The Irish Charollais Sheep Society held their annual female show and sale recently in Tullow livestock Mart. The sale comprised both in-lamb hogget ewes and ewe lambs.

Overall, demand remained strong throughout the sale with a packed ringside and very active online bidders. This high demand led the sale to achieve an overall clearance rate of just over 85%.

On the day there was a particular interest in top quality in-lamb females which were in abundance on the day.

Judge for the day was esteemed Cork-based breeder, Albert Ferguson of the Powerview flock.

The first class presented for judging was the ewe lamb class. It was an eye-catching ewe lamb from James Walsh of the Shanvagoon flock that took the top spot in the ewe lamb section.

This Ballinaslee Wise Guy daughter had been shown successfully throughout the summer months.

She then went on to top the ewe lamb section selling for €1,000 to judge Albert Ferguson. Both second and third place in the ewe lamb section went to Eugene O’Sullivan of the Laragh flock.

These two strong ewe lambs were sired by Uppertown Bullseye and Uppertown Big Buster. They went on to sell for €680 and €480.

The final class of the day was the in-lamb hogget ewes. This was a highly competitive class of top quality in-lamb hoggets. It was Cavan breeder David Argue that took the top spot for the second consecutive year. She then went on to take the overall champion title of the pre-sale show.

This particular hogget ewe reigns from one of the top bloodlines in the Rockdale flock, which has produced rams to €3,600 earlier in the year.

This hogget ewe went on to top the sale selling for €2,800 to Northern Ireland breeder Richard Powell of the Iskeymeadow Flock. Argue sold his pen of seven in-lamb hoggets on the day to average a strong €1,507.

The second-placed hogget ewe and overall reserve champion of the pre-sale show came from the father and son duo Eddie and Paul O Gorman of the Lisfuncheon Flock.

This eye-catching hogget ewe was sired by Bawnard Wall Street and inlamb to Kilbarry Bronco has sired lambs to €2,600 this year. She later went on to sell for €1,600 in the sales ring, finding her new home with the day’s judge Albert Ferguson.