The Irish Charollais Sheep Society’s recent premier show and sale was held at a the new location this year: Blessington Mart in Co. Wicklow.
Like other years there was a record broken, although this year it was in the show ring that this happened.
One man, Richard Allen of the Uppertown flock, ended up going home with the three cups that were on offer at this year’s show with his lamb, Lot 127.
Dewi Evans of the Ffrwd flock in Anglesey, Wales had the job of judging the show and what a job he did, from start to finish.
The first class up for judging was the ewe lamb class and it had a strong entry of animals.
Lot 8, a ewe lamb belonging to Jim and Frampton Jeffery, who run the Baward flock, went forward to win the champion female of the day making €1,300.
She was out of a homebred ewe from Bawnard and a ram from Tomgarrow flock.
The next class to take to the stage was the shearling ewes. Here, Lot 29 from Andrew Gilmore of Redrock flock came out on top. She was out of a home-bred ewe and sired by Millhaven Victor.
The third class was a new one for the Irish Charollais Sheep Society; it was the novice ram lamb class, which consisted of all breeders who had never won a first prize previously at an Irish Charollais Sheep premier show and sale or a Irish Charollais Sheep All Ireland in the ram lamb class.
This class was the biggest of the day and judge Evans thoroughly examined each lamb before coming to a decision. The result of said decision was placing a ram lamb belonging to Richard Allen as his top pick, giving it the ‘Mitch Power’ Memorial Cup. This lamb was out of a Logie Durno ewe and again a Ralahine-bred ram.
This lamb was also tapped forward as the judge’s choice to take the title of male champion of the show as well as the supreme champion of the show. She went into the sales ring on Saturday and sold to Wesley Cousins for €4,600.
The fourth class was the open ram lamb class which consisted of those who had previous first-prize winners at an Irish Charollais Sheep premier show and sale, or at a Irish Charollais Sheep All Ireland.
Again, this was a very strong class. Evans narrowed the line-up down to six animals, after which he proceeded to ask the first three animals from the novice class to be brought out to be included in the line- up.
With all nine ram lambs in the line-up, Evans proceeded to place his lambs. Coming out on top was Lot 127 belonging to Richard Allen, Uppertown flock, receiving the ‘Edwin Kelso’ Memorial Cup.
The shearling ram class was the final class of the day. The cream came to the top with a hogget ram belonging to Patrick SKillicorn of Skelly flock claiming first place. This ram was out of a Powerview ewe and was sired by a Kilbarry ram. He went forward on Saturday to make €4,000.
Champions
Evans’ next job was to choose a female champion and this honour went to Lot 8 belonging to Jim and Frampton Jeffery of the Bawnard flock. Reserve champion female was a ewe lamb, Lot 21, from the flock of Richard Allen, Uppertown flock, which was bred from a Logie Durno ewe and sired by a Ralahine ram; she proceeded to make €2,100 in the sales ring, purchased by Norman Wilson Ramelton Co. Donegal.
Next on the agenda was to choose the male champion and this honour went to Lot 127 belonging to Richard Allen, Uppertown flock and the reserve male champion title went Lot 185, belonging to Albert Ferguson, Powerview flock. Out of a homebred ewe and sired by Killurin Umpire, he made €1,700 in the ring on Saturday.
Evans’ final job of the day was to decide on a supreme and reserve supreme champion. The title of the supreme champion awarded Lot 127 and the reserve supreme champion was awarded to Lot 185.
Top prices
The highest price of the day went to David Argue, of the Rockdale flock, for his ram lamb. Lot 216. This ram lamb is out of a Bawnard ewe and sired by a ram brought in from Dungannon in 2021, ‘Iskeymeadow Whiskey Mick’.
After some brisk bidding this lamb fell to Michael Power of the Ballyhibben flock for €8,000.The Rockdale pen of four lambs went on to sell to an average of €3,525.
Other top prices:
- €2,000 for Lot 46 D+J Grogan;
- €4,000 for Lot 66 P Skillicorn;
- €2,400 for Lot 134 D Argue;
- €2,200 for Lot 152 J& F Jeffery ;
- €2,200 for Lot 164 R & E Shanaghan;
- €2,200 for Lot 193 C Deane;
- €2,200 for Lot 215 D Argue;
- €2,200 for Lot 225 F Godfrey.
There was also a large selection of stock available for the commercial farmer to choose from and these sold in the region of €450 to €800. There was a positive trade overall, with 29 animals hitting four-figure sums.
The overall average price was €929 with a good clearance that was up on last year.