The Belgian Beltex Breeders Society of Ireland hosted its annual premier show and sale on Friday (August 28) at GVM Tullamore Mart, Co. Offaly.

It was an event to remember for John Maher from Ballinakill, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, who, alongside his son JJ and nephew Tómas, enjoyed an outstanding Premier Show and Sale at Tullamore for his Ballinakill Flock.

The flock claimed a championship 'clean sweep' before going on to achieve an impressive sale average.

The Ballinakill team sold 11 sheep at the event to an average sale price of €1,360.

Results from the pre-sale show:

Shearling Ram Champion: Ballinakill Liverpool;
Ram Lamb Champion: Ballinakill Marvel;
Lambplus Ram Lamb Champion: Ballinakill Maximus;
Shearling Ewe Champion: Ballinakill Lotus;
Male Champion: Ballinakill Liverpool;
Reserve Male Champion: Ballinakill Marvel;
Female Champion: Ballinakill Lotus;
Supreme Champion: Ballinakill Lotus;
Reserve Supreme Champion: Ballinakill Liverpool.

The judge in the pre-sale show was Chris Johnston of the Johnstown Flock in Northern Ireland.

Johnston's choice of champion and reserve proved popular in the sale ring also with Lotus, the Supreme Champion shearling ewe, sired by Rochdale Head Over Heels, selling for €2,200 to Brian Mathews from Co. Offaly.

The Reserve Supreme Champion shearling ram, Liverpool was also sired by Rochdale Head Over Heels, and also made the joint top price of €2,200, selling to Chris Johnston.

Ram Lamb Champion and Reserve Male Champion, Ballinakill Marvel, sold for €1,500 to Damien Quinn from Co. Westmeath.

Wnner of the Lambplus Ram Lamb class, Ballinakill Maximus, made an impressive €2,100, also selling to Brian Mathews.

Other notable Ballinakill prices included:

Ballinakill Monster: €1,400;
Ballinakill Mega: €1,500 to Sean and Paul McCartney, Co. Laois.

Beltex breeder Cathal Tuohy from Co. Galway continued his successful year by taking the Reserve Female Champion title with his first prize ewe lamb, sired by Shanderg Loki, which later sold to Chris Johnston.

There were plenty of standout prices throughout the sale despite the struggling store lamb prices, tight grass supplies in parts of the country, and the weather forecast continuing to influence trade, according to the society.

Other notable prices from the sale included:

Lot 47: Summerfield Mayo Magic from Amy Ryan and Shane O’Brien, Co. Mayo, sold for €1,400 to John Maher;
Lot 24: Beetles Luke Skywalker, a hogget ram from Sean and Paul McCartney, made €1,100, selling to Jarlath and Shane Walsh, Co. Galway;
Hugh O’Connor from Co. Meath sold shearling rams to a top of €900;
Pat O’Malley from Co. Galway averaged an impressive €825/head for his pen of shearling rams.

The Belgian Beltex Breeders Society congratulated the entire Ballinakill team on what it said was "an exceptional day's showing and selling".

The society also expressed its thanks to judge Chris Johnston of the Johnstown Flock, as well as inspectors and all staff for their work in making the premier show and sale such a success.