The Irish Aubrac cattle society held their annual autumn premier show and sale in Tullamore last Saturday 29 October, with a turnout of seven bulls, 55 heifers and two cows with calves at foot at the annual event.

With a pre-sale show being held on the morning, Jon Regan was in charge of carefully selecting the prize winners before they went under auctioneer Tom Cox’s hammer for sale.

There was a big buyer incentive on the day, with €400 being offered back to purchasers of bulls that sold for over €4,000.

Altamont Pennyhill, a February 2020-born in-calf heifer from the herd of Leo Dooley and Bridget Barron, Co Wexford, took a red rosette before she went on to be knocked down as the highest price animal on the day. The Altamont Lacey-sired heifer is in-calf to a Jintou stock bull and is due to calve later this month. She sold for the top price of €4,150 and boasts a replacement index of €184.

Nicola Butler with De Buitleir Rory, the overall champion, who went on to sell for €3,100.

Johnstown Riley 1564 from the herd of Francis Donohoe, Co Westmeath, a Johnstown Ian 1039 son born in March 2021, sold as the highest priced bull and second highest priced animal overall on the day when he sold for €3,250.

Selling for €3,150 as the sale was drawing near an end was third prize winner, Johnstown Olidia 1722, another animal from the herd of Francis Donohoe. Olidia is a December 2019-born heifer sired by Invincible and is due to calve to Oxford in January.

Not far behind was first prize winner and overall champion in the pre- sale show De Buitleir Rory from the herd of Francis Butler, Co Westmeath. This March 2021-born bull sired by Turloughmore Notre Dame sold for €3,100.

Back to the females, it was Francis and Jennifer Donohoe who reached the next highest price on the day, with their May 2020-born heifer Johnstown Praise 1818, who secured €3,000.

Due to calve in January 2023, Praise 1818, who boasted the highest index figures in the sale, carries a massive €205 replacement index figure and a 1.6% calving figure. She is sired by Johnstown Ian 1039 and was bred from an Invincible dam.

Johnstown Riley 1564, highest priced male on the day, selling for €3,250.

Hazelwood Rene, an April 2021-born bull sired by Delrieu Miami secured €2,600 for William P Walsh from Co Donegal. This bull had a replacement index of €175 and a terminal figure of €115.

From the same home as the aforementioned overall champion, third prize winner, De Buitleir Robbie from Francis Butler was the next highest priced lot in the sale. Robbie is a Turloughmore Notre Dame son with a calving figure of just 1.5% and was knocked down to a Co Carlow breeder for €2,500.

Ballintra Rachel, a Hazelwood Nevin heifer who is bred from a Dolby dam born in January 2021, was the next highest priced animal to go through the ring.

Rachel sold for €2,400 for John Walsh from Co Donegal.

Selling for €2,350 was Cloonmore Pansy, a November 2020-born heifer from the herd of James Donnellan, Co Galway. Pansy is a Deerpark Kevin daughter from a Turloughmore bred dam and is due to calve in March 2023 to French AI bull, Heureux.

The second heifer to find her new home after selling for €2,350 on the day was Kerrigan Raven from the herd of Adam Kerrigan from Co Donegal. Raven is an April 2021-born heifer sired by Johnstown Notorious 1491 and has Delrieu Frezat in her dam line.

Altamont Poppy, again from Leo Dooley and Bridget Barron, was the next highest priced female in the sale. Poppy is a November 2020-born heifer, sired by Calverstown Jock, going back to J Chardaire Orgent on the dam line and sold for €2,300.

John Walsh with Hazelwood Rene, who sold for €2,600. \ Jeff Harvey

Johnstown Racquel 1718, another female from the herd of Francis Donohoe, went on to sell for €2,200. This January 2021-born heifer was sired by Johnstown Lorkan 1491 and carried a replacement index of €191.

Selling at €2,150 was Ballintra Regina. A Delrieu Miami heifer born March 2021 from the herd of John Walsh, Co Donegal, this time selling all the way to Co Derry.

Three animals in the sale met their reserves of €2,000 on the day, two bulls and one heifer. The first of the bulls was third prize winner, Ballintra Ray from John Walsh, Co Donegal, with a Delrieu Miami bred bull, and the second was Ardough Pete, an Ardough Nixon son from Patrick Lawlor, Co Carlow.

The heifer that was knocked down at €2,000 was another female from the Walsh stable from Co Donegal. Second prize winner Hazelwood Raisa is sired by Hazelwood Nevin and was born in March 2021.

There was a good clearance on the day, with six out of the seven bulls on offer meeting their reserves and only 10 females from the 57 on offer not finding new homes.