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Fireball lights up Kilmallock Hereford Show & Sale 2024!

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The annual Hereford show & Sale was held in GVM Kilmallock on Friday 19th April.

The continuous wet weather further hindered the clearance rate of this sale and also added to the unusually large number of entries. Despite this, the prices remained steady throughout the sale. The average price of the sale was €3,600 and all to one bull sold for €3,000 and above.

The task of judging on the day fell to well known local Hereford breeder Patrick O’Donnell from Glenvalley Herefords, Mitchellstown. There were five large classes to judge on the day but that didn’t deter the judge in carrying out the job efficiently. Patrick’s choice of Champion on the day was Ballinveney Flincher by Rory Farrell, Tipperary. This October 2022 bull was sired by Black Water Lad and bred from a Churchill Storm dam.  

Champion: Ballinveney Flincher with breeders Dan & Brian Farrell, Judge Patrick O’Donnell & IHBS President John Boddy

There was further success for the Farrell family when their second lot and the youngest bull in the sale – Ballinveney Fireball topped the sale at €5,650. This December 2022 born bull was sired by Haven Kingpin and bred from a Bowmont Storm dam. He has three stars for the Replacement Index and four stars the Terminal Index, +12kg for carcass weight and five stars for carcass conformation. Fireball was sold to Gageboro Herefords for €5,650.

Sale Topper: Ballinveney Fireball with purchaser John Holloway, breeders Brian, Dan, Seamus, Noreen & Rory Farrell.

Reserve Champion was awarded to Clondrinapoll 1 1404TH by Gerard & Declan Donnelly, Clare. This November 2022 born bull was sired by Cill Cormaic Perseus and bred from a Solpoll 1 Lawman dam. This bull has four stars for the Replacement Index, an easy calving figure of 1.5% for beef cows and 4% for beef heifers. This bull was sold to a Pedigree herd for €4,050.

Reserve Champion Clondrinapoll 1 1404TH with breeder Declan Donnelly, Judge Patrick O’Donnell, IHBS President John Boddy & Sponsor Tennyson Egar from Irish Hereford Prime

The next top priced bull on the day was Lot 18 – Kyepoll 1 1 Panda 989 by Padraig McGrath, Roscommon. This July 2022 bull was purchased by Richard and Jack Heffernan for €4,000. Panda was sired by Fabb 1 Northern Star and bred from a Hollystone 1 Liquid Gold 390 dam. Panda has a page of stars including five stars for the Replacement Index (€160) – the highest Replacement bull catalogued, Five stars for Termina Index, nearly double the breed average for milk, Dairy Beef Index value of €125 and a dairy cow calving figure of 3.6%. Kye Herefords also sold two other bulls on the day – Lot 21 Kyepoll 1 1 Panda 991 (the second highest Replacement bull catalogued) for €3,000 and Lot 33 Kye Ranger 999 for €3,400.

Kyepoll 1 1 Panda 989 with breeder Padraig McGrath, Sponsor Tennyson Egar from Irish Hereford Prime, breeder Catherine McGrath & purchasers Richard & Jack Heffernan.

Lot 14 Moyclare Victor by Michael Molloy, Offaly also sold on the day for €3,700. This July 2022 bull was sired by Caislean Jake and bred from Moyclare Ursula 14th, a Nanscient Lookout dam. Victor has a very easy calving figure of 1.5% on beef cows, 3.2% on dairy cows, -0.1 days for gestation and four stars for the Replacement Index.

Moyclare Victor

The next lot into the ring was Kingsgrovepoll 1 Kid 15, exhibited by Michael Dullea, Cork. This July 2022 bull was sired by Solpoll 1 Kentucky Kid P and bred from a Gouldingpoll 1 Captain dam. Kid has five stars for both the Replacement and the Terminal Index along with being -0.6 days for gestation. Kid sold for €3,700 also.

Kingsgrovepoll 1 Kid 15 with exhibitor Michael Dullea & Sponsor Tennyson Egar from Irish Hereford Prime

The next lot into the ring was Awbegpoll 1 Dylan by Adrian Curtin, Cork. Another July bull – Dylan is sired by Gouldingpoll 1 Gold Spice and bred from a Kye Harry 686 dam. Dylan has five stars for the Replacement Index, four stars for the Terminal index and carcass weight. Dylan was purchased by a Limerick farmer for €3,600.

