On Saturday, 14 October, the Irish Hereford Breed Society held its annual autumn premier sale in GVM Mart Tullamore.

The sale, which saw smaller numbers than previous years due to on-farm sales and large sales in the spring, did not lack in quality.

The whole sale averaged €2,792, up €380 from the 2022 average.

The male lots topped €4,000 for Griananpoll 1 Wolflord from the herd of Tom and Anselm Fitzgerald from Moate, Co Westmeath.

Catherine McGrath, IHBS president John Boddy, judge Tony Bradstock and breeder Padraig McGrath with Kye Bouncer 972 sold for €3,500 at the Irish Hereford Breed Society premier sale in Tullamore. \Tricia Kennedy

Wolflord was a third prizewinner in the pre-sale show. However, he led the way in the sale selling to a Galway farmer for the highest price of the day.

Michael Molloy with Moyclare Valiant that sold for €3,700 at the Irish Hereford Breed Society premier sale in Tullamore. \Tricia Kennedy

The March 2022-born bull was sired by Ccr 57g Stamina ET 199s and was bred from a Fabb 1 Northern Star dam. He boasted five stars on both the terminal and replacement indexes.

The second highest price of the sale came when the reserve male champion from the pre-sale show, Corlismore Egghead 188, entered the ring. Bred from the herd of Sean and Gary McKiernan from Corlismore, Co Cavan, the March 2022-born bull was sired by Shiloh Farm Dynamite and was bred from a Grianan Firecracker dam.

Gary McKiernan with Corlismore Egghead 188 that sold for €3,700 at the Irish Hereford Breed Society premier sale in Tullamore. \Tricia Kennedy

The young bull enjoyed success on the 2023 summer show circuit as did his sire and grandsire which were both national champions. He sold for €3,700.

The McKiernan father-and-son duo also sold Corlismorepoll 1 Emperor 196 on the day for €3,500. The May 2022-born bull was sired by the easy-calving Fabb 1 Northern Star out of a Corlismore Pompeii dam.

Boasting a page full of stars, the next bull to sell for €3,700 was Moyclare Valliant from the herd of Michael Molloy, Belmont, Co Offaly. The July 2022-born bull was sired by Caislean Jake and was bred from a Free Town Nadal dam.

Valliant was a first prizewinner in the pre-sale show. He was very easy calving at just 1.8% and was almost twice the breed average for carcase weighing at 10.7kg.

Padraig Farrell with Cave Hill Don that sold for €3,200 at the Irish Hereford Breed Society premier sale in Tullamore. \Tricia Kennedy

Next in the top price lineup was the champion from the pre-sale show, Kye Bouncer, from the herd of Padraig McGrath, Elphin, Co Roscommon. The March 2022-born bull is a son of Pullham Ranger of a Free Town Hotspur dam, Kye Holly 636. The five-star bull sold for €3,500.

Selling for €3,200 on the day was Cave Hill Don from the herd of Padraig Farrell, Athlone, Co Westmeath. The April 2022-born bull was sired by Dunleaver Don out of a Gageboro Morgan dam. Don enjoyed plenty of success throughout the 2023 show season, picking up championship titles in Athlone, Mullingar and Moate shows.