A strong entry of just under 100 Cheviot shearling rams, hogget ewes and ewe lambs where brought forward for sale by the Donegal Cheviot sheep breeder’s association for its annual show and sale that was held in Ballybofey and Stranorlar livestock mart.

All rams at the sale were SIS (Sheep Improvement Scheme) eligible, this is a first for any hill breed.

Demand remained very high on the night with females achieving a 100% clearance rate and just one ram remaining unsold.

Topping the sale at €3,600 was Speenogue Chiko for the McHugh Bros.

This impressive ram was crowned the overall male champion earlier in the day at the pre-sale show and sold to pedigree breeder Micheal Geaney.

Also, from the Speenogue pen came the day’s second top price Speenogue Case that sold for €2,600.

Impressive pen average

The McHugh Bros achieved a very impressive pen average of €1,493 for their hogget rams. Also breaching the €1,000 mark on three occasions at €1,350, €1,280 and €1,040 was Manus McHugh. This impressive pen of rams from the Dunfanaghy man achieved a strong average of €919.

Sean McHugh with the male champion and top priced lot that sold for €3,600. / Glenalla Photography

There where a total of seven shearling rams that sold for over €1,000 on the night. The majority of shearling rams sold from €460 to €900. Shearling rams on the night sold to average €765.

Topping the hogget ewe section was a group of three hoggets from the flock of Manus McHugh that sold for €600 a head. These three impressive hoggets claimed first in the pen of hogget ewes and won the overall female championship.

Ewe lamb section

Hogget ewe sold on the night to an impressive average of €392 a head. In the ewe lamb section, it was the first prizewinning group of three ewe lambs from the Speenogue flock that sold for the top price of €410 a head for the McHugh Bros. These eye-catching April-born ewe lambs also picked up the female overall reserve championship in the pre-sale show.

Ewe lambs sold to an impressive average of €281 a head.