion bull calf at Longford show during 2022. Trailblazer was sired by Ballinveney Tiger and bred from a Grianan Emperor dam. With five stars for the terminal index and four stars for the replacement index – trailblazer was purchased by a breeder from Offaly for €4,300.

Joint second top price of €4,300 was earned by Kye Bruce 974, by Padraig McGrath, Roscommon. Bruce, born March 2022, was sired by Pulham Ranger and bred from a Freetown Hotspur dam, has five stars for the terminal index and carcase weight along with an excellent DBI value of €120. Bruce was snapped up by fellow Hereford breeder, Brian Stanley from Laois.

Local breeder, Willie Duff, also sold on the day when he exhibited Ballinlickpoll 1 Harvey & sold for €4,000. A Normanton 1 Laertes son and bred from a Trillick Hotspur dam, this heterozygous polled bull has four stars for the replacement index, four stars for the terminal index and a DBI value of €94.

Monaghan breeder Nigel Heatrick sold his two lots during the sale including Glaslough Zed for €3,900. Zed was sired by Cill Cormaic Quinlan and bred from Glaslough Ulyssess, a Clooncullane Major daughter.

The sale kicked off on a great note when the first two bulls into the ring sold for €3,500. Lot two – Carrabane Captain by Tom McDermott, Roscommon, was sired by Ballinveney United 2 and bred from a Carrabane Starman dam. Captain has five stars for the terminal index, carcase weight, carcase conformation and an easy calving figure of 1.8%.

The second bull into the ring – lot five – Skehanore Honour also sold for €3,500. Honour was sired by Freetown Peerless – the National Hereford Champion 2021 and bred from a Balleen Pip dam. He has a DBI value of €97.

A further two bulls sold for €3,500:

Lot 30 by William Kenny & TJ Phelan, Laois was Finnan Joe. Joe, born in February 2022, was sired by Allowdale Rory 594 and bred from a Cill Cormaic Kasper dam. Joe has a page of stars with five stars for both the replacement and the terminal index and a DBI value of €107.

The next lot into the ring – Broughall Peadar by Liam Feighery, Offaly sold to Galway for €3,500. Peadar was sired by Broughall Nick and bred from a Gageboro Morgan dam. This march 2022 bull has five stars for the replacement index and milk.

The society wish to congratulate all breeders on a great sale and also on a great season of selling bulls all round.

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