With 224 entries catalogued for the South of Ireland Bluefaced Leicester club sale, judge for the day Jake Hamilton had no easy task.

The Antrim man’s choice of overall champion came from the Sunny Hill Flock of Dean and Mairead Kerrigan. This modern-type ewe lamb stood out to the judge for her clean markings and overall power and correctness.

She had a super pedigree to match her looks being sired by the 2023 Ballymena champion lamb Mistyburn S003 and a Temain-bred ewe. She later went on to sell in the ring for €1,550 to the judge Jake Hamilton. With a larger female entry than the 2023 sale, the 28 female entries sold to an average of €400.

Reserve champion

It was a ram lamb from the Woodview Flock of John Morahan that took the reserve champion spot on the day. This lamb was described as “a super example of the breed because of his super colours, conformation and power”.

He was sired by Skeagh S001 and out of a homebred Woodview ewe. He then went on to top the sale at €2,500 selling to breeder Aaron McGann.

Ram lambs

Ram lambs were in high demand at the sale with 100 lambs sold to average €730, up €50 a head on the 2023 sale.

In the shearling and aged ram category, it was a Maskview shearling that took the red ribbon and top price of €1,750. This strong shearling was sired by R004 and a homebred Maskview ewe.

With an increased entry of aged and shearling rams, they achieved an average of €700, down slightly on the 2023 average.