The Irish Texel Sheep Society held its premier sale in Blessington Mart last weekend where breeders, organisers, customers and Texel enthusiasts enjoyed a fine display of Texel sheep.

Continuing the success of recent premier sales, this sale was met with a 90% clearance rate, highlighting the demand for good-quality pedigree Texel ewe lambs and rams.

Topping the trade at an impressive €13,000 was Brian Divilly with his ram lamb Annaghdown Goldfinger. Goldfinger is a Castlegar Edward son out of a homebred Garngour Aerosmith ewe and sold to Neville and Aaron Myles of the Silverhill flock.

The bids continued to flock in and next up it was the turn of Ryan Doherty’s ram lamb Hill View Gopher.

Hill View Gopher sold for the second-highest price of €7,000. / MacGregor Photography

Gopher, a Sportsmans Express son out of a homebred ewe by Sportsmans Canon Ball secured the second-highest price of €7,000 when he sold to Dwayne Shiels from Letterkenny, Co Donegal.

Hillcrest Gucci, the male champion, sold for €6,500. / MacGregor Photography

Trailing closely behind was the male champion from the pre-sale show Hillcrest Gucci, a ram lamb brought forward for sale by Willie Doherty.

Gucci is sired by Stonepark Ferrari and is bred from a homebred ewe who is sired by Cannon Ball. The champion ram sold for €6,500 to Robert Walker from Co Limerick.

Not to be outdone by their male counterparts, the females had their time to shine on Friday evening and also sold very well, with the champion ewe lamb securing the highest female price of €5,500.

The overall champion Oberstown Gucci was also the highest-priced female in the sale, selling for €5,500. / MacGregor Photography

Oberstown Gucci was bred by Pat and Barry Farrell and sold to Co Mayo-based Irene Donnelly. Gucci is sired by Rhaedr Entrepreneur and was bred from a Procters Chumba Wumba dam.