The Irish Simmental Society experienced one of its best sales seasons ever last autumn, with full clearances recorded along with notable increases in average prices.

The spring sales can bring out a different set of buyers and it was always going to be a challenge to live up to the tremendous buoyancy that was realised at many pedigree sales in the autumn of 2015.

Last weekend’s spring Simmental premier show and sale in Roscommon attracted a great crowd, with commercial producers, pedigree breeders, Northern buyers, overseas customers and representatives from two AI companies among the buyers.

On the day, 53 bulls went through the ring, with 68% selling for an average price of €3,200 (slightly down from €3,560 at the same sale last year, but with a similar clearance). A total of nine bulls were exported (five across the water and four to the North), with many commercial farmers willing to pay up to €3,000 for a good-quality bull.

It’s clear though that buyers are paying greater attention to the €uroStar indices, with prices beginning to reflect star ratings in a number of incidences.

Top price of €8,200 went to David Wall, Newcastle, Co Dublin, for the junior champion Curaheen Giant. Born January 2015, he is a Curaheen Drifter son out of the Kilbride Farm Moville cow Delfur Poppy.

The purchaser of this 15-month-old bull was the judge Stewart Stronach to join his Islavale Herd in Banffshire, Scotland.

Not stopping there, David also took home €6,000 for another Drifter son, this time the 13-month-old Curaheen Gold Digger bought by Dorothy Moffat, Dunbar, Scotland, for her Innerwick herd.

The second-highest price of €6,300 went to Clonagh Frosty King, a Banwy T-Rex son sold by Garret Behan, Ballyfin. Born in December 2014, he is out of Clonagh Temptress Posh, a Kilbride Farm Newry-bred cow, and was purchased by the National Cattle Breeding Centre (NCBC) to join its AI stud.

Dovea Genetics purchased the youngest bull in the catalogue, Grianan General, at €5,000. Exhibited by Anselm Fitzgerald, Mount Temple, Moate, Co Westmeath, this 11-month-old bull is sired by Kilbride Farm Delboy and is out of Raceview Bounty Royal, a Kilbride Farm Newry dam.

In the ring, the reserve junior champion title was awarded to Tonrevagh Gallant, exhibited by the Swanick family, Castlerea, Co Roscommon. At 13 months old, he is a son of Clonagh Tiger Gallant and is out of the Hillcrest Vicar dam Beechhill Clodagh. He was purchased for the Livetside Herd in Scotland by Alister MacKintosh for €4,300.

The senior champion Littlerock Firecracker, exhibited by Benny McNamara, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare, sold for €3,750 to Paul Cryan, Keash, Ballymote, Co Sligo. Sired by Kilbride Farm Newry, this September 2014 bull is out of Corlesmore Carla Harriet, a Curaheen Vio-bred cow.

Other top prices

  • €3,500 for Cloondroon Franco, exhibited by Michael Prendergast, Claremorris, Co Mayo. Born August 2014, he is by Cloondroon Calling and was purchased by Marie Murphy, Tuam, Co Galway.
  • €3,500 for 13-month-old Clonagh General Almighty, exhibited by Garret Behan, Ballyfin, Portlaoise. By Kilbride Farm Dragoon, he sold to Martin Doherty, Ballymena, Co Antrim.
  • €3,100 for Duff Felix, an October 2014 Glebefarm Tyson son exhibited by John and Barry Duffy, Ballybay, Co Monaghan. He was purchased by Emmet Tarmey, Ballinlough, Co Roscommon.
  • €3,000 for Bridgemount Fletcher, a son of Seaview Tommy exhibited by William O’Riordan, Rathcormac, Co Cork, and purchased by Willie Dorgan, Mallow, Co Cork.
  • €3,000 for Clonagh Four Leaf Clover, bred by Garret Behan, Ballyfin, Portlaoise. A son of Banwy T-Rex, he was purchased by John and Lilian Simmons, Tullow, Co Carlow.
  • €3,000 for Bearna-Dhearg Frontier, a Curaheen Wakeman-sired bull exhibited by William O’Halloran, Cahir, Co Tipperary, and purchased by Stephen McCann, Randalstown, Co Antrim.
  • €3,000 for Shiloh Forever Royal exhibited by Hugh Murray, Moate, Co Westmeath. This Cairnview Snazzy-sired bull was purchased by John McInerney, Granard, Co Longford.
  • €3,000 for Killerary Gilmore exhibited by Gerard and Niall Dempsey, Geashill, Tullamore, Co Offaly. He is a son of Kilbride Farm Newry.
  • €3,000 for Curaheen Geromina exhibited by David Wall, Newcastle, Co Dublin. A son of Hillcrest Champion, he was purchased by Catherine Maloney, Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick.
  • €3,000 for Bighill Giovanni sold by Fergal Doherty, Carrigart, Co Donegal. Sired by Curaheen Tyson, he was purchased by Denis Maher, Newport, Co Tipperary.
  • €3,000 for Corbally Groover exhibited by James Browne, Glanworth, Co Cork. By Kilbride Farm Bantry, he was purchased by Roger Satchwell, Maynooth, Co Kildare.

    • Females

    A buoyant female trade saw 22 of the 23 heifers on offer selling for an average price of €2,955 (up from €2,250 at the same sale last year which recorded a 90% clearance).

    Overall female champion and top female price of €6,000 went to first-time exhibitor Patrick Connolly, Cummer, Tuam, Co Galway, with Pollacossaun Georgina.

    Just under 12 months of age, she is a daughter of Kilbride Farm Newry and is out of a Banwy T-Rex dam Clonagh Dixie Princess J.

    The purchasers were Paddy and John Mannion to join their Marbelhill herd, Kilasolan, Mountbellew, Co Galway. The Mannions also went on to buy Moorglen Fig Roll, a December 2014-born Delfur T-Bone heifer exhibited by Shane Silke, Castlerea, Co Roscommon, for €4,300.

    The reserve championship sash went to Garret Behan, Ballyfin, Portlaoise, with Clonagh Glitzy Rubystar, sired by Kilbride Farm Dragoon. At just 11 months, this heifer is out of a Dirnanean Jacob dam Cloneygowan Ruby Star and was purchased at €5,500 by Joe Kelly, Ennis, Co Clare. Garret also realised €4,150 for Clonagh Groovy Chick, a 12-month-old heifer sired by Kilbride Farm Dragoon and out of a Banwy T-Rex dam, Clonagh Bee Bee. This young heifer was exported to the herd of David Hyslop, Scotland.

    Hitting the €3,950 mark for Peter and Marion O’Connell, Mallow, Co Cork, was Raceview Gracefull Wynn, a February 2015-born heifer sired by Cairnview Snazy and out of a Glen Podge dam.

    The buyer was Maurice Darcy, Boyherstown, Navan, Co Meath, who also secured Clonagh Golden Cream, exhibited by Garret Behan, Ballyfin, for €3,600.

    A price of €3,900 was achieved by the youngest heifer in the catalogue Jennalyn Glamour Rose, sold by Lyndsey Behan, Ballyfin, Portlaoise.

    This 11-month-old heifer is a daughter of Kilbride Farm Dragoon and is out of a Raceview King dam. She was purchased by Philip Shore, The Paddocks, Cuttenclough, Co Kilkenny.

    The next Irish Simmental Society Sale will take place in Tullamore on Saturday 16 April.