Awbegpoll 1 Dylan

There were a further four bulls sold during the sale for €3,200:

Lot 17 Keenagh Theo

Lot 34 Trillick Gerry 2

Lot 46 Rathnollag Dasher

Lot 48 Keenagh Twister

Many thanks are extended to the pre-sale inspector Tommy Fitzgerald, the show judge, Patrick O’Donnell, Sale auctioneer, Eamonn Gaffney, GVM Kilmallock staff, Shanon Kinahan & the Irish Farmers Journal for the sale photography & coverage and Irish Hereford Prime for their continued sponsorship.

Competition, News, Society, Uncategorized

Irish Hereford Travel Bursary 2024

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The Irish Hereford Breed Society will be bringing a team of four young Hereford breeders aged between 18 and 26 years of age to the World Hereford Conference in Kansas, USA in October 2025.  Irish Hereford Prime have created a travel bursary for the event to the total value of €10,000. This will see each of the four successful candidates receive €2,500 towards the cost of their trip.

As part of the World Hereford Conference there is a dedicated young breeder competition that will take place from the 19th to the 25th of October 2025. The Irish Hereford Breed Society and Irish Hereford Prime intend to run a competition throughout 2024 to choose a team of four young Hereford breeders to travel to Kansas and compete against young Hereford breeders from around the world.

At the World Hereford Conference, young breeders will participate in a variety of skills-based events centred around the United States agriculture industry. To conclude the event, the young breeders will participate in a fitting and showmanship competition at the American Royal on October 25th 2025 with the winners being crowned at the closing reception. Further details for the event in Kansas will be posted by the American Hereford Association as they become available. Each of the four members of Team Ireland will be entitled to a €2,500 travel bursary from Irish Hereford Prime to be able to make the journey and compete in the international competition. There are also tours organised either side of the World Hereford Conference that young breeders would be eligible to attend if they wished to do so.

Competition Schedule for 2024:

Hereford breeders or Son / Daughter or Niece / nephew of Registered Hereford breeders.

Aged 18 – 26 years of age on 1st November 2025 (born between 1st November 2007 and 2nd November 1998) 

Launch: 15th April 2024

End: October 2024 – GVM

  • Application form – 10%– email louise@irishhereford.com to obtain this form – Deadline is midnight on 3rd May 2024
  • Workshop – 20%
  • Grooming / show prep / clipping / haltering & leading cattle.
  • Presentation & dressing of oneself for showing.
  • Ability to discuss / describe how they prepared and presented their animal.
  • Show – attend one of four designated shows – 25%
  • Must show a Hereford animal in one of the main Hereford classes during the show – not just in the YH class. An independent judge(s) to score that person’s abilities.

  • Factory tour and Stock judging of HEX animals ahead of slaughter – 20% – scored on accuracy of estimated carcase weights, grades & fat scores.

  • Final stage – Private interview including a 3-minute presentation – 28th September 2024 at The Tullamore Court Hotel -25%

Team Ireland – Winners will be obliged to:

  1. Finalists requested to attend the National Hereford Calf show 2024 in GVM Tullamore.
  2. Make presentation at the IHBS AGM in March 2025
  3. Video/s interviews of winners on their farm/s or all on one farm.
  4. Attend one workshop day in 2025
  5. Social media – winners will be expected to generate their own social media video & telling the story of their trip, uploading to their own SM channels, and tagging @irishherefordprime who may share some of the content. Full details will be supplied.

While at the Conference, contestants will take part in a variety of skills based events centered around the United States agriculture industry.
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To conclude the competition, youth will participate in a fitting and showmanship competition at the American Royal on Oct. 25, 2025. The winners will be crowned at the closing reception. Details for the event will be posted as they become available.

For further information please contact louise@irishhereford.com or on 044 9348855.

News, Sales, Shows, Society, Uncategorized

Winston wins out at Nenagh Hereford Show & Sale April 2024

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The annual Hereford show & Sale was held in Central Auctions Nenagh on Thursday 4th April. The society welcomed back previous auctioneer Hugh Mulvihill for the start of the sale. Hugh was society auctioneer for a lifetime and was back for one day only. The second half of the sale was conducted by Robert Vere Hunt who came from selling calves in Birr. Robert stated the Hereford calves were a firm favourite in Birr and were selling for upto €350/head. There was a large entry of bulls which owed to a lower than usual clearance rate which was also hindered by the continuous rain increasing pressure on farmers nationwide. The average price of the sale was €3,700 and 90% of bulls that sold – sold for €3,000 and above.

