Storm Bert didn’t deter Charollais enthusiasts from across Ireland and the UK flocking to Roscommon Livestock Mart for the Knockcroghery Charollais dispersal sale, one of the most highly anticipated Charollais sales that the island has seen.
The quality of lots on offer was extremely high, including many show winners and proven breeders.
This high quality shone throughout the sale, with the Irish Charollais breed record being smashed not once but twice.
The record was first broken when the double all-Ireland-winning ewe Knockcroghery Winter hit the sales ring, selling for €10,000 after fierce ringside bidding to William Ingram of the well-known UK based Logie Durno flock.
Knockcroghery ewe lamb that sold for €3,800. \ Shanon Kinahan
Winter was described by Declan Miley in pre-sale comments as: "The most perfect sheep you could get."
The second was when a stand-out daughter of record-breaking Winter entered the sales ring just a short time later, where she broke her mother’s record selling for €11,000. She was also purchased by William Ingram.
Stock ewes
Stacked with the breed's leading genetics and being proven breeders themselves, the Knockcroghery stock ewes where in high demand, selling to an impressive average of €1,550.
Following after Winter topping the section at €10,000 was her half-sister, also being sired by Oakchurch Utopia.
This extremely sparky 2021-born ewe was scanned carrying twins to Turret Coolmore and sold for €3,700 to Sinead Brophy.
Knockcroghery stock ewe that sold for €3,500. \ Shanon Kinahan
The next top price of the stock ewe section was €3,000 and this was achieved by a 2020-born daughter of the all-Ireland winning ewe Serena.
She was scanned carrying three lambs to Turret Coolmore and was purchased by UK-based breeder Jonathan Norman.
A total of 25 of these high-end stock ewes sold for over €1,000.
Shearling ewes
Topping the shearling ewe section was Knockcroghery Babycakes. This super shearling ewe was a member of the flock's 2024 show team and claimed third in a highly contested shearling ewe class at the 2024 all-Ireland championships.
Knockcroghery stock ewe that sold for €3,700. \ Shanon Kinahan
She was sold alongside one of her scanned embryos to Donegal breeder Karol Gallen for €4,200.
Next up in the shearling ewe section was a powerful full embryo sister to the record-breaking Winter. She was also sold alongside one of her scanned embryos for €3,000.
Record breaking Charollais ewe lamb that sold for €11,000 at the Knockcroghery dispersal sale. \ Shanon Kinahan
Demand remained high for the slightly smaller number of shearling ewes present, with a total of 11 breaching the €1,000 mark, producing an average price of €1,618 for the shearling ewe section.
Ewe lambs
The mighty ewe lamb entry attracted huge activity from both online and ringside bidders. This flurry of activity was evident throughout the entire ewe lamb section, with the ewe lambs producing the highest section average of the sale at €1,780.
Double all-Ireland champion Knockcroghery Winter that sold for €10,000. \ Shanon Kinahan
With the first ewe lamb into the ring being the record-breaking Winter daughter that sold for €11,000, the ewe lambs started off extremely strongly.
The next top price to come in the ewe lamb section was a half-sister to the record-breaking ewe lamb, also being sired by Pembroke Bulletproof.
She was picked out to be a member of the flock's 2025 show team and was described in pre-sale comments as a "super ewe lamb that will be one to watch for the future". She sold for €3,800 to Richard Allen.
The last ewe lamb to pass through the ring was the flock's 2024 show ewe lamb. This ewe lamb was again sired by Pembroke Bulletproof and she sold for €2,600 to Roy Butler.
Stock rams
After producing a spectacular batch of ewe lambs, stock ram Pembroke Bulletproof sold for €2,200. Service sire for a large number of ewes, Turret Coolmore was also sold for €2,200. Both found new homes within pedigree flocks.
Embryo lots
Scanned embryos from the flock's leading ewes were highly sought after, selling to average €1,145.
The top-priced scanned embryos came from the super combination of €10,000 Winter and Turret Coolmore.
Declan described this pairing as "where dreams could be made". Scanned with two embryos, the recipient ewe was sold for €1,700.
It was the same combination of Winter and Turret Coolmore that produced a total of six frozen embryos. These embryos sold for €360 each.
