The Carrick Christmas Belles sale is now a staple in the calendar of new and existing Texel flocks. The Midland and Western Showgrounds has for years been home to elite pedigree and commercial sales, but the first sheep sold were from the Enniscrone and Clew Bay flocks at their first sale all those years ago.
Auctioneer Francie McGowan noted that the mart had no sheep hurdles to run the sale, with the two flocks providing their own.
Now, several pedigree and high-end commercial sheep sales happen annually at the grounds.
This year’s Carrick Christmas Belles, the consistency among the gimmers and lambs on offer was evident through the strong average prices. In-lambs gimmers averaged €855, up from €760 last year, while ewe lambs averaged a strong €785, up from €640 last year. The majority of gimmers and lambs came from the Enniscrone flock, owned by Ronan Gallagher, and the Clew Bay flock, owned by Jimmy Garrivan, with guest consignments from the Brideswell flock, owned by Eugene and Malachy Hand.
The €13,000 Clara Fandango, Blessington Champion 2022, and the €16,000 Stainton Coca Cola were two of the main sires of the gimmers and lambs on offer, along with homebred Enniscrone Donovan. The majority of gimmers from the Enniscrone and Clew Bay flocks scanned in-lamb to the much admired Silverhill He’s a Cracker, who stood reserve champion in Blessington this year before going on to sell for €20,000.
Lot 9 from the Enniscrone flock sold for €1,500, scanned carrying a single lamb to Annaghdown Georgio. \ Chloe Goggins Photgraphy.
Top prices
Clew Bay came out on top this year with Lot 15, a two-shear ewe who had been purchased from the McHugh family, Carrickmacross, in 2022. Sired by €8,500 Procters Class Act, the powerful ewe full of breed character sold in-lamb with twins to Silver Hill Harith. McGowan’s gavel fell at €2,200 for the classy sheep.
Following close behind was Lot 28 from the Enniscrone flock. The April 2023-born gimmer, bred from Enniscrone Frazier who himself is sired by Annaghdown Edoardo, sold with a single lamb in the belly to the consistent Clara Fandango. The smart gimmer boasted five stars and four stars in across the terminal and maternal indexes respectively, and after a flurry of bids online and ringside, she went on to sell for €1,950.
The third highest price of the evening surprisingly came from the ewe lamb consignment, with the first lamb in the ring being Lot 37, a Clara Fandango daughter from the Clew Bay flock. Described as being ‘special’ and having ‘style and power in abundance’ she ranks in the top 5% across the terminal index.
The gavel fell at €1,650 for this quality lamb.
Lot 29 from the Enniscrone flock, who sold for €1,950, carrying a single lamb to Clara Fandango. \ Chloe Goggins Photography
Other leading prices included:
€1,500 for Lot 9 from the Enniscrone flock. Sired by Enniscrone Donovan, she sold scanned with a single lamb to Annaghdown Georgio.€1,100 for Lot 18 from the Clew Bay flock. Sired by Clara Fandango, she sold scanned with twins to Silverhill He’s A Cracker.€900 for Lot 13 from the Brideswell flock. Sired by €5,000 Greenhill Fionn Mac Cumhaill, she sold served to Bridewells Gladiator with at least one lamb.Recipients and charity lot
Five embryo transfer Suffolk lambs from the Enniscrone flock sold alongside their recipient dams at the end of the sale, with a mix of ewe and ram lambs sired by Limestone B Double Diamond. The top price of the five was a ewe lamb who’s maternal grandsire was Errigal Simply the Best, with the week old lamb and Mule recipient ewe selling for €1,300. The five lots averaged €870, up from €610 in 2023.
The final lot was a Suftex ewe lamb, donated by the Enniscrone flock, with all proceeds donated to the Join Our Boys Trust. She went on to realise €750.
Lot 18 from the Clew Bay flock, who sold for €1,100 scanned, carrying twins to €20k Silverhill He's A Cracker.
