The Irish Hereford society saw a strong sale on Saturday last in Nenagh, resulting in a 95% clearance of bulls to average just shy of €3,100.

A number of private sales in advance of the sale date led to just over half of the bulls catalogued brought to sale.

Topping trade at €3,700 was local breeder Rory Farrell with his December 2015-born Ballinveney Superstar. Homebred on both sides, Superstar combined a four-star terminal index with a calving difficulty of only 3.4%. He was purchased by Donegal man Nelson McCrabble. This capped a great day for the Ballinveney herd, as the previous lot into the ring, Ballinveney Scholar, also homebred on both sides, secured €3,400.

It was the overall champion that was next in the money at €3,600. Padraig McGrath’s Kye Harry was placed top of the youngest class by judge Adrian Bateman before eventually being tapped out overall champion.

Sired by Freetown Hotspur, Harry is out of a Churchill Storm-bred dam and found a new home with John Jones in Co Wexford. Kye King, also from McGrath, traded hands at €3,400. This one was by Haven Kingpin.

Taking up the reserve spot was Roscommon breeder Frank Harrington with FH Star. Born December 2015, he is sired by Australian bull Yarram Unique F181 and out of homebred cow FH Queen Nell. Star met trade at €3,400, selling to Barney O’Sullivan, Co Wicklow.

Winner of the first class of the day was Ardmulchan Lunar from Philip Smyth. This two-year-old bull was sired by UK bull Church Preen Galileo, with Westwood Uplifter also in the back breeding. He found a new home with Limerick farmer Patrick Lane at €3,650.

Five stars

Kilkeary Simba from Nenagh breeder Tom Fogarty sold for €3,500. Sired by Cill Cormaic Kasper, he carried five stars on both the replacement and terminal indices with a calving figure of 3.5%.

Portanob Brutus from John Canty secured the red rosette in the second class. Sired by stock bull Balleen Revival, he sees Ardmulchan Goodman and Ardmulchan Wanderor in the lineage. After a slow start, he was eventually knocked down at €3,000 to Michael Mulcahy, Nenagh.

The final class winner went to Nigel Heatrick with Glaslough Red Rum. This five-star son of Ballyaville Ger was secured for €3,050 by James Kavanagh in Co Wicklow. Nigel also collected €3,550 for his other bull Glaslough Ruler, again sired by Ballyaville Ger.