Storm Bert didn’t deter Charollais enthusiasts from across Ireland and the UK, flocking to Roscommon Mart for the Knockcroghery Charollais flock 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.
Record-breaking duo
This excellence shone throughout the sale, with the Irish Charollais breed record being smashed not once but twice. First, the double All-Ireland-winning ewe Knockcroghery Winter left the sales ring at €10,000 – after fierce ringside bidding – selling to William Ingram of the well-known UK-based Logie Durno flock.
Winter was described by Declan in pre-sale comments as: “The most perfect sheep you could get.”
The second instance came when a standout 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.
Knockcroghery ewe lamb that sold for €3,800. \ Shanon Kinahan
Stock ewes
Stacked with the breed’s leading genetics and being proven breeders themselves, the Knockcroghery stock ewes were in high demand, selling to an impressive average of €1,550.
Following on from Winter topping the section at €10,000 was her half sister, also 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.
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 on the day.
Knockcroghery stock ewe that sold for €3,500. \ Shanon Kinahan
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. 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.
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.
Knockcroghery stock ewe that sold for €3,700. \ Shanon Kinahan
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.
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 strong.
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, but by no means least, 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.
Record-breaking Charollais ewe lamb that sold for €11,000 at the Knockcroghery dispersal sale. \ Shanon Kinahan
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 on the day for €2,200. Both finding homes within pedigree flocks.
Double All-Ireland champion Knockcroghery Winter, that sold for €10,000. \ Shanon Kinahan
Embryo lots
Scanned embryos from the flock’s leading ewes where 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 Mart for the Knockcroghery Charollais flock 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.
Record-breaking duo
This excellence shone throughout the sale, with the Irish Charollais breed record being smashed not once but twice. First, the double All-Ireland-winning ewe Knockcroghery Winter left the sales ring at €10,000 – after fierce ringside bidding – selling to William Ingram of the well-known UK-based Logie Durno flock.
Winter was described by Declan in pre-sale comments as: “The most perfect sheep you could get.”
The second instance came when a standout 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.
Knockcroghery ewe lamb that sold for €3,800. \ Shanon Kinahan
Stock ewes
Stacked with the breed’s leading genetics and being proven breeders themselves, the Knockcroghery stock ewes were in high demand, selling to an impressive average of €1,550.
Following on from Winter topping the section at €10,000 was her half sister, also 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.
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 on the day.
Knockcroghery stock ewe that sold for €3,500. \ Shanon Kinahan
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. 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.
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.
Knockcroghery stock ewe that sold for €3,700. \ Shanon Kinahan
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.
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 strong.
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, but by no means least, 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.
Record-breaking Charollais ewe lamb that sold for €11,000 at the Knockcroghery dispersal sale. \ Shanon Kinahan
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 on the day for €2,200. Both finding homes within pedigree flocks.
Double All-Ireland champion Knockcroghery Winter, that sold for €10,000. \ Shanon Kinahan
Embryo lots
Scanned embryos from the flock’s leading ewes where 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.
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