Record prices at the Belclare Sheep premier sale
The Belclare Sheep Society held it premier sale at Cillin Hill, Kilkenny on Tuesday 4 August. Record prices were achieved with the previous record been surpassed on two occasions.
Champions
Tasked with judging was Sheena Mc Carty. The supreme champion was awarded to lot 74, Tubber Golden, a ram lamb from the flock of Liam and Eoin Dunne. This is the second time the Tubber Flock won overall champion in the past 3 years. This super ram lamb sold at €550.
Second prize went to the esteemed Knockcroghery flock of Declan, Mark and Joe Miley. This was awarded to lot 96, a super lamb with great style and power. The yellow rosette went to John Mctigue’s lot 105, Ballynulty Garcia which was sired by Violet Hill Eurylochus and from a homebred ewe.
The champion shearling ram, went to lot 7, Coolkellure Fidal, which was shown by Declan, Mark and Joe Miley. Sired by Knockcroghery Eldorado the hammer fell at €800.
The second prize was awarded to Tim Keady, lot 10 who would later go on to steal the show in the sales ring. The yellow rosette in the shearling ram section also went to Tim Keady, lot 13, Oltore Fantastic.
Ram Lambs
Securing top price in the ram lamb section was the Kilmeany Flock of Larry Barret. Sired by Silverbrook Fabio from a homebred ewe, Kilmeany Ganger, a stylish ram, boasted €star values of top 1% and top 11% for replacement and terminal indexes respectively. After a lot of intense bidding, both online and ringside the hammer fell at €3,100, a new breed record for a ram lamb.
The second highest price in the ram lamb section went was Knockcroghery Gram from the flock of Declan, Mark and Joe Miley in Co Roscommon. This ram had earlier secured Reserve Champion in the show. The hammer fell at €1700. This marks the last premier sale for the knockcroghery flock as it is due to be dispersed on the 13th of November.
Closely following up on this was lot 99, Coolgarragh Gio, bred by Liam Delaney Ballylinan, Co Kildare. This ram also had power and length. The hammer fell at €1600.
Both John Mctigue, Mayo and Jeramiah Anthony Collins, Cork secured €1300 for the top rams from their Ballynulty and Level Crossing flocks respectively.
Sales
They was a big interest from breeders with 9 rams achieving four-figure sums, considerably higher than last year. The sale could have done with some more commercial famers. Saying that, the clearance was 70% at an average of €650.
Attendees did not have to wait long for the records to be broken as lot 10, a shearling ram, Oltore Fred, from the Oltore flock sold for €3,700 when the hammer fell. This stylish ram created a lot of interest prior to the sale. Oltore Fred was bred by Tim Keady who runs the Oltore Flock in Caherlistrane, Co Galway. Oltore Fred had power, length and conformation and €star values top €7.49 (top 3%) and €1.32 (top 16%) for Replacement and Terminal indexes, respectively. After rapid bidding George Chandler dropped the hammer at €3,700. This record price follows on from the previous record of €3000 set in 2019 by a ram from the Tubber flock of Liam and Eoin Dunne. The successful bidders were Christopher McLaughlin and Liam and JJ McDermott from the Beltra and Glenagivey flocks in Donegal.
Ewes
Judge Sheena McCarty awarded her female champion to a ewe hogget from the Oltore Flock of Tim Keady. The ewe was sired by Alloon Elong from a home bred ewe. The Oltore flock was also awarded the yellow rosette for a hogget ewe sired by Oltore Elvis form a homebred ewe.
The reserve female champion was awarded to a ewe hogget from the Coolkellure Flock of Michael Gottstein. She was sired by Cahergal Cassidy from a homebred ewe.