HEREFORD PRICES REACH NEW HEIGHTS AT ROSCOMMON

Demand for Herefords at the Society's Premier Autumn sale surpassed expectations with bulls averaging 3,319 and selling to a top of 8,150.  Females also continue in high demand selling to 6,000 and averaging 2,614.

Progeny of the Australian Hereford bull Yarram Pompeii V055 imported through the Society's breed improvement program featured prominently in the prize winners and top prices.

The days Champion bull Corlismore Taurus a fifteen month old son of Yarram Pompeii V055 out of Corlismore Unique by Woodview Royal topped the sale at 8,150 selling to Co. Cork breeder Albert De Cogan from Castlemartyr. Well known Limerick breeder Pat Hayes of Kilteely under bidder for the Champion purchased another Pompeii son Kye Paul 9 th bred by Padriag McGrath Elphin out of Kye Spot 4 th by Lisnabin Jovial at 6,000.    Mr. Hayes also purchased Fairyhouse Katie and Fairyhouse Tugger from George Stanley, Ratoath, Co. Meath to average 3,080 for the three bulls.

Cill Cormaic Maximus by Stock Bull Ballinphraise Brandy a Bishophill General son and out of Knockfin Gwenevere 15 th a Tullamore Show prize winner by Grianan Magic bred by David Larkin  Kilcormac, Co, Offaly sold at 5,600 to Mr. Bob Lanigan, Tullamaine Castle, Fethard, Co, Tipperary.  He also sold Cill Cormaic Valentine and Cill Cormaic Omega to average 3,885 for his three exhibits.

A further Pompeii son Corlismore Express bred by Sean McKiernan was purchased by Joe Maher, Ballydowel, Rathmoyle, Co. Kilkenny Chairman of Irish Hereford Prime Ltd for 4,100.  Other principal bull prices were Mr. Val Ledwith's Rathregan Ferdinand by Moyclare Courallie a Pompeii son at 3,150 to Mr. Patrick Molihan, Ardagh, Co. Longford and K.& M. Diffley's Duibhgiolla Popular 2 nd by Pompeii at 3,000 to Mr. Thomas Molloy, Gurteen, Ballinasloe.

Demand for females outstripped supply.  Mr. Noel Hartnett of Rockchapel purchased the Female Champion Lisnalurg Honey Bea 2 nd by Yarram Pompeii V055 at 5,600 and also her dam Lisnalurg Naughty Bea with her April born heifer calf by Balleen Generator 6 th at foot for a further 5,200.  A former National Female Champion at Tullamore she won twelve Hereford championships in her show career.  She is currently eleven years old and carrying her tenth calf an outstanding production record. 

The top female price of the day was reached for T & A Fitzgerald's Grianan Orange E370 a Yarram Pompeii V055 daughter out of Grianan Blossom by Standard Lad 93J ex Drumakeenan Orange 49 th she is due 20 th February next to Churchill Storm.  The Orange family has been consistently successful tracing back through the Drumakeenan herd of R.S. Kenny, Birr and the Lisnabin herd of DJD Purdon, Killucan, Co. Westmeath.  She sold to Liam Philpott and Anne Pounds of Kanturk, Co. Cork who are currently putting together a substantial herd of diverse bloodlines from the top herds here at home the UK and Northern Ireland.

T & A Fitzgerald of Mount Temple, Moate also sold Grianan Agnes E374 by the same sire out of Grianan Tess by Cloonbracken Performer at 3,100 to Mr. Hugh Lynch, Finea, Co. Westmeath.  In all the Fitzgerald's sold four heifers to average 3,475. 

Following the sale the Society's Chairman JJ Farrell was in an upbeat mood he stated that he was very pleased with the outcome and with the increased demand. The sale he said follows on a busy ploughing championship where there was tremendous interest in information on the premium beef schemes Hereford Prime operated through AIBP Nenagh and the Certified Beef Scheme through Omagh Meats. He continued stating that increased feed costs will put additional pressure on beef producers giving the Hereford an advantage due to its ease of finishing together with premium prices. The declaration by Dovecote Park in the UK who supply the prestigious Waitrose chain that they will pay an additional premium of 10 pence for Hereford is an indication of the changing market he stated.