The show kicked off with Michael Dullea judging. Michael runs the Deelish Hereford herd in West Cork and is no stranger to the showring. Michael’s choice of Champion was Woodviewpoll 1 Tomboy by Marshall & David Abbott, Cavan. Tomboy went on to sell for €5,000 to a Pedigree Hereford breeder. Sired by Fisher 1 Profile and bred from a Fabb 1 Northern Star dam. Four stars for the replacement index, five stars for the terminal index and DBI value for €115.

Champion Woodviewpoll 1 Tomboy, with breeders David & Marshall Abott, IHBS President John Boddy & Judge Michael Dullea.

Reserve Champion: Moyclare Winston by Michael Molloy, Offaly – sold for €5,300 to the Hereford Breed Improvement Scheme. Winston was sired by Caislean Jake and bred from UK imported Border Oyster Lass R59. Winston has four stars for the replacement index, five stars for the terminal index, five stars for carcase conformation (+10.2kgs – double the breed average), five stars for carcass conformation, easy calving on beef cows (2%) and beef heifers, DBI value of €124 and easy calving on dairy cows 3.1%. The Breed Improvement Scheme purchased the bull for €5,300.

Reserve Champion: Moyclare Winston with breeder Michael Molloy, IHBS President John Boddy & Judge Michael Dullea

Drumcarbin Undertaker 2 by Shane McKiernan, Cavan, sold for €4,500. This September 2022 born bull was sired by Breed Improvement sire Battalion Undertaker and bred from a Church Preen Galileo dam, Bellingham Nevin who was All Ireland Champion Heifer in 2018. Undertaker 2 has four stars for the replacement index, five stars for the terminal index, five stars for carcass weight (+12.1kgs) and five stars for milk (+5.9kgs). He is also easy calving at 3.7% for dairy cow calving.

Drumcarbin Undertaker 2 with exhibitor Cathal O’Meara

The next best priced on the day was €4,200. Creggpark 1 Tommy ET, by Robert McNevin, is an August 2022 bull, sired by Kinglee 1 Hero and bred from Herberry 1 Lilac Lucy Et. This homozygous polled bull has five stars for the replacement index (€165). This bull has easy calving figures and has a DBI value of €139.

There were two bulls on the day that sold for €4,000. Gurteen College purchased lot 31 – Ballinveney Fugitive, by Rory Farrell. This August 2022 born bull is sired by the Breed Improvement sire; Kaludah Powerhouse and bred from a Ballinveney Nigel dam. Fugitive has five stars for the both the Replacement and the Terminal index along with having +11.1kgs for carcase weight.

Rathnollag Spotlight by Sinead Conry, Roscommon also sold for €4,000. Spotlight is a son of Cill Cormaic Kasper and bred from a Trillick Hotspur dam. Spotlight has five stars for both the Replacement and the Terminal index along with a DBI value of €118 and a dairy cow calving figure of 3.5% and -0.6 days for gestation.

Several bulls sold for €3,800 during the sale also including:

Lot 18, Gurtlaeen Inchvale Gene was sired by Conmelvin Ollie and bred from Droumdaniel Sally 1004. Gene four stars for the Replacement index, Terminal index and carcass conformation. He was sold for €3,800 to a Pedigree Hereford breeder from Clare.

Gurtaleen Inchvale Gene with breeder Michael Barrett & purchaser Michael Browne.

Lot 23, Ballylinepoll 1 General Lee, by Eoin Lynch, Kerry, was sired by Moorside 1 Panda and bred from Donovapoll 1 Princess. This homozygous polled bull has five stars for the replacement index (€167) and is +7.4kgs for milk. This bull sold for €3,800.

Lot 32, Bonleapoll 1 Everest by Peter Cooke, Tipperary. This August 2022 born bull was sired by Gouldingpoll 1 Superstar and bred from an Allowdale Rory 594 dam. Everest has five stars for the replacement index, terminal index, +10.6kgs for carcass weight and +7kgs for milk and -0.5 days gestation.

