The Belclare Sheep Society held it premier sale at Cillin Hill, Kilkenny on Tuesday 2nd August. There was an overall clearance of 70% for the rams at the premier sale with 20% of rams selling for €1000 / head or over.
Senior Ram
Tasked with judging was Cork man Arthur O’Keeffe of Annakisha Suffolk and Texel flocks. The first class of the day was the Senior Ram class. This prize went to Eunan and Mark Bannon with their homebred ram lot 1, SLANEMORE HILL ENAR. This 2019 born ram showed his class by securing the red rosette and subsequently found a new home in Munster.
Hogget Rams
The second class of the day was the hogget ram class. With a great line up of sheep, following prolonged consideration, the judge Arthur O’Keefe tapped forward Tim Keady’s OLTORE GIOVANNI for the red rosette. This powerful ram was sired by SILVERBROOK FITZGEARLD and sold for €800. The blue rosette also went to the Oltore flock of Tim Keady’s, Co Galway. OLTORE GRANGER took this prize and sold for €640.
The highest price from the hogget ram class went to OLTORE GRIFF, once again from the flock of Tim Keady. This ram was sired by current senior all-Ireland champion OLTORE FITZGEARLD. He was purchased for €1350, by Eunan Bannon of the Slanemore Hill Flock, Co Westmeath. There was 100% clearance of the hogget rams offered for sale.
Ram Lambs
The third class judged was the ram lamb class. With huge entