The weekend was always set to be a good one, with the sale having the biggest entry ever of rams in the premier sale to give buyers even more choice!

The sale definitely didn’t disappoint, with both Friday and Saturday setting new records, firstly with the individual records and thereafter overall averages breaking all records.

The judging kicked off on Friday under the trustworthy hands of James Porter of the Saltcotes flock in England.

With one of the largest entries in the history of the sale, it was always going to be a hard job, but it was evident from the start that the standard was among the best ever put forward.

First to kick off the day’s proceedings was the shearling ewe class. There was no shortage of big, powerful shearling ewes in this class. Coming out on top was Pat and Barry Farrell with a full sister to last year’s champion. She went on to do the same as her sister and later claimed the overall Female Champion title. She was sired by Hilltop Golden Eye out of a renowned Teiglum ewe that has bred the Female Champion for the Farrells for the last three years and was in the genetics of the Champion Male and Reserve Champion Male. She later went on to sell for an Irish record at auction of €10,000 to Alan Blackwood.

It was on to the ewe lamb class, with the Murphy brothers coming out top here with a daughter of Lylehill Hit and Run. She later went on to claim Reserve Female Champion and sell for €3,200gns to Aaqron Cox.

It was then on to Hogget Rams, with the top spot going to last year’s All Ireland Male Champion from Brian Divilly with a full brother to 13k Goldfinger, selling for €3,500 to Ronan O’Connor.

We then moved into the biggest classes of the day: the ram lambs, with the classes starting with the Open Ram Lambs. The first spot went to John and Stephen Redmond with a son of Drumcon His Royal Highness, his mother being the mother of the Overall Champion last year. He sold for €3,000 to Thomas Kenny and Brian Connelly.

A Drumcon His Royal Highness son also claimed the next class, the recorded ram lamb class, for John Neville. He later sold for €5,000 to Hugh Catterson.

We then kicked off the standout class of the day, the Irish Sired class, with the first prize coming from the Silver Hill pen of Neville & Aaron Myles with Silver Hill Isle of Man sired by Connemara Hilltop who was bought in Blessington last year for €5,500 (Hilltop’s dam was also purchased in Blessington 2023). Isle of Man is also out of a ewe purchased in Blessington for €1,400gns; it shows you the value that can be got in Blessington. Isle of Man then later went on to claim Male Champion and Overall Champion and sold for €8,500 to Thomas Whitehead.

Next up was the Novice class, with the top spot coming from the flock of Irene Donnelly with a son of Auldhouseburn Fancy Pants out of the famous Gucci. He was shown under the guidance of her brother Anthony and claimed the Reserve Male Champion and Reserve Overall. It was then on to the sale where he sold for €20,000gns to Fintan Hackett and Alan Glendening.

The ram trade was surely going to be good with the high standard that was on offer, so it’s no surprise that the record price was broken on Saturday.

The record-breaking ram, Speenogue Iron Man, came from Sean McHugh from Lifford in Donegal. The ram, which had stood 2nd in the Irish Sired class the day before, was sired by their Blessington purchase from last year for €6,000, Silver Hill Helpful, and was out of a home-bred ewe that was out of a ewe Sean bought for €1,200 in the Derrylahan sale, which shows the value that can be got in the south of Ireland. He was sold for €40,000gns in a five-way split to Brian Divilly, Ronan Gallagher, Darragh Niland, Michael Gilmore and Sean Farragher.

Brian Divilly, Darragh Niland (Buyers) Sean McHugh (Seller) Michael Gilmore (Buyer) 

The good day did not stop there for Sean; he sold the pen mate for €9,000, sired by the same ram and out of a home-bred ewe by Kilcurley Ed. He sold to Robert Walker.

It was then the below-noted Reserve Champion who hit the €20k mark.

Next was the 5th prize Open Ram Lamb, selling for €16,000, from the flock of John Greene. He was sired by the All Ireland Champion Drumcon His Royal Highness. He sells with double five stars to the McHugh families.

It was then a full brother to the Reserve Champion that stood fourth in the recorded class from Jarlath Joyce. He is a son of Fancy Pants and a Gucci ewe, selling to Pat Lyons for €12,000gns.

Jarlath also sold the pen mate for €6,000, an Equinox cross Gucci son who stood sixth in the show. He sold to John Neville and John Redmond.

Also at this money was the first lamb from the Kilduff pen a son of the Hilltop Golden Eye off a Cheif mother. this one heads to Donegal with Ryan Doherty 

The O’Keeffes kicked off a strong pen with €12,000, a son of Knockhill Hercules. He was sold in a two-way split to James Garvin and Neville and Aaron Myles.

The father and son duo then sold a naturally born and reared Midlock Dapper son for €6,500 to Edward Buckley.

The good run didn’t end there, with their next lamb hitting €5,200 and selling to Neville and Aaron Myles.

The shearling ram trade was topped by John Donohoe with a son of the 13k Gold Finger. He sold at €4,000 to John J. Brennan.

While all of these prices were sold to pedigree breeders, commercial farmers were there in force and picking up great value, picking shearling rams up from €800 to €1,800 and ram lambs from €700 to €1,500—something to meet all budgets.

The female sale was topped by the Farrells with €10,000 for a shearling ewe. They also topped the ewe lamb trade with a maternal sister to the champion, with an Auldhouseburn Fancy Pants ewe lamb selling for €5,000 to Brian Hanthorn and Frank Clewer.

Other  leading price in the females was the 2nd prize shearling ewe, selling for €4,200gns. She was a Uskvale Get Ready daughter carrying five stars terminal, sold to Thomas Whitehead. He also picked up her pen mate at €3,500, sired by a home-bred ram, Greenhill Ecstasy. She sold with double five stars.

The Green family then sold at €3,500  a Haymount Fancy That daughter, selling to William Norris.

The next highest price was from the O’Keeffes with a Garngour Fly Half daughter, selling for €3,000 to John Tuke.

The ewe lamb trade was also as strong throughout, with the Farrells also picking up €3,500 for a full sister to the €5,000 ewe lamb, selling to Michael Gilmore.

Overall, the averages were the best the sale has seen, with the Hogget Ewes averaging €1,766, up from €972, 92% clearance; Hogget Rams €1,461, up from €1,072, 97% clearance; Ram Lambs €2,005, up from €1,627, 86% clearance; Ewe Lambs €1,297, up from €1,062, 86% clearance.

Other leading prices

Ram Lamb

Lot 149 ANTHONY  DONNELLY €5000 to MICHAEL BIRD

Ram Lamb

Lot 356 J C & M MCHUGH €5000 to JOHNMARTIN

Ram Lamb

Lot 172 ADAM HEFFERNAN €4000 to MICHAEL HEGARTY

Ram Lamb Lot 258 FERGAL OSE Lot 3500 to JIM HARRISON

Ram Lamb

Lot 283 P&B Farrell €3500 to T Kenny B Connelly

Ram Lamb Lot 156 €3,000 JAMES GARRIVAN  PATRICKLYONS

Ram Lamb Lot 221 €3000 JOHN D BROOKS  to EDWARD BUCKLEY

Class 1

1^st Lot 14 Pat and Barry Farrell

2^nd Lot 11 J, C & M Mc Hugh

3^rd Lot 6 A and P O’Keeffe

4^th  Lot 7 J, C & M Mc Hugh

5^th Lot 26 John Greene

6^th Lot 25 John Greene

2 Class Ewe Lamb

1st Lot 77 Jand P Murphy’s

2nd Lot 40 N & A Myles

3rd Lot 70 W Doherty

4th Lot 78 J and P Murphy

5th Lot 73 P &B Farrell

6th Lot 50 L Dillon

Shearling Ram

1st Lot 138 B Divilly

2nd Lot 99 A &P O’Keeffe

3rd Lot 130 J Neville

4th Lot 118 M & C Walsh

5th Lot P & A Murphy

6th Lot 104 G Devlin

Open Ram Lamb

1st Lot 252 J Redmond

2nd Lot 279 P & B Farrell

3rd Lot 340 A & P O’ Keeffe

4th Lot 300 J Neville

5th Lot 289 J Green

6th Lot 164 J Joyce

LambPlus Ram Lamb

1st Lot 299 J Neville

2nd Lot 283 P & B Farrell

3rd Lot 165 J Joyce

4th Lot 149 A Donnelly

5th Lot 267 N Myles

6th Lot 357 J, C & M McHugh

Irish Sired Ram

1st Lot 266 N Myles

2nd Lot 230 S McHugh

3rd Lot 282 P & B Farrell

4th Lot 364 J, C & M McHugh

5th Lot 221 J Brooks

6th Lot 341 A & P O’ Keeffe

Novice Class

1st Lot 247 I Donnelly

2nd Lot 172 A Heffernan

3rd Lot 211 P Kenny

4th Lot 151 J &M Donohoe

5th Lot 212 P Kenny

6th Lot 354 A Cox

Femal Champion Lot 14 P & B Farrell

Reserve Female Champion Lot 77 P & J Murphy

Male Champion Lot 266 N Myles

Reserve Male Champion Lot 247 I Donnelly

Supreme Champion Lot 266 N Myles

Reserve Supreme Champion Lot 247 I Donnelly

The post Donegal won in the end – Records head to Donegal appeared first on Irish Texel.

The post 2025 Growvite National Champions appeared first on Irish Texel.

The first class of the day, aged ewe, was won by Neville and Aaron Myles of the Silverhill flock with an exceptional body ewe, a daughter of Knock Crackerjack.

Next up was the Shearling ram Class, where the Greene family took first prize with Drumcon His Royal Highness, a son of Stratbogie Gypsy King.

History repeated itself in the shearing ewe class, with the O’Keeffe family picking up 1st prize with a daughter of the 1st Shearling ewe from the 2022 All Ireland and Reserve Champion, sired by Garngour Fly Half. This ewe had previously been the first prize ewe lamb at last year’s All Ireland.

The lamb classes commenced with the Novice ram lamb, where Patrick Kenny came out on top with a son of Hexel Fan Club, whose mother was purchased in Blessington last year. This lamb holds exceptional EBVs, ranking in the top 1% for terminal and 3% for maternal.

The senior ram lamb class saw the Myles family claim first and second prize with sons of Glenside Guardsman. This lamb holds double five-star ratings for both terminal and maternal and will be heading to Blessington on August 8th and 9th.

The junior ram lamb class was won by John Green with a son of the champion Drumcon His Highness, which also boasts top 1% terminal EBVs.

The ewe lamb class was claimed for the second consecutive year by the O’Keeffe family with a daughter of Kockhill Hercules.

Michael Grant took the junior ewe lamb class with a daughter of Brague Gypsy King.

Daniel Hegarty claimed the top two spots in the novice ewe lamb class with daughters of his Blessington Purchase Connemara Hennessy.

The championships kicked off with the males. Drumcon His Royal Highness from the Greene’s, a double five-star shearling ram, was crowned Male Champion and later Overall Champion. The Myles family’s ram lamb, sired by Glenside Guardsman, took Reserve Male Champion.

In the female championships, the O’Keeffe family claimed both top spots. Their shearling ewe, the same as her mother who was champion two years ago, took the Female Champion title she also went on to claim reserve overall , it was their ewe lamb that claimed Reserve Female Champion.

–

Aged Ram:

None Forward

Aged Ewe:

1st Aaron and Neville Myles NVI2202502
2nd Dwayne Sheils SWF2302041
3rd William Doherty YZI2102192
4th Andrew Friel YZI2302410
5th Aaron and Neville Myles NVI2102316
6th Aaron cox

Shearling Ram:

1st John Green Drumcon His Highness
2nd Ryan Green Lynbrook Hercules
3rd Dolores mc Sherry ZNE24009246
4th Martin Walsh Frenchbrook Heads-up
5th Clara Hi Boy Andrew Friel
6th Kenny’s Hugo Boss Kieran Finnerty

Shearling Ewe:

1st A and P O Keeffe OKI2407044
2nd Jimmy Garrivan GBE2403000
3rd Aaron and Neville Myles NVI2402846
4th C and L Greene GAF2404079
5th Darragh Mc Menamin YZI 2402491
6th Ryan Green GCN2404151

Novice Ram Lamb :

1st P Kenny KXF2500160
2nd Adam Heffernan AHE2503288
3rd P Kenny KXF2500157
4th Paul Rooney PRH 2502824
5th Damien Doherty DDH2506411
6th Evan Regan KVH2500866

Open Ram Lamb :

1st Aaron and Neville Myles NVI25002977
2nd Aaron and Neville Myles NVI2502992
3rd Matthew Kenny KXF2500160
4th Jimmy Garrivan GBE2503108
5th Adam Heffernan AHE2503288
6th Willie Doherty YZI2502586

Jnr Ram Lamb :

1st John Greene GEI2505860
2nd Michael Grant MZE2500602
3rd A and P O Keeffe OKI2507221
4th A and P O Keeffe OKI2507222
5th Stephen Kilpatrick AQJ2501823
6th Dan Bonner JBF2501823

Open Ewe Lamb :

1st A and P O’ Keefe OKI2507302
2nd Jimmy Garrivan GBE2503095
3rd Aaron And Neville Myles NVI2502961
4th Aaron And Neville Myles NVI2502959
5th Willie Doherty YZI 2502587
6th Aaron And Neville Myles NVI 2502970

Jnr Ewe Lamb :

1st Micahel Grant MZE2500599
2nd Fintan Hacket FKH2500244
3rd A and P O Keeffe OKI2507270
4th John Green GEI2505849
5th Dan Bonner JBF2500650
6th P and J Murphy JPH2504350

Novice Ewe Lamb :

1st Daniel Hegarty LHH2500359
2nd Daniel Hegarty LHH2500363
3rd Michael Gilmore AYH2500572
4th Matthew Kenny KXF2500164
5th Ivor and Johnathan Kee
6th Michael Grant MZE2500575

Male Championship

Male Champion:

John Green Drumcon His Highness

Reserve Male Champion

Aaron and Neville Myles NVI25002977

Female Championship

Female Champion:

A and P O Keeffe OKI2407044

Reserve Female Champion
A and P O’ Keefe OKI2507302

Overall

Overall Champion
John Green Drumcon His Highness

Reserve Overall

A and P O Keeffe OKI2407044

The post Growvite Texel All Ireland 2025 appeared first on Irish Texel.

The Irish Texel Sheep Society is delighted to host the Five Nations event this year.

We know this is one of the highlights of the year, especially with it being held in Donegal.

FRIDAY 27th JUNE – SUNDAY 29th JUNE

The weekend will include visits to some of the leading Texel flocks in Ireland as well as the renowned Irish social nights in Letterkenny. It will also give young breeders the opportunity to see the Irish Texel All Ireland in Finn Valley Show on the Saturday.

The young breeders’ Five Nations event was set up over 11 years ago and has been running ever since. It is the one event that brings together like-minded Texel enthusiasts from Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales.

People have made lifelong friends from this event and gained valuable knowledge of the breed.

Day tickets are available for €30/day for local young breeders who do not need travel and accommodation arrangements. Please get in touch with Sinead as soon as possible.

TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS

If you are DRIVING, please ensure that you are at 100 Upper Main St, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, F92 NFX9, by 11:30 (ideal meeting point for people attending from the South of Ireland). (If you are coming from the North of Ireland and would like to get on the bus at Belfast airport, please let Sinead know.)

If you are taking the FERRY, please book the following crossing with P & O Ferries from Cairnryan to Larne:

Friday: Out 08:00, Arrive 10:00

Sunday: Out 16:00, Arrive 18:00

If you are FLYING, please ensure you tick the box on the booking form and book the following flights or flights that will ensure you are at Belfast International Airport by 10:30 am. There will be a coach to take attendees back to the airport on Sunday afternoon for 15:00. If you wish to fly back earlier, you will need to make your own way to the airport; a transfer will not be provided for you.

All flights below are with EasyJet or Ryanair flying into Belfast International:

Birmingham

Friday Out: 8:00 – 9:05

Sunday Return: 16:55 – 18:00

Manchester

Friday Out: 08:40 – 9:40

Sunday Return: 15:55 – 16:55

Edinburgh

Friday Out: 07:00 – 07:50

Sunday Return: 16:55 – 17:50

Bristol

Friday Out: 07:25 – 08:35

Sunday Return: 17:40 – 18:40

Liverpool

Friday Out: 06:15 – 07:10

Sunday Return: 15:55

If you are flying from another destination not mentioned above and require a transfer into Belfast city centre, please ensure that you are at Belfast International Airport by 10:30 am, and that your return flights are booked for 5:00 pm onwards. Please make Sinead aware so that you can be added to the list.

Please note that travel arrangements have only been made for collections at Belfast International Airport.

Booking Process

Please note rooms will be shared.

€260 Full Payment to be made via Bank Transfer to the Irish Texel Sheep Society by the 1st of May. Payment reference should be your name.

Bank Details:

Allied Irish Bank Blanchardstown

IBAN: IE62AIBK93251511805068

BIC Code: AIBKIE2D

Once payment is made, please email info@irishtexel.com.

Any questions, please contact:

John Neville: +353 871204485

Ryan Greene: +353 863437919

The post Five Nations 2025 appeared first on Irish Texel.

It was evident to see the demand for the breed in the region by the record crowd that showed up on the night to view the stock on offer.

It was the Knockhill flock of John and Stephen Redmond who achieved the top two prices on the night. The highest price was for a Rhaeadr Entrepreneur daughter out of Proctors Chumba Wumba. This ewe also carried a four-star replacement and a five-star terminal rating. She is scanned in lamb to the £30,000 stg Drumcon His Highness. This ewe was met with spirited bidding and was the choice of new breeder John Tuke.

The new highest price came from the Knockhill flock with a ewe from the Knockhill Great Expectations line. She was a daughter of Uskvale Get Ready and the Teiglum ewe by Wydden Ding Dong, who also bred the best ewe lamb in Knockhill this year. She sold for €3,800 to Malachy McMeel and John Neville.

Next to hit the high prices was the Treemore flock of John and Neil Kidd with a daughter of their homebred ram Treemore Emmanuel, producing their top price of €3,700. This ewe was out of the best female line in the flock, which has bred rams to £15,000 stg. She is carrying twins to Hillcrest Goodfellas and was again the choice of John Tuke.

It was then back to the Knockhill pen for the next highest price with another daughter of his Teiglum ewe and by Rhaeadr Entrepreneur, making her a full sister to Great Expectations. She sold in lamb to Rathfeigh Henry, a double five-star ram. She was the pick of Brian Gallivan.

The next highest price was from Knockhill again, with €1,600 for a Hexel Fever Tree out of the Millinbank ewe, which was from the same line as the Blessington Champions.

Overall, it was a sale full of strong, fit, and functional ewes. This can be seen in the prices, with an overall clearance rate of 92% and an average price of €1,100 for shearling ewes and €1,125 for ewe lambs.

The post South East Stars Shine Bright. appeared first on Irish Texel.

6th December 2024

The West Region Texel Club Annual Female Show & Sale took place on Friday 6th December in Roscommon Mart.

The sale saw 60 in lamb pedigree texel hoggets for sale as well as 15 maiden ewe lambs. The judge on the night was Pat Lyons of the Turoe Flock in Galway. Despite Storm Darragh, there was a big demand at the ring and online on the night with a 90% sale clearance.

Overall Champion of the Show & Sale was the first prize winning ewe lamb, Lot 64, for the Recess Flock of Patrick Joyce from Co. Galway. Sired by Knockhill Great Expectation who was Reserve All Ireland Male Champion 2023, she was knocked down to Daire Cregg for €1,500.

Lot 12 for the Hillswood Flock of Thomas Kenny Co Galway was chosen by the judge as the Reserve Champion having already been selected as the first prize shearling ewe. A Hexel Firecracker daughter, she was served by Recess Hilton and was unsold on the night.

Ewe Lambs

Topping the sale was Lot 63, a Claybury Dunkirk sired ewe lamb, for the Connemara Flock of Jarlath Joyce. She sold for €1,680 to Jonathan Kenny.

Another ewe lamb selling at a top price was Lot 66 for the Brideswell Flock of Malachy & Eugene Hand from Athlone, Co. Roscommon. This ewe lamb was sired by Sportmans Dare Devil with a Loosebeare Chief Dam. She was sold for €1,400 to Adam Heffernan, Co. Kerry.

Lot 69 for the Annaghdown Flock of Brian Divilly, Co Galway sold for €1,220 to Anthony Rowland. She was a Castlegar Edward daughter and a full sister to the 13k Annaghdwon Goldfinger.

Shearling Ewes

Topping the shearling ewe trade was Lot 15 for the Brideswell Flock of Malachy & Eugene Hand, Co. Roscommon. Sired by Greenhill Fionn MacCumhaill, she was scanned in lamb with twins to Brideswell Gladiator and sold to new breeder Brian McDonagh for €1,280.

Following closely behind was another Greenhill Fionn MacCumhaill daughter for the Brideswell Flock, Lot 46, who was also scanned in lamb with twins to Brideswell Gladiator and heads to Co Carlow with Martin Doyle for €1,260.

Selling at €1,200 was Lot 51 for the Annaghdown Flock of Brian Divilly. This shearling ewe was sired by Saltcotes E-Class and was scanned in lamb to Knockhill Great Expectation selling to Chris McCarthy.

Lot 21 for the Stonepark flock of Biran Connelly, who was placed second in her class, was sold to Pat Lyons for €1,180. She was scanned in lamb to Oberstown Figo.

Another Greenhill Fionn MacCumhaill daughter for the Brideswell Flock, Lot 47, scanned in lamb with twins to Brideswell Gladiator sold to John Gilmore for €1,120.

Lot 13 for the Hillswood Flock of Thomas Kenny, who wasselected as the first prized Euro Star Shearling Ewe, was also sold for €1,120 to Martin Doyle. A Teiglum Cinnamon daughter, she was scanned in lamb to Recess Hilton.

A number of shearling ewes sold for €1,100:

A number of shearling ewes sold for €1,080:

Lot 13 – 1st Prize Euro Star Shearling Ewe for the Hillswood Flock

Hillswood Gloria 

Reserve Champion and First Prize Shearling Ewe, Lot 12, for the Hillswood Flock of Thomas Kenny 

Recess Hailey

Overall Champion and First Prize Ewe Lamb for the Recess Flock of Patrick Joyce sold for €1,500

The post West was awake on the 6th December appeared first on Irish Texel.

This is due to the dedication of the members of the society breeding the type of sheep the market requires. We have rams going through our sales to highs of €20,000 and females to €4,500, but the real success is the number of crossbred sheep farmers investing in the Texel breed for their stock rams.

We also remember past members who we have lost over the last year and members who have lost loved ones.

I would now like to wish you a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, and successful lambing. I look forward to meeting you in the coming year at our shows and sales for another great year.

Warm Regards 

Willie Doherty

Chairman 

The post Chairman Christmas Message appeared first on Irish Texel.

It was a great day for the Texel breed in Blessington with the sale being held despite the storm Darragh! But the storm didn’t stop the demand for the Texel breed, with the top price coming from Donegal from the Shannagh Flock of Andrew & Richard Wilson.

Their leading price was for a 5-star Terminal and 4-star rated replacement ewe scanned carrying 2 lambs by AHB Fancy Pants (Fancy Pants sired lambs to 100,000gns at Lanark in 2023 and is also a double five-star ram). This ewe was sired by Harestone Eldorado and her dam was by Sportsmans Cannonball. She sold to Fintan Hackett for 4200gns.

The next highest price was Lot 51 from the Ryan Flocks. This naturally born and reared double 5-star ewe sold scanned carrying 2 lambs to Connemara Hennessy. She was sired by Kilduff Flash and her dam was sired by Hillcrest Yeovil. She sold to John Tuke.

The next highest at 2800gns was from the O’Keeffe Family, Lot 28, a 4-star Terminal rated ewe scanned carrying 1 lamb to Knockhill Hercules. She was sired by Garngour Flyhalf and her dam is by Midlock Dapper, who has sired numerous show winners for the O’Keeffe Family in recent years.

Next up was Lot 6, a shearling ewe from the Silverhill Flock of Neville & Aaron Myles, selling at 2000gns to David Barrett. She is a double 5-star ewe by Hexel Fan Club and her dam is by Mullan Armani. She sold scanned carrying 3 lambs to Glenside Guardsman.

Topping the ewe lamb trade was Lot 80 from Anthony Donnelly’s Flock, selling to Pat & Barry Farrell, Co. Meath. This March-born ewe lamb is sired by Claybury Dunkirk and her dam was Oberstown Gucci, who was Champion Female at the Blessington Premier in 2023. This lamb’s full brother was sold at the premier sale for €15,000.

There was exceptional demand throughout the sale for quality lots. This sale was another testament to the demand for Texels. There was 100% clearance in the shearling ewes, which averaged 1125gns, and 6 out of the 10 ewe lambs were forward.

The post Blessington All Star Sale Shines Bright appeared first on Irish Texel.

It was clear to see with that it was going to be a record sale when the crowd started building on the Friday afternoon.

The weekend kicked off with the show under the watchful eye of Dye Clark of Clarks flock in Scotland.

The first class of the day was the shearling ewe with the first prize in this class going to John Neville Co Wexford with a Glenside Forever daughter, she later went on to sell for €2,000 to new breeder Thomas Whitehead.

It quickly then went on to the ewe lambs with the judges fancy going to Pat and Barry Farrell with a Hilltop Golden Eye daughter. Farrell’s remarkably have clamed this title for the last 3 years. This ewe lamb later took the female championship and reserve overall champion. It’s worth noting that last year it was her maternal sister that was female champion. She was the pick for Thomas Whitehead who purchased her €4,500. 

It was the second prize lamb in came from Patrick and James Murphy who also later claimed the reserve female title, sired by Hexel Fan Club, she sold for €1,800 to Jimmy Garrivan from Co. Mayo.

Other leading prices came from the Farrells, with the highest price shearling ewe selling at €3,500 sired by Rhaeadr Entrepreneur. She was a full sister to last years champion and sold  to Neville Myles.

Next up in the shearling ewes was another Entrepreneur daughter from Ryan Doherty this one sold to Thomas Kenny for €3,000.

Paul Mallon then sold a daughter of Mullan Eagle Eye for €2,000 to Niall Moyne.

Trading at the same money was another Glenside Forever daughter selling to David Craig.

At the same Money was a full sister to the national champion from the Murphy brothers.

Over all there was a strong female trade with quality lots in demand.   The shearling ewes had a strong clearance of 81% at €1021 for 50 sold. Ewe lambs were in high demand for the quality lots offered for sale with the average hitting €1115 showing a 66% percent clearance.

The Saturday it was the turn of the males to hit the ring and from the start the atmosphere was electric around the yard.

With the top spot on the Friday in the show going to the winner of the Open class from John Redmond of the Knockhill flock in Carlow with a son of Forkins Fancy, the judge  followed this lamb the whole way through making him Male Champion and Overall champion. He subsequently  purchased him for €3,100 the following day for his Clarks flock.

The Reserve Male Champion also came from the open class where he was placed 2nd from Neville Myles with a Hexel Fan Club son. This double five star lamb gathered much attention over the two days and with his package of both figures and looks it made him the sale topper at €20,000. He was ultimately the choice of Jimmy Garrvin and Ronan Gallagher.

The winner of the Shearling ram class was a Hexel Fever Tree son from Liam Dillon selling for €1,100.

The winner of the Lamb Plus class Neville Myles with another Hexel Fan Club he later sold for €1,700 to James Kelly.

The Winner of the Novice class was Iris and Irene Brazil with a son of Oberstown Fergo, he sold for €1,200.

A son of Knockhill Great Expectations that won the Irish sired class from Jarlath Joyce  later in the sale went on to sell for €5,500 to Flor Ryan and Johnny Donohoe.

Other leading prices from the sale.

The second highest price on the day was again the Farrell duo of Pat and Barry with a full brother to the Reserve Overall Champion a Hilltop Golden Eye son and from their top breeding  Teiglum ewe. He sold for €18,000 to the Corbo, Manview and Ballygroogan flocks.

Coming in close behind at €15,000 was a son of Claybury Dunkirk and out of the Overall Champion from last who is from the same Oberstown/Teiglum line. This boy was the choice of the Greene & McLoughlin flocks from Co. Donegal 

Next was a full brother to the sale topper from Neville Myles with a Fan Club son this time selling to Greenhill flock of John and Colm McHugh.

Jarlath Joyce was back in the money with a full brother to Irene Donnnellys lamb selling for €5,000 to Dwayne Sheils.

The next three rams traded at €4,500 with the first being a  full brother to last years sale topper Brian Dvilly selling to John and Colm Mc Hugh.

It was then another full brother to the sale topper from Neville Myles sold to Declan Mangan.

We then had another at the same money from the same pen, he sold to Anthony Rowland.

The last to trade above the 4k mark was Emma Wharton selling her son of Seaford Groovy Baby.

The trade was strong throughout in the males with he breeders seeking top genetics to add to their flocks with 34 rams making €2,000 or more. It still left a huge amount of shearling rams selling and ram lambs for the commercial farmer in the 600 to 1,200 bracket.

The Charity sale was held after the female sale on Friday night with all proceeds €2400 raised being donated to ‘Daras legacy’.

Shearling rams averaged €1125 with a 97% clearance and Ram Lambs 89% clearance with a  €1708 average. This  figure was being driven by the pedigree higher prices. When removing anything over 3k the average was €1098. 

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Young Handler Winner Dylan Joyce 

Charleville Show which was held on Sunday June 30th saw the return of the Growvite National Championships for the Irish Texel Society. 

With the fantastic facilities of Charleville showgrounds the show kicked off with a bang, first out of the traps was the aged ram class.

The winner of the class was Curley First Descent, which is no surprise that he also comes with five star terminal figures. He is also sire of the Novice 1st placed  ram lamb in both the nationals and the All Ireland from Feddans flock of Percy O’Callaghan. 

Curley First Descent

It was then onto aged ewe class with some exceptional ewes on display. Coming out on top this time was Paddy, Sean and Aoibhe Morrissey with a Hartside Assassin daughter.

1st Prized Aged Ewe  RWE 214639

The shearling  ram class was also claimed by the same winner as the All Ireland shearling ram class from Jimmy Garrivan with Cherryvale Gerrard, a son of Cherryvale Frankel. The class was packed with exceptional shearling rams with the high majority of them heading to the Society Premier sale on the 9^th and 10^th August in Blessington.

The shearling ewe was the next up and as usual it was one of the strongest classes on the day with the eventual Female Champion and Reserve coming from this class. Claiming first place was a Garngour  Fly Half and her mother being the  2022 Growvite National Champion, bred and exhibited by A and P O’Keeffe.  The 2^nd prize in the class was a Midlock Dapper daughter from the Murphy brothers of Frenchbrook Texels, this follows her winning first prize in the Nationals last year.

1st Shearling Ewe OKI 2306911 Female Champion and Reserve Overall 

2nd Prize and Reserve Female JPH 2303685 J & P Murphy

It was then on to the novice ram lamb, this was claimed by a relatively new breeder Percy O’Callaghan from Co. Waterford with a naturally born Curly First Decent  triplet son and out of a homebred Forge Gig Gun ewe. This was the second major win for this lamb and Percy having been place first in the All Ireland.

1st Novice Ram Lamb PCH 2400140 Percy O Callaghan

The next class was the Open Ram Lamb class which some believed was the strongest class of the day with the winner going on to claim the Overall Championship later in the day. The first prize came from the previously mentioned Murphy brothers with a son of their 2023 Blessington purchase Annakisha Golden Moment who also has the same mother of the reserve female champion. He also heads to the Premier Sale on August 9^th and 10^th. This class was filled with exceptional lambs that will also be heading to the sale which is set to be one of the best premier sales yet based on this.

Open Ram Lamb 1st JPH 2404043 J & P Murphy Male Champion and Overall Champion 

Taking the red rosette in the junior ram class was also Jarlath Joyce with a son a Claybury Dunkirk and out of last years Premier Sale Campion and record price ewe lamb PFI2302019. This shows the quality offered for sale at the premier. This lamb went on to be Reserve Male champion he also heads to the Premier Sale.

March Class 1St Prized Ram Lamb JJG 2401266 Jarlath Joyce and Reserve Male Champion

The ewe lamb class was claimed by Jimmy Garrivan with a daughter of the 2022 Premier Sale Champion Clara Fandango out of Coniston Equinox daughter.

1st Open Ewe Lamn  GBE 240319 Jimmy Garrivan

The Junior Ewe Lamb class was then claimed by the Murphy Brothers with another daughter of Midlock Dapper.

1st Jnr Ewe Lamb JPH 2404070 J&P Murphy

The Novice Ewe class was won by Malachy Hand with a daughter of Sportsmans Dare Devil and out of a ewe purchased at the 2023 Premier Sale RDF2201088.

1st Novice Ewe Lamb YMH 2407344 Malachy Hand

The judge on the day John Neville commented of the exceptional standard of stock on show which is testament to the hard work of the breeders and he is looking forward to seeing the lambs and hoggets in Blessington. He also noted how great it was to see so many of the winners produced out of purchases made from Blessington last year.

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