Corlismorepoll 1 Eddy 211, by Gary McKiernan, Cavan was also sold for €3,800. This Shiloh Farm Dynamite son is bred from a Corlismore Pompeii dam. He has the highest carcase weight of all the bulls catalogued and has a very easy calving figure of 1.7% on beef cows and a DBI value of €103.

Many thanks are extended to the pre-sale inspector Tommy Fitzgerald, the show judge, Michale Dullea, Sale auctioneers, Hugh Mulvihill & Robert Vere Hunt, Central Auctions Nenagh, Shanon Kinahan & the Irish Farmers Journal for the sale photography & coverage and Irish Hereford Prime for their continued sponsorship.

News, Sales, Uncategorized

Ballyfrunk Bob bounces to the top in Kilkenny!

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The Hereford bull sale Spring season kicked off with the Annual Kilkenny bull sale on 20th March 2024. The sale was 25 Hereford bulls auctioned for sale – of which 50% were sold to an average price of €3,100.

Ballyfrunk Bob 3326 was sold for €4,800 to Pedigree Hereford breeder Tom Ryan. Born in June 2022, sired by Allowdale Rory 1019 and bred from a Free Town Hotspur dam. Bob has five stars for the Replacement and Terminal Index, five stars for Carcass Weight (+12.6kgs) and an easy calving figure of 2.4%.

Ballyfrunk Bob 3326 with breeder Hannah Murphy, Kilkenny, topped the sale at €4,800

The Champion on the day, as chosen by Padraig Murphy, was Grianan Aone by T&A Fitzgerald, Westmeath, sold for €4,100. Born in August 2022, Aone was sired by Rorardstown Captain and bred from Grianan Orange R 809. Aone has Four stars for the Replacement Index, five stars for the Terminal Index and an easy calving figure of 2.4%.

Champion: Grianan Aone, by T&A Fitzgerald, Westmeath, sold for €4,100

The next best price of the sale went to Christy Finn, Kilkenny, who sold Bawngarriff Rory Three for €3,500. This July 2022 bull was sired by Arnagross Rory and bred from a Chatsworth Hector dam.

Bawngarriff Rory Three, by Christy Finn, Kilkenny, sold for €3,500

Edwin & Robert Jones from Longford had a successful day at the sale also when they sold their two lots for €3,400. Keenagh Tarzan was crowned Reserve Champion on the day. This July 2022 born bull was sired by Kilsunny Goliath and bred from a Black Water Lad dam. Tarzan has five stars for the Terminal Index and Carcass weight (+13.2kgs).

Reserve Champion: Keenagh Tarzan, by Edwin & Robert Jones, Longford, sold for €3,400

Keenagh Teddy, also born in July 2022, was sired by home bred Keenagh L-Jay, a Hollow Point Broker son, who has been bred well for the herd. Teddy has four stars for the Replacement Index and is -4.07 days for gestation. He has a DBI of €103 and a dairy cow calving figure of 2.9%.

Keenagh Teddy, by Edwin & Robert Jones, Kilkenny, sold for €3,400

The Thompson family from Ballyraggan Herefords, Carlow, sold three of their four bulls on the day. Their third bull into the ring: Ballyraggan Andy 1098TH – sold for €3,300. This March 2022 born bull was sired by Ballyraggan Isaac 862nd and bred from a Ballinveney Pedlar dam. He has four stars for milk and carcass weight and an easy calving figure of 2.5%.

Ballyraggan Andy 1098th with breeder Hazel Thompson, Carlow, sold for €3,300

The next best priced bull on the day was by Christy Finn, Kilkenny, Bawngarriff Rory Four. This August 2022 born bull was sired by Arnagross Rory and bred from a Chatsworth Hector – a half brother to Bawngarriff Rory Three.

Competition, News, Society, Uncategorized

Direct Debit Mandate Raffle for AI Straws – Random winners

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The raffle for AI straws for all members who signed upto pay by Direct Debit was held on 11th March 2024 following all mandated being returned to the Society office on or before 8th March.

There were 380 entrants in the raffle.

The five random winners are:

  • Tom McDermott
  • Edel Barrett
  • Colm Kelly
  • Jim & Donal Fitzpatrick
  • Aidan Wrynne

Each of the above have been emailed and are entitled to either:

–         five complimentary straws of KNOCKMOUNTAGH CUCHULLAIN HE9637

or

–         three complimentary straws of Kanimbla Power Quest HE9652