A January-2026-born ram lamb owned by a Co. Donegal-based sheep breeder has sold for an impressive €33,000.

The ram lamb was sold at the Irish Texel premier sale, which took place at Blessington Mart, Co. Wicklow on Friday and Saturday, August 14 and 15.

The sale of ewes took place on the Friday, but it was the ram sale on Saturday that saw the top price.

A total of 110 ewes and 300 ram lambs were catalogued over the weekend.

The top price of the weekend went to a January-2026-born ram lamb 'Silver Hill Jameson' owned by Neville Myles from Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal.

The ram lamb was sold to Malachy and Eugene Hand of Brideswell Texels in Co. Roscommon for an impressive price of €33,000.

Speaking to Agriland after the sale, vendor Neville Myles said: "I've been at them over 30 years and this is the best lamb I've ever bred."

The ram, born on January 26, 2026, is sired by Hillcrest Ironman to the dam Silver Hill.

The sire, Hillcrest Ironman, was bought privately in 2025 for €10,000.

Myles put the price achieved this weekend down to the "super genetics" of the ram, saying "you look at a lamb like that everyday" but the genetics are the difference.

He told Agriland of the "huge effort and work" that was put into breeding this lamb by himself and his son Aaron, and Matthew Gilmartin.

The ram has a replacement value of €4.64, five stars on the Eurostar Index and has a terminal value of €4.58 with a 4-star valuation.

The pedigree of this lamb is well established as Silver Hill Jameson came third in the open lamb show in Athlone in 2026.

The weekend sale was marked 50 years of the Irish Texel Society and attracted some outstanding prices across the ewe and ram sales.

Other impressive sales include the €12,000 paid for another ram lamb, Silver Hill Jupiter, also owned by Neville Myles.

The mid-March-born ram lamb, Knigh Just the One owned by Aoife Harty sold for €10,000.

The female champion award went to Larahirl, a January 31, 2026-born ewe lamb, owned by John Greene sold for €16,000.

Other notable prices included:

Kilduff Jagerbomb, a January-born ram lamb, owned by Robert Dunne, sold for €9,000;
Greenhill Juggernaut, a late-January-born ram lamb, owned by John, Colm and Michael McHugh, sold for €16,000;
Oberstown Jules, a February-born ewe lamb, owned by Pat and Barry Farrell, sold for €3,900;
Oberstown I Candy, a February-born ewe lamb, owned by Pat and Barry Farrell, sold for €4,800.

Commenting on the success of the sale, Myles said "It's a great event to look forward to for the two days."

He added that the future was bright for the pedigree trade.

According to Myles, there was a "great buzz" over the weekend commenting that "with so many [farmers] disillusioned and leaving the land, to see the young lads and girls around the mart was great".

He added that it was very good to see Irish breeders supporting each other and keeping the best genetics in the country, highlighting the "huge effort across the country".