A jam-packed ringside in Stranorlar mart saw a record breaking sale for the 67th annual Donegal Blackface Sheep Breeders Association show and sale.
With over 200 catalogued entries there was a high demand for both shearling rams and ram lambs from pedigree breeders and commercial farmers.
This high demand led to an overall clearance rate of 96% up considerably from the 2023 figures. Shearling rams hit a record average of €870 a head on the day with the ram lambs also securing a record average of €625 a head. A large percentage of the lots on offer on the day were SIS-eligible. Demand for these SIS-eligible rams was high throughout the sale.
Champion spot
Taking the overall champion spot in the shearling ram section at the pre-sale show was longstanding breeder Hugh Logue. This powerful homebred ram went on to sell for €3,100. Hugh also claimed the champion group of five shearling rams on the day. The Kerrykeel man’s pen of 12 shearling rams sold to average an impressive €1,173.
Pictured with the record breaking shearling ram Brian Crawford, mart manager, Brian Cowan, judge, Charles Tinney, purchaser, John Boyle, chairman and seller Micheal Friel and Connor Friel. / Glenalla Photography
Top priced lot and the record-breaking shearling ram price came from the pen of Michael Friel. This exceptional stamp of a ram bred by John McMenamin, sold for €9,200 to breeder Charles Tinney Jnr. Micheal had a super day in the ring achieving a great pen average of €2,809 for his pen of seven shearling rams.
Shearling ram
The next highest-priced shearling ram came from the pen of John A Friel and sold for €5,300. The Dunfanaghy man also achieved a strong pen average of €1,608 for his pen of eight shearling rams.
Taking the red ribbon in the best single with a pen of six shearling rams or less was John Gildea. John went on to sell this H Montgomery-sired shearling for €1,050. John also took the red ribbon in the best pair of shearlings with a pen of six shearling rams or less.
Twenty-one shearling rams sold for over €1,000 on the day.
Breaking the ram lamb record was the pre-sale champion from Paul Kearney, selling for €7,200. This lamb had a very successful summer, claiming many championships throughout the summer show season. He found his new home with breeder Seamus Fagan.
Top price
The next top price in the ram lamb section was €3,700. This lamb came from the flock of Micheal Friel and was sold to a well-established pedigree flock. Martin sold his second ram lamb for €1,500 on the day. The €1,500 mark was hit again when Eoin Friel sold his third prizewinning ram lamb.
Pictured with the overall champion judge Brian Cowan, John Boyle, Chairman and breeder Hugh and Eoin Logue. / Glenalla Photography.
Claiming the champion pair of ram lambs was Fergal Logue, with his pair of April-born ram lambs. These two great lambs went on to sell for €1,450 and €820, both finding homes with pedigree breeders.
The reserve champion spot in the ram lamb section went to Paul Gallagher. Gallagher’s pen of ram lambs went on to top at €1,250.
A total of eight ram lambs sold for €1,000 or more on the day.
A jam-packed ringside in Stranorlar mart saw a record breaking sale for the 67th annual Donegal Blackface Sheep Breeders Association show and sale.
With over 200 catalogued entries there was a high demand for both shearling rams and ram lambs from pedigree breeders and commercial farmers.
This high demand led to an overall clearance rate of 96% up considerably from the 2023 figures. Shearling rams hit a record average of €870 a head on the day with the ram lambs also securing a record average of €625 a head. A large percentage of the lots on offer on the day were SIS-eligible. Demand for these SIS-eligible rams was high throughout the sale.
Champion spot
Taking the overall champion spot in the shearling ram section at the pre-sale show was longstanding breeder Hugh Logue. This powerful homebred ram went on to sell for €3,100. Hugh also claimed the champion group of five shearling rams on the day. The Kerrykeel man’s pen of 12 shearling rams sold to average an impressive €1,173.
Pictured with the record breaking shearling ram Brian Crawford, mart manager, Brian Cowan, judge, Charles Tinney, purchaser, John Boyle, chairman and seller Micheal Friel and Connor Friel. / Glenalla Photography
Top priced lot and the record-breaking shearling ram price came from the pen of Michael Friel. This exceptional stamp of a ram bred by John McMenamin, sold for €9,200 to breeder Charles Tinney Jnr. Micheal had a super day in the ring achieving a great pen average of €2,809 for his pen of seven shearling rams.
Shearling ram
The next highest-priced shearling ram came from the pen of John A Friel and sold for €5,300. The Dunfanaghy man also achieved a strong pen average of €1,608 for his pen of eight shearling rams.
Taking the red ribbon in the best single with a pen of six shearling rams or less was John Gildea. John went on to sell this H Montgomery-sired shearling for €1,050. John also took the red ribbon in the best pair of shearlings with a pen of six shearling rams or less.
Twenty-one shearling rams sold for over €1,000 on the day.
Breaking the ram lamb record was the pre-sale champion from Paul Kearney, selling for €7,200. This lamb had a very successful summer, claiming many championships throughout the summer show season. He found his new home with breeder Seamus Fagan.
Top price
The next top price in the ram lamb section was €3,700. This lamb came from the flock of Micheal Friel and was sold to a well-established pedigree flock. Martin sold his second ram lamb for €1,500 on the day. The €1,500 mark was hit again when Eoin Friel sold his third prizewinning ram lamb.
Pictured with the overall champion judge Brian Cowan, John Boyle, Chairman and breeder Hugh and Eoin Logue. / Glenalla Photography.
Claiming the champion pair of ram lambs was Fergal Logue, with his pair of April-born ram lambs. These two great lambs went on to sell for €1,450 and €820, both finding homes with pedigree breeders.
The reserve champion spot in the ram lamb section went to Paul Gallagher. Gallagher’s pen of ram lambs went on to top at €1,250.
A total of eight ram lambs sold for €1,000 or more on the day.
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