The annual Hereford show & Sale was held in Cork Co-op mart in Bandon on Wednesday 17th April. There were 21 bulls presented for sale following 28 being catalogued for entry. There was 60% clearance on the day and top price from the sale was €4,400 with the average price finishing at €3,300. The judge on the day was, as is tradition, the IHBS President: John Boddy, Leitrim. John travelled a long journey and took his role very seriously and handled the decision making very carefully.

John tapped out Lot 12 as his choice of Champion on the day – Skehanore Joey by Tom & Paddy Hickey, Ballydehob. This July 2022 bull, is a son of Free Town Peerless and bred from a Kingsgrove Storm 2^nd dam. Joey has five stars for the Terminal Index, an easy calving figure on beef cows of 2%, +9.9kg for carcass weight, €102 DBI and 4% for Dairy cow calving. Joey went on to sell for the second top price of €4,300.

John’s choice of Reserve Champion was the youngest bull in the sale – Droumdaniel Christopher by Gene Lynch, Bantry. Christopher is a December 2022 bull who was sired by Allowdale Kingpin 817 and bred from an Allowdale Exceller dam – Droumdaniel Delia 12^th. Christopher has four stars for the Replacement Index, Five stars for the Terminal Inde and +18.8kgs for Carcass Weight.

The sale topper was lot 7 – Hazel Grovepoll 1 Indiana by Dermot Whelton, Leap, who was purchased for €4,400. Indiana is a May 2022 bull who is sired by Hazel Grove Ginger – a Gageboro Morgan son and bred from a Panmure 1 Henry dam. This Heterozygous polled bull has four stars for both the Replacement and the Terminal index and a DBI value of €104.

Many Congratulations are extended to Philip Daunt on winning the West Cork Hereford Branch raffle and selecting Appel 1 Justice as his stock bull for the season! Many thanks to all who purchased tickets for the raffle. Thanks also to Irish Hereford Prime who kindly supported the sale but giving back €200 to the buyer of any bull purchased for €3,200 and over but who also gave €100 back to the buyer of any bull who purchased a ticket for the raffle.

The Hickey family sold their further two lots in the sale also. Lot 23 – Skehanore Jackpot was sold for €3,300. Another Free Town Peerless son, Jackpot is bred from an Allowdale Exceller dam. Jackpot has four stars for the Terminal Index and is +11.2kgs for Carcass Weight- nearly double the breed average.

Another Free Town Peerless son; Skehanore Jubilant who was also sold on the day for €3,300 leaving the Hickey family returning to Ballydehob with an empty trailer. Jubilant is bred from a Balleen Plomber dam and has Four stars for the Replacement Index and Five stars for the Terminal Index along with an easy calving figure of 3.7% for dairy cow calving.

There were three bulls sold on the day for €3,200 including:

Lot 16 – Clydapoll 1 Bert by John Cronin, Mallow. Bert was born in August 2022, sired by Fisher 1 Profile and bred from a Fabb 1 Northern Star dam. This homozygous polled bull has a page of stars including five stars for both the Replacement & Terminal index along with a DBI value of €134 and an easy calving figure of 3.2%.

The Roycroft family sold three bulls on the day also. Two Springvilla bulls were sold for €3,200 each. Lot 19 – Springvilla Lester 1114, born in September 2022, was sire by Drumboy Jamie and bred from a Knockmountagh Super 2 dam.

Lot 20 – Springvillapoll 1 Lewis 1113, born in September 2022 also, was sired by Drumboy Jamie also and bred from a Corlismore Fire 606 dam. This bull has very easy calving figures including 1.7% for beef cow and 4.9% for beef heifer.

Many thanks are extended to the show judge, John Boddy (IHBS President), Sale auctioneer, the staff of Bandon mart, all stewards on the day and Irish Hereford Prime for their continued sponsorship.