Top prices of €18,000 and €10,000 were achieved for young heifers at the Simmental Society's annual show and sale at Roscommon, Ireland, where several lots sold to Scottish breeders.

The sale, which had been brought forward a week to avoid any export issues should there have been a No-Deal Brexit, was topped by Clonagh Jubilant Fabulous, which made up part of Garrett Behan's Clonagh draft sale from Ballyfin, Portlaoise.

His sale leader, a rising two-year-old which stood champion at the National Show at Tullamore, is by Kilbride Farm Dragoon and out of the Banwy T-Rex-sired dam, Clonagh Delightfully Fad. Jimmy and Vicki Wood who own the Popes herd from Dutton, Preston, Lancs, were the final bidders.

Mr Behan also sold the second top priced lot, Clonagh Krystal Rubystar, a 13-month-old heifer by the same sire at €10,000, to Morayshire breeder Reece Simmers of the up and coming Backmuir herd from Keith. Her dam is the Clonagh Tiger Gallant daughter, Clonagh Flashy Rubystar.

Also heading home to the Backmuir herd at €6500 was the similarly aged heifer, Lissadell Klassic Girl ET, bred by Co Sligo breeder, Kieran Mullarkey, Ballinful. She is the result of a flush from Tawley Gretta, a Monaduff Snorter daughter and sired by Hillcrest Champion.

Her two full sisters, Lissadell Kirstie ET and Lissadell Karoline ET, also made the grade, selling at €9000 and €5100, respectively, with both purchased by Ian Clarke of Sunbrae Simmentals from Rosses Point, Sligo.

Clive Houldey of Manor Park Simmentals, Waterbeck, Lockerbie, was another to splash the cash, forking out €5200 for Garrett Behan's Clonagh Leix Grace. Buying back some of his own genetics, this 10-month-old heifer calf is by Manor Park Hansome – a bull bought at Stirling in October 2017 for 22,000gns – and out of the Clonagh Direct Debit dam, Clonagh Grace Venus.

Mr Houldey also went to €2700 for the champion yearling heifer, Sliabhview Kacie, from Sean Lowry, Rossmore, Ballyfin. This August 2018-born heifer is by Curaheen Tyson and is out of the Kilbride Farm Delboy dam, Mohona Flow.

Morayshire breeder, Richard Pettit, Den Farm, Fochabers, went to €3300 for Tawley Keely ET, the reserve heifer calf from Declan Oates, Castlegal, Co Leitrim. This 10-month-old youngster is bred from the Auchorachan Wizzard dam, Annadale Dainty and sired by Hillcrest Butcher.

Top priced bull at €6300 was Gerry Neenan's Fearna Kungfu Jim from Ballyhaunis, Co May. His 10-month-old son of Curaheen Gunshot out of Fearna Vienna, a Raceview King-sired cow, headed home with pedigree breeder, Joe Wilson to join the Ballinalare herd.

Second top price amongst the males was €5200 paid for the reserve senior champion selected by the pre-sale judge, David Sapsed, Hertfordshire. Bearna-Dhearg Keith, a 13-month-old bull from William O`Halloran, Chamberlianstown, Cahir, Co Tipperary, is by Bearna-Dhearg Duke and out of a Curaheen Wakeman dam Cruithill Blessington.

Females enjoyed the best of the trade achieving an 82% clearance and a €3673 average, which was up almost €1000 on the previous year, while bulls levelled at €2820, up €296 on the 2018 sale but with only 60% of the numbers forward finding new homes.