The overall sale topper at the Irish Hereford Breed Society sale at Nenagh was the third-prize winner Kye Hulk 706 exhibited by Padraig McGrath, Elphin, Co Roscommon. This bull was just 13 months old and sold for the day’s top price of €5,000. He is a son of Free Town Hotspur and boasted a five-star terminal and replacement index. This bull attracted huge interest in the sales ring before being eventually knocked down to pedigree Hereford breeder James Thompson, Rathvilly, Co Carlow for his Ballyraggan Hereford herd.

The Kye herd also claimed the second highest price of the sale with the McGrath family selling Kye Hotspur 708 for €4,300. Also 13 months old, this bull is another son of the UK-bred stock bull Free Town Hotspur. He is out of Kye Sheila 603 and was a five-star bull for both terminal and replacement index.

Reserve champion sold for €3,000

Two bulls traded at €3,000, the first of which was the Reserve Champion, Ballinveney Rambo, exhibited by Rory Farrell, Nenagh, Co Tipperary. This March 2015-born bull is sired by Ballinveney Nigel and is out of Ballinveney Fancy.

Also selling at €3,000 was Millbawn Atticus ET exhibited by Sandra Bogan, Virginia, Co Cavan. This 16 month-old bull is sired by Mawarra Sentimental and is out of the famed brood cow Millbawn Polly.

Joe O’Connor, Birr, Co Offaly received €2,800 for his 20 month-old bull Boveen Ned. Another five-star terminal index bull, this one was sired by the Australian AI bull Smithston Darby.

John Higgins, Roscrea, Co Tipperary sold his November 2014-born bull Clyduff Bradley for €2,800. This bull was a second prize winner in the pre-sale show and is sired by the AI bull Glaslough Esquire.

Champion unsold

The Overall Championship was awarded to John Neenan, Broadford, Co Limerick with Tullaha Morgan. He was born in January 2015 and won top championship honours under judge Tom Brennan, Freshford, Co Kilkenny. This bull failed to meet his reserve in the sales ring and remained unsold.

Other principal prices included Thomas Farrell, Moate, Co Westmeath who sold Boyanna Truant for €2,600 and Michael Lynch, Ballinalee, Co Longford who sold Shroidpoll 1 Hercules for €2,600 also.

Overall, 15 pedigree bulls sold to an average of €2,975 with an 80% clearance. This is up from an average price of €2,750 at a clearance rate of 75% at the same sale last May.