The Irish Charollais Sheep Society premier show and sale was held in the new location of Blessington Mart on Friday and Saturday, 29 and 30 July, and this year’s sale followed on from previous year’s successful sales.
In the pre-sale show, one breeder ended up going home with the three cups that were on offer at this year’s show, something which had never happened before. This lamb, lot 127, belonged to Richard Allen, Uppertown Flock, and was bred from a Logie Durno ewe and a Ralahine-bred ram.
Dewi Evans, who runs the Ffrwd Flock in Anglesey, had the unenviable job of judging the pre-sale show.
The first class up for judging was the ewe lamb class, where there was a strong entry of animals.
The standout ewe lamb on the day was lot 8 from the flock of Jim and Frampton Jeffery of the Bawnard Flock. This lamb was out of a homebred ewe from Bawnard and a ram from Tomgarrow Flock. She went forward to win the champion female of the day and made €1,300 in the sales ring on Saturday.
Jim and Frampton Jeffery's overall champion female sold for €1,300.
The next class to take to the stage was the shearling ewes, which again was a tough decision for Evans with the ewe, lot 29 from Andrew Gilmore from the Redrock Flock, coming out on top. She was out of a homebred ewe and sired by Millhaven Victor.
Albert Ferguson's overall champion ram lamb sold for €1,700.
The third class to hit the ring was a new class for the Irish Charollais Sheep Society, the novice ram lamb class. This consisted of all breeders who had never won a first prize previously at an Irish Charollais sheep premier show and sale or at an Irish Charollais sheep all-Ireland show in the ram lamb class. This class was the biggest of the day.
Evans thoroughly examined each lamb before coming to his decision and placing a ram lamb belonging to Richard Allen as top choice and Richard received the Mitch Power memorial cup. This lamb was out of a Logie Durno ewe and again a Ralahine-bred ram.
This lamb was finally at the end of the day tapped forward as the judge’s choice to take the title of male champion of the show and also the supreme champion of the show.
He went into the sales ring on Saturday and sold to new owner Wesley Cousins at €4, 600.
The fourth class was the open ram lamb class. Coming out on top was lot 127 belonging to Richard Allen, Uppertown Flock, and he received the Edwin Kelso memorial cup.
Patrick Skillicorn's first prize-winning hogget ram sold for €4,000.
The final class of the day was the shearling ram class. For the first prize, Evans chose a hogget ram belonging to Patrick Skillicorn, Skelly Flock, claiming first place. This ram was out of a Powerview ewe and was sired by a Kilbarry ram. He went forward on Saturday to make €4,000.
Evans’ next job was to choose his female champion and this went to lot 8, owned by Jim and Frampton Jeffery of the Bawnard flock.
The reserve champion female was a ewe lamb, lot 21, from the flock of Richard Allen of the Uppertown Flock, which was bred from a Logie Durno ewe and sired by a Ralahine ram.
She went on to sell for €2,100 in the sales ring on Saturday and was purchased by Norman Wilson, Ramelton, Co Donegal.
Next on the agenda was to choose the male champion and this title went to lot 127 belonging to Richard Allen, Uppertown Flock and the reserve male champion title went to lot 185, belonging to Albert Ferguson, of the Powerview Flock. Out of a homebred ewe and sired by Killurin Umpire, he made €1,700.
Evans’ final job of the day was to decide on his supreme champion and reserve supreme champion of the day. The title of the supreme champion went to lot 127 belonging to Richard Allen, Uppertown Flock. The reserve supreme champion was won by lot 185, belonging to Albert Ferguson, of the Powerview Flock.
The highest price of the sale went to Cavan man David Argue of the Rockdale Flock for a ram lamb, lot 216, Rockdale After Dark, out of a Bawnard ewe and sired by Iskeymeadow Whiskey Mick, a ram brought in from Dungannon in 2021.
Andrew Gilmore's first prize-winning hogget ewe sold for €950.
Brisk bidding
After some brisk bidding, this lamb fell to Michael Power for €8,000 for his Ballyhibben Flock. The Rockdale pen of four lambs went on to sell to an average of €3,525/head.
The price for commercial rams generally ranged between €450 to €800/head.Twenty-nine of the animals forward for the sale hit four figure sums.
The overall average price was €929 with a 60% clearance rate. Males averaged €990/head, while females averaged €675/head.
