There was a tougher trade than usual at Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary’s annual Gigginstown House Angus sale on his Fennor Farm in Co Westmeath.

The 250-cow herd is managed by Joe O’Mahony, and the sale of 23 bulls saw a near 100% clearance. However, the average took a hit, with a number of dealers able to secure bulls. The average price for bulls settled at €2,312, back by nearly €1,000 on the year.

Leading the way in the bulls at a price of €3,500 was Gigginstown Kingston S524. This bull was one of the oldest on offer and is sired by the homebred stock bull Gigginstown Vegabond, while the dam was a Friarstown Empire bred daughter. Kingston combined five stars on the terminal and replacement indices with a calving figure of 2.3%.

Next best at a price of €3,000 was Gigginstown Seacat S534. This September 2016-born bull is sired by the aforementioned Friarstown Empire and goes back on the dam’s side to a Canadian import by the name of Reich Sally 16G.

Gigginstown Double Agent S547 was next in line when he sold for €2,700. This five-star terminal bull is sired by Tara Bobbie while the dam is Tonroe Wally-sired daughter Gigginstown House Davina. This 19-month-old bull sold with a calving index of 2.7%.

Female trade on the day was much better than the bulls but still took a hit on the previous year. All but one female traded on the day to average €2,800, back from €3,356 in 2017, and €3,000 in 2016.

Leading the way across the heifers and indeed the bulls was Gigginstown Blackcap R432, which sold for €3,850. This heavily in-calf heifer was sired by Cashelane Marty while the dam line goes back to Belvin Blackcap, one of the foundation females in the 250-cow herd. This four-star two-and-a-half-year-old heifer sold in calf to Luddenmore King Kong.

Friarstown Empire was the sire behind the second top priced female in the sale. This one went by the name Gigginstown Lady Juliet S537. Carrying four stars on the replacement index, this stylish heifer sold in-calf to Liss Bobby, champion at the association’s premier sale last autumn. After back and forth bidding, Lady Juliet was eventually knocked down at €3,800.

The €3,500 price tag was hit twice on the day. Gigginstown Ancestral Lady T598, the second youngest in the sale being born January 2017, was the first at the money. Idvies Euxand was the sire behind this young heifer while Aughnamona Lord Hedian stood as the maternal sire. Matching her at the money was the next lot into the ring Gigginstown Gammer Girl. Again January 2017 born, this heifer is out of the previously mentioned Friarstown Empire while the dam was Gigginstown Gammer Revival.