The Irish Blue Texel and Dassenkop Society held its national championships at Athlone show on Sunday 16 June. The judge for the day was Rhys Francis from the Pistyll and Topbank Blue Texel flock in Wales. Entries were strong on the day with 127 Blue Texel and Dassenkop Texel exhibited.

The first championship of the day awarded by the Welsh judge was the Blue Texel male national champion, won by the Limestone flock of Evan, Kyle and John Walsh from Ballintra, Co Donegal, with their January-born ram lamb Limestone Indigo by Matts G Force and out of a Clennagh ewe. Reserve champion male went to Powerful IQ bred by Philip Crowe Ballinagh, Co Cavan, sired by Cracking Blues Hunter (top price in the Irish premier sale in 2023) and a Belgian import ewe. The Blue Texel female championship saw Nigel Hogan’s shearling ewe Knockmult Harmony purchased at the NI Blue Texel club sale as a ewe lamb last year being tapped forward, with reserve female champion also going to the Carlow breeder, this time a homebred shearling ewe, Diamond Honeysuckle.

The overall champion Blue Texel went to the female champion Knockmult Harmony with reserve going to the ram lamb, Limestone Indigo.

In the Dassenkop section, Nigel Hogan’s strong success continued with him winning the champion and reserve female Dassenkop title with ewe lamb Diamond I’m to Perfect and shearling eweDiamond Harper.

Male

Champion male Dassenkop went to Rachel Gallagher, Co Donegal, for her ram lamb Croaghross I’m the Man, while reserve went to Nigel Hogan’s March-born ram lamb Diamond.

Overall champion Dassenkop went to Nigel Hogan’s ewe lamb Diamond I’m to Perfect, with reserve overall champion going to Rachel Gallagher’s ram lamb Croaghrose I’m the Chopper.

Hogan finished off a successful day with his shearling ewe winning interbreed champion of the show.