Premier show & sale for Irish Charollais Sheep Society on the 29th & 30 July 2022
The Irish Charollais Sheep Society Premier show & sale was held in the new location of Blessington Mart on Friday and Saturday the 29th & 30th July 2022, and this year was no different with another record been broken, but it was in the show ring this year that this happened. One man ended up going home with the 3 cups that were on offer at this year’s show. This lamb lot 127 belonged to Richard Allen, Uppertown flock and bred from a Logie Durno ewe and a Ralahine bred ram.
Mr Dewi Evans, Ffrwd flock in Anglesey had the unenviable job of judging the show and what a job he did from start to finish. He took his time and did not rush any decision until he was 100% happy with it.
The 1st class up for judging was the Ewe lamb class, there was a strong entry of animals with the ewe lamb, lot 8 from the flock of Jim & Frampton Jeffery, Baward flock. This lamb was out of a homebred ewe from Bawnard and a ram from Tomgarrow flock. She went forward to win the champion female of the day and made €1,300 in the sales ring on Saturday.
Next class to take to the stage was the shearling ewes, again this was a tough decision for Mr. Evans with the ewe, lot 29 from Andrew Gilmore from the Redrock flock comes to the top. She was out of a home bred ewe and sired by Millhaven Victor.
The 3rd class to hit the concrete was a new class for the Irish Charollais Sheep Society to run, it was the Novice Ram Lamb class, this consisted of all breeders who had never won a first prize previously at a Irish Charollais Sheep premier show & sale or at a Irish Charollais Sheep All Ireland in the ram lamb class. This class was the biggest of the day. Mr. Evan thoroughly examined each lamb before coming to his decision and placing a ram lamb belonging to Richard Allen as his choice of the line-up and received the ‘Mitch Power’ Memorial Cup. This lamb was out of a Logie Durno ewe and again a Ralahine bred ram. This lamb was finally at the end of the day tapped forward as the judge’s choice to take the title of male champion of the show and also the supreme champion of the show. He went into the sales ring on Saturday and finally fell to new home of Wesley Cousins at €4, 600.
The 4th class was the open ram lamb class which consisted of those who had previously a first prize winners at a Irish Charollais Sheep premier show & sale or at a Irish Charollais Sheep All Ireland. Again this was a very strong class and the Mr. Evan brought the line-up down to 6 animals, he proceed to ask the first 3 animals from the novice class to be brought out to be included in the line-up. With all 9 ram lambs in the line-up he proceeded to place his lambs. Again coming out on top was lot 127 belonging to Richard Allen, Uppertown flock, and he now received the ‘Edwin Kelso’ Memorial Cup.
It now came to the final class of the day and this was the Shearling ram class. Mr. Evan had again a hard job on his hands in making a final decision here. The cream came to the top with a hogget ram belonging to Patrick SKillicorn, Skelly flock claiming 1st place. This ram was out of a powerview ewe and was sired by a homebred ram ‘Skelly Real McCoy’. He went forward on Saturday to make €4,000.
Mr. Evan’s next job was to choose his female champion and this went to lot 8 belonging to Jim & Frampton Jeffery, Bawnard flock and the 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 again sired by a Ralahine ram and she proceeded to make €2,100 in the sales ring on Saturday.Purchased by Norman Wilson Ramelton Co Donegal.
Next on the agenda was to choose the male champion and again this title 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.
Mr. Evan’s final job of the day was to decide on his Supreme Champion and Reserve Supreme Champion of the Day. The title of the Supreme Champion again landed on lot 127 belonging to Richard Allen, Uppertown flock. The reserve Supreme Champion was won by lot 185 belonging to Albert Ferguson, Powerview flock.
The big day came after all had a good night sleep (animal & man), the day of the sale had arrived and while all had thought that the excitement of the show on Friday evening could not be topped then they were wrong. A lot of breeder’s lambs were bought by other breeders and this lead to 29 animals making 4 figure sums.
The highest one of these went to David Argue, Rockdale flock for a ram lamb, lot 216, ‘Rockdale after Dark’ 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, Ballyhibben flock for €8,000.The Rockdale pen of 4 lambs went on to sell to an average of €3525.
Other top prices
Lot 46 D+J Grogan €2000
Lot 66 P Skillicorn €4000
LOT 134 D Argue €2400
Lot 152 J& F Jeffery €2200
LOT 164 R & E Shanaghan €2200
Lot 193 C Deane €2200
Lot 215 D Argue €2200
Lot 225 F Godfrey €2200
There was also a large selection of stock available for the commercial farmer to choose from and sold in the region of €450 to €800.There was a positive trade seeing 29 animals hitting 4 figure sums. The overall average price was €929 with a good clearance that was up on last year.
The society would like to thank Blessington mart and staff, Herbie Martin catering, all purchasers and bidders and last but not least our judge Dewi Evans, it may have taken three years to get you here but it was worth the wait.