The Irish Charollais Sheep Society premier show and sale was held in the new location of Blessington Mart on Friday and Saturday, 29 and 30 July, and this year’s sale followed on from previous year’s successful sales.
In the pre-sale show, one breeder ended up going home with the three cups that were on offer at this year’s show, something which had never happened before. This lamb, lot 127, belonged to Richard Allen, Uppertown Flock, and was bred from a Logie Durno ewe and a Ralahine-bred ram.
Dewi Evans, who runs the Ffrwd Flock in Anglesey, had the unenviable job of judging the pre-sale show.
The first class up for judging was the ewe lamb class, where there was a strong entry of animals.
The standout ewe lamb on the day was lot 8 from the flock of Jim and Frampton Jeffery of the Bawnard Flock. This lamb was out of a homebred ewe from Bawnard and a ram from Tomgarrow Flock. She went forward to win the champion female of the day and made €1,300 in the sales ring on Saturday.
Jim and Frampton Jeffery's overall champion female sold for €1,300.
The next class to take to the stage was the shearling ewes, which again was a tough decision for Evans with the ewe, lot 29 from Andrew Gilmore from the Redrock Flock, coming out on top. She was out of a homebred ewe and sired by Millhaven Victor.
Albert Ferguson's overall champion ram lamb sold for €1,700.
The third class to hit the ring was a new class for the Irish Charollais Sheep Society, the novice ram lamb class. This consisted of all breeders who had never won a first prize previously at an Irish Charollais sheep premier show and sale or at an Irish Charollais sheep all-Ireland show in the ram lamb class. This class was the biggest of the day.
Evans thoroughly examined each lamb before coming to his decision and placing a ram lamb belonging to Richard Allen as top choice and Richard received the Mitch Power memorial cup. This lamb was out of a Logie Durno ewe and again a Ralahine-bred ram.
This lamb was finally at the end of the day tapped forward as the judge’s choice to take the title of male champion of the show and also the supreme champion of the show.
He went into the sales ring on Saturday and sold to new owner Wesley Cousins at €4, 600.
The fourth class was the open ram lamb class. Coming out on top was lot 127 belonging to Richard Allen, Uppertown Flock, and he received the Edwin Kelso memorial cup.
Patrick Skillicorn's first prize-winning hogget ram sold for €4,000.
The final class of the day was the shearling ram class. For the first prize, Evans chose a hogget ram belonging to Patrick Skillicorn, Skelly Flock, claiming first place. This ram was out of a Powerview ewe and was sired by a Kilbarry ram. He went forward on Saturday to make €4,000.
Evans’ next job was to choose his female champion and this went to lot 8, owned by Jim and Frampton Jeffery of the Bawnard flock.
The reserve champion female was a ewe lamb, lot 21, from the flock of Richard Allen of the Uppertown Flock, which was bred from a Logie Durno ewe and sired by a Ralahine ram.
She went on to sell for €2,100 in the sales ring on Saturday and was purchased by Norman Wilson, Ramelton, Co Donegal.
Next on the agenda was to choose the male champion and this title went to lot 127 belonging to Richard Allen, Uppertown Flock and the reserve male champion title went to lot 185, belonging to Albert Ferguson, of the Powerview Flock. Out of a homebred ewe and sired by Killurin Umpire, he made €1,700.
Evans’ final job of the day was to decide on his supreme champion and reserve supreme champion of the day. The title of the supreme champion went to lot 127 belonging to Richard Allen, Uppertown Flock. The reserve supreme champion was won by lot 185, belonging to Albert Ferguson, of the Powerview Flock.
The highest price of the sale went to Cavan man David Argue of the Rockdale Flock for a ram lamb, lot 216, Rockdale After Dark, out of a Bawnard ewe and sired by Iskeymeadow Whiskey Mick, a ram brought in from Dungannon in 2021.
Andrew Gilmore's first prize-winning hogget ewe sold for €950.
Brisk bidding
After some brisk bidding, this lamb fell to Michael Power for €8,000 for his Ballyhibben Flock. The Rockdale pen of four lambs went on to sell to an average of €3,525/head.
The price for commercial rams generally ranged between €450 to €800/head.Twenty-nine of the animals forward for the sale hit four figure sums.
The overall average price was €929 with a 60% clearance rate. Males averaged €990/head, while females averaged €675/head.
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