The Irish Hereford Society held the last of its spring sales last weekend in Nenagh, seeing a 100% clearance of all bulls on offer. This is an increase from an 85% clearance on 2016, while average also saw a boost of nearly €150 up to just shy of €3,000.

Well-known Hereford breeders Tom and Anselm Fitzgerald brought home the champion sash for their bull Grianan Prince.

This four-star terminal bull was sired by Grianan Freddy who has produced a number of animals which were very successful around the shows last year. Prince later found a home at €3,500 with local Nenagh man Michael McLoughlin.

Reserve

Judge Mervyn Richmond awarded the reserve championship to Philip and Catherine Smyth for their bull Ardmulchan Magic.

This bull is out of the well-known UK bull Church Preen Galileo, who has had a great deal of success across the water, winning best bull under two years old and reserve champion at the national show, Tenbury, along with senior male champion at the national calf show in Bristol 2010. Magic later sold for €2,500.

Roscommon native William Kennedy returned to Ballyforan a happy man as he brought home a total of €9,300 for his three bulls.

Willie’s 16-month-old bull Feevaghmore Las Vegas was responsible for almost half of this money, as he sold for the top price of €4,000. This son of successful AI bull Haven Kingpin has a five-star rating for both the terminal and replacement indices, along with a calving difficulty value of only 3.4%.

James Thompson received the next-highest price of €3,800 for his bull Ballyraggan Pioneer 839th.

Sired by Ballyaville Fine Tune, who is a son of Hollow Point Broker, this bull scored five stars for terminal, docility and carcase weight.

Longford man JJ Farrell of Trillick Herefords was another exhibitor who grabbed the attention of a number of buyers when it came to selling his bull Trillick Senior. Sired by easy calving sire Free Town Hotspur, he sold for €3,750.