Storm Bert didn’t deter Charollais enthusiasts from across Ireland and the UK flocking to Roscommon Livestock Mart for the Knockcroghery Charollais dispersal sale, one of the most highly anticipated Charollais sales that the island has seen.
The quality of lots on offer was extremely high, including many show winners and proven breeders.
This high quality shone throughout the sale, with the Irish Charollais breed record being smashed not once but twice.
The record was first broken when the double all-Ireland-winning ewe Knockcroghery Winter hit the sales ring, selling for €10,000 after fierce ringside bidding to William Ingram of the well-known UK based Logie Durno flock.
Knockcroghery ewe lamb that sold for €3,800. \ Shanon Kinahan
Winter was described by Declan Miley in pre-sale comments as: "The most perfect sheep you could get."
The second was when a stand-out daughter of record-breaking Winter entered the sales ring just a short time later, where she broke her mother’s record selling for €11,000. She was also purchased by William Ingram.
Stock ewes
Stacked with the breed's leading genetics and being proven breeders themselves, the Knockcroghery stock ewes where in high demand, selling to an impressive average of €1,550.
Following after Winter topping the section at €10,000 was her half-sister, also being sired by Oakchurch Utopia.
This extremely sparky 2021-born ewe was scanned carrying twins to Turret Coolmore and sold for €3,700 to Sinead Brophy.
Knockcroghery stock ewe that sold for €3,500. \ Shanon Kinahan
The next top price of the stock ewe section was €3,000 and this was achieved by a 2020-born daughter of the all-Ireland winning ewe Serena.
She was scanned carrying three lambs to Turret Coolmore and was purchased by UK-based breeder Jonathan Norman.
A total of 25 of these high-end stock ewes sold for over €1,000.
Shearling ewes
Topping the shearling ewe section was Knockcroghery Babycakes. This super shearling ewe was a member of the flock's 2024 show team and claimed third in a highly contested shearling ewe class at the 2024 all-Ireland championships.
Knockcroghery stock ewe that sold for €3,700. \ Shanon Kinahan
She was sold alongside one of her scanned embryos to Donegal breeder Karol Gallen for €4,200.
Next up in the shearling ewe section was a powerful full embryo sister to the record-breaking Winter. She was also sold alongside one of her scanned embryos for €3,000.
Record breaking Charollais ewe lamb that sold for €11,000 at the Knockcroghery dispersal sale. \ Shanon Kinahan
Demand remained high for the slightly smaller number of shearling ewes present, with a total of 11 breaching the €1,000 mark, producing an average price of €1,618 for the shearling ewe section.
Ewe lambs
The mighty ewe lamb entry attracted huge activity from both online and ringside bidders. This flurry of activity was evident throughout the entire ewe lamb section, with the ewe lambs producing the highest section average of the sale at €1,780.
Double all-Ireland champion Knockcroghery Winter that sold for €10,000. \ Shanon Kinahan
With the first ewe lamb into the ring being the record-breaking Winter daughter that sold for €11,000, the ewe lambs started off extremely strongly.
The next top price to come in the ewe lamb section was a half-sister to the record-breaking ewe lamb, also being sired by Pembroke Bulletproof.
She was picked out to be a member of the flock's 2025 show team and was described in pre-sale comments as a "super ewe lamb that will be one to watch for the future". She sold for €3,800 to Richard Allen.
The last ewe lamb to pass through the ring was the flock's 2024 show ewe lamb. This ewe lamb was again sired by Pembroke Bulletproof and she sold for €2,600 to Roy Butler.
Stock rams
After producing a spectacular batch of ewe lambs, stock ram Pembroke Bulletproof sold for €2,200. Service sire for a large number of ewes, Turret Coolmore was also sold for €2,200. Both found new homes within pedigree flocks.
Embryo lots
Scanned embryos from the flock's leading ewes were highly sought after, selling to average €1,145.
The top-priced scanned embryos came from the super combination of €10,000 Winter and Turret Coolmore.
Declan described this pairing as "where dreams could be made". Scanned with two embryos, the recipient ewe was sold for €1,700.
It was the same combination of Winter and Turret Coolmore that produced a total of six frozen embryos. These embryos sold for €360 each.
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: