The Irish Suffolk Sheep Society held its fifth premier show and sale at Central Auctions Roscrea Mart on Saturday 5 August.

The sale proved to be a big success for the society with the 95 sheep on offer meeting a 79% clearance, while the whole sale averaged €712.

The supreme champion of the pre-sale show was a January-born ram from the Priorview flock of Matt and Brian Pearse. This lamb was previously selected as the winner in the open class by judge John Brooks and in a strong lineup of ram lambs was also his choice for supreme champion. He later sold for €1,000 in the ring.

The reserve supreme championship was awarded to a ewe lamb from the Benwiskin flock of James and Ursula Rooney.

This smart ewe lamb was top price on the day and sold for €750.

The shearling ewe class was also won by James and Ursula Rooney, whose strong hogget ewe later sold for €900.

The hogget ram class was won by lot 39 from the Duncormick flock of John and Liam Martin and later sold for €900.

The recorded class went to Mark Grealy’s Oranmore flock, which went on to secure €950 in the ring.

Ewe lambs sold from €350 to €750 with an average sale price of €501.

Hogget ewes averaged €900. Hogget rams sold from €600 to €1,150, with an average price recorded of €860.

Ram lambs sold from €400 to €1,250 for lot 72 from the Bannow flock of Greg and Clem Rossiter. This lamb came first in the Sheep Ireland interbreed maternal class at Sheep 2023. Ram lambs achieved an average price €740.

Sponsors

The Irish Suffolk Sheep Society “acknowledges with gratitude our sponsors; sponsorship is a very important ingredient in our success. Thank you to AW Ennis for the rosettes and to FBD for sponsoring our advertising. Further sponsorship from Connolly Red Mills, Cormack Tagging, IFA, John Grennan and Sons, MSD Animal Health, Merial, SJCU and Uniblock is gratefully appreciated. Our auctioneer George Candler, as always adds that extra touch of class and good humour to the sale. To Michael Harty, general manager, Central Auctions, Noel O’Grady, yard manager, and all staff in Roscrea Mart, a very sincere thank you and we look forward to returning there again in 2024 on the same day for the same event. Sincere thanks to our judge, John Brooks, for an excellent day’s judging”.