Hereford champion sells for €1,930
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The Overall Champion at the Hereford Show and Sale with Henry Dudley, Aidan O’Brien, Martin Murphy and Jim Fitzpatrick.Image 2 of 3
Champion heifer at the Hereford Show and Sale at Newport Livestock Mart with Henry Dudley, Jim Fitzpatrick, Aidan O’Brien, Michael Cleary (Irish Hereford Prime), and Martin Murphy.Image 3 of 3
Judges Jim Fitzpatrick and Henry Dudley assessing the situation at the Hereford Show and Sale at Newport Livestock Mart.A splendid Hereford Weanling bull became the sale topper after being awarded the overall Champion of the pre-sale show at the 20th Annual Commercial Hereford Show and Sale at Newport Livestock Mart.
Exhibited by Gerard Donnelly, Lisseycasey, Co Clare the Hereford Weanling Bull Champion and Overall Champion of the show weighed 400kgs and sold for €1,930 to achieve the top price of almost €5/kg.
Entries for the show and sale were slightly down on recent years, but the prices represented a new record for the annual sale with a complete clearance of all stock on offer under the hammer of auctioneer and proprietor of Newport Livestock Mart, James Lee.
The sale also represented an exceptionally busy week for the sale centre as the fourth livestock sale of the week, placing the venue firmly on the map as one of the most popular locations within the region for livestock sales.
The Hereford bullocks placed second and third each sold for €1,910 after weighing 453kgs and 515kgs while the winner of the class weighing 477kgs sold for €1,790 and the weanling bull placed third weighing 299 kgs sold for €1,520.
Judges at the show were Henry Dudley, former National President Irish Hereford Breed Society, and well known Hereford breeder, Jim Fitzpatrick.
The Show and Sale is organised annually by Martin Murphy, long time Pedigree Hereford Breeder and the only member of the breed society elected National Presidency of the Irish Hereford Breed Society twice. He was also a recipient of the Hereford Breed National Hall of Fame Award for his contribution to the Hereford breed over decades.