The Simmental sale in Tullamore on Friday night last saw averages rise by almost €800 on last year. The evening sale, in which 20 of the 36 bulls catalogued were brought forward for sale, had an average of €3,578, up from €2,800 in 2016. This was a particularly good average considering 16 of the 20 bulls for sale were born in 2016.

Clearance rate, on the other hand, took a hit to 65%. However, this could be largely attributed to animal quality or lack of star presence on the catalogue page.

Topping the trade and also claiming the overall male championship was Seamus and Jennie Aherne with Rubyjen Harry Fox. Not even 12 months old until later this month, Harry Fox is a heifer’s calf sired by Curaheen Dickens. Carrying five stars on the terminal index and four stars on replacement, he sold to Harte Peat in Co Monaghan for €6,600.

The Ahernes’ only other exhibit Rubyjen Here’s Johnny also fared well. Born April 2016, Johnny is out of stock bull Celtic Benny Et who also sired the champion at the same sale two years ago for the outfit. He sold to an undisclosed buyer for €4,000.

This topped a great month for the Ahernes, who also took home the second-top price of €8,000 at the society’s premier sale in Roscommon.

Two bulls traded hands at €4,700. First in the money was Gordan and Susan Salter’s Mohona Ganster. Sired by Clonagh Direct Debit, Ganster was awarded the reserve overall championship in the pre-sale show by judge Frank Kelly, who runs the Ashland herd in Northern Ireland. Ganster found a new home in Co Clare with Denis McCarthy.

Reserve male champion Mohona Ganster from Gordan and Susan Salter, who sold for €4,700. \ Alfie Shaw

Matching that money and selling to the National Cattle Breeding Centre stud was Sean McKiernan’s Corlesmore Hank. This young bull sees Kilbride Farm Dragoon, Curaheen Tyson and Camus Vibrant in his lineage and sold with five stars down the line.

Two other bulls broke the €4,000 mark. First up was Coose Harold from Clare breeder John Tuohy. This Promi-sired January bull was out of Curaheen Elizabeth, herself a daughter of the €18,000 Curaheen Cheyenne.

With a calving difficulty of only 4.1% he sold to Tom Bruton, Dunboyne, Co Meath, for €4,300.

Derek Costello, Drogheda, Co Louth, realised €4,200 for his third-prizewinning Barnattin Hitower. Sired by Kilbride Farm Delboy, with Raceview Tiger Klara and Ballyduff Jeweller in the back breeding, he sold to Offaly breeder Joe Kelly for €4,200.

Females

On the other side of the sale, females were met with difficult trade, with seven of the 12 present selling to average €1,982, back from €2,190 in 2016.

Topping the trade was the second-prize winner Mohona Georgina from Gordan and Susan Salter, Dunmanway, Co Cork.

This 16-month-old heifer was sired by Kilbride Farm Delboy, while the dam was bred by Raceview King.

Top-priced female at €2,700 Mohona Georgina from Gordan and Susan Salter. \ Alfie Shaw

She found a new home in Castleblaney, Co Monaghan, with Declan Callan at €2,700.

Both the female champion and reserve came from the pen of Garreth Behan, Ballyfin, Co Laois.

The champion came in the form of 14-month-old Clonagh Henrietta Murphy. Sired by Clonagh Direct Debit, she is out of a Knockane Muscle-Master-bred dam, but, unfortunately, failed to meet her reserve.

Jennalyn Hillary Desire picked up the reserve sash for the Laois man, this time with Kilbride Farm Dragoon as the sire. Again, she failed to meet her reserve on the night.