A Suftex ewe lamb donated by the Enniscrone flock in aid of Join Our Boys Trust. She sold for €750, with the sale price being donated to the charity. \ Chloe Goggins Photography
The Carrick Christmas Belles sale is now a staple in the calendar of new and existing Texel flocks. The Midland and Western Showgrounds has for years been home to elite pedigree and commercial sales, but the first sheep sold were from the Enniscrone and Clew Bay flocks at their first sale all those years ago.
Auctioneer Francie McGowan noted that the mart had no sheep hurdles to run the sale, with the two flocks providing their own.
Now, several pedigree and high-end commercial sheep sales happen annually at the grounds.
This year’s Carrick Christmas Belles, the consistency among the gimmers and lambs on offer was evident through the strong average prices. In-lambs gimmers averaged €855, up from €760 last year, while ewe lambs averaged a strong €785, up from €640 last year. The majority of gimmers and lambs came from the Enniscrone flock, owned by Ronan Gallagher, and the Clew Bay flock, owned by Jimmy Garrivan, with guest consignments from the Brideswell flock, owned by Eugene and Malachy Hand.
The €13,000 Clara Fandango, Blessington Champion 2022, and the €16,000 Stainton Coca Cola were two of the main sires of the gimmers and lambs on offer, along with homebred Enniscrone Donovan. The majority of gimmers from the Enniscrone and Clew Bay flocks scanned in-lamb to the much admired Silverhill He’s a Cracker, who stood reserve champion in Blessington this year before going on to sell for €20,000.
Lot 9 from the Enniscrone flock sold for €1,500, scanned carrying a single lamb to Annaghdown Georgio. \ Chloe Goggins Photgraphy.
Top prices
Clew Bay came out on top this year with Lot 15, a two-shear ewe who had been purchased from the McHugh family, Carrickmacross, in 2022. Sired by €8,500 Procters Class Act, the powerful ewe full of breed character sold in-lamb with twins to Silver Hill Harith. McGowan’s gavel fell at €2,200 for the classy sheep.
Following close behind was Lot 28 from the Enniscrone flock. The April 2023-born gimmer, bred from Enniscrone Frazier who himself is sired by Annaghdown Edoardo, sold with a single lamb in the belly to the consistent Clara Fandango. The smart gimmer boasted five stars and four stars in across the terminal and maternal indexes respectively, and after a flurry of bids online and ringside, she went on to sell for €1,950.
The third highest price of the evening surprisingly came from the ewe lamb consignment, with the first lamb in the ring being Lot 37, a Clara Fandango daughter from the Clew Bay flock. Described as being ‘special’ and having ‘style and power in abundance’ she ranks in the top 5% across the terminal index.
The gavel fell at €1,650 for this quality lamb.
Lot 29 from the Enniscrone flock, who sold for €1,950, carrying a single lamb to Clara Fandango. \ Chloe Goggins Photography
Other leading prices included:
€1,500 for Lot 9 from the Enniscrone flock. Sired by Enniscrone Donovan, she sold scanned with a single lamb to Annaghdown Georgio.€1,100 for Lot 18 from the Clew Bay flock. Sired by Clara Fandango, she sold scanned with twins to Silverhill He’s A Cracker.€900 for Lot 13 from the Brideswell flock. Sired by €5,000 Greenhill Fionn Mac Cumhaill, she sold served to Bridewells Gladiator with at least one lamb.Recipients and charity lot
Five embryo transfer Suffolk lambs from the Enniscrone flock sold alongside their recipient dams at the end of the sale, with a mix of ewe and ram lambs sired by Limestone B Double Diamond. The top price of the five was a ewe lamb who’s maternal grandsire was Errigal Simply the Best, with the week old lamb and Mule recipient ewe selling for €1,300. The five lots averaged €870, up from €610 in 2023.
The final lot was a Suftex ewe lamb, donated by the Enniscrone flock, with all proceeds donated to the Join Our Boys Trust. She went on to realise €750.
Lot 18 from the Clew Bay flock, who sold for €1,100 scanned, carrying twins to €20k Silverhill He's A Cracker.
A Suftex ewe lamb donated by the Enniscrone flock in aid of Join Our Boys Trust. She sold for €750, with the sale price being donated to the charity. \ Chloe Goggins Photography
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: