Records smashed at Belclare Premier
There was an explosive start to the sales season for the Belclare Sheep Society, when the breed record, hogget ewe record and the total turnover saw considerable gains at the Belclare Premier Sale held at Kilkenny Mart, Cillin Hill on Tuesday 6th August.
Leading the way and setting a new breed record at €3000 was the pre-sale Supreme Champion Tubber Eoin from the flock of Liam and Eoin Dunne. This exceptional son of Violet Hill Derrek out of a Tubber dam by another Violet Hill ram in 2017 and 2018 National Champion Senior ram JR1408203, was touted as a very special lamb even before the pre-sale show, having been the Champion ram lamb at both Athenry and Athlone Shows earlier in the summer. After a prolonged bidding war in the packed sales ring, he was knocked down to Tuam breeder Sonny Jennings of the Cahergal flock.
The next best of the day went to John Renehan of the Violet Hill flock. Violet Hill Eurylochus, a tight skinned son of Violet Hill Chappy, who was also the grandsire of the Supreme Champion, was secured for a bid of €1650 from pedigree breeder John McTigue. Roles had been reversed earlier on in the day when John Renehan secured Lot 31 Ballynulty Eduardo from John McTigues flock for €1600. This sharp ram is a son of Foras Cal and out of a homebred ewe.
Richard and John Lalor then claimed the next two best prices of the day. Firstly, with Lot 81, Rathkenty El Chapo a powerful twin born son of Rathkenty Alabama, who had caught the eye.