The Irish Charollais Sheep Society held its Premier Sale at Tullow Mart, Co. Carlow, on Saturday, July 31.
According to a statement from the society, a “great demand” was seen for rams with a new record set for a Charollais sheep prices in the Republic of Ireland at the sale.
The record price on the day went to Lot 17 which was a hogget ram bred from the flock belonging to Gerry and Dympna Grogan.
The D8 Duiske ram from Kildare was bred of Ballyhibben Talisman and was purchased by Drew Cowan for the Tullyear Flock at a price of €9,000.
This price surpassed the previous record of €7,500 which was secured by a ram that was the progeny of David Argue’s flock last year.
The second highest price on the day was for Lot 39, a ram lamb from Sinead and Eoin Brophy’s pen.
The Brophy’s Kellistown flock in Co. Carlow, secured €5,000 for a January-born son of Oakchuch Utopia.
Closely following up on this was Lot 108, a lamb from Ger and Paula O’Leary’s Ralahine Flock in Co. Clare.
Their top price of €4,700 was secured for a son of Riverdale Van the Man and was purchased by Raymond and Eamon Shanahan from Co. Cork.
Next up was a ram lamb from Peadar McGee’s Knockychottaun Flock in Co. Mayo, which was Lot 60 and fetched €4,300.
Lot 57 took the reserve male champion award. The ram came from Turret flock belonging to Raymond and Eamon Shanahan which went on to make €3,100.
This was followed closely by Lot 103, a ram lamb from Michael Power’s Ballyhibben Flock from Co. Limerick which sold for €3,000.
The pre-sale show
The pre-sale show was held on Saturday morning before the sale and the Supreme Champion was chosen by Judge Gerry Clarke.
It was awarded to Lot 32 (see image below), from the J88 Caltra Flock of Liam, Shane and Eric Conway from Esker, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway.
The Overall Champion Male went to a ram that was progeny of Ballyhibben Major John and sold later in the day to Ronan Gilligan from Galway for €2,000.
The overall reserve supreme champion was Lot 217 and came from Frank Jordan’s H42 Ballinaslee Flock in Co. Kilkenny.
This lamb was a daughter of Knockin Shop, had stood first prize ewe lamb and Champion Female in the show, and was sold for €2,100.
Reserve female champion was lot 207, from Eddie and Paul O’Gorman’s flock in Co. Tipperary and later sold for €1,200.
There was a positive trade seeing 30 rams and five females hitting four-figure sums, according to the society.
The average price for hogget rams was €1,282/head.Ram lambs on the day averaged €995/head at the sale.
The average price for hogget ewes was €1,100/head and finally, the average price for ewe lambs was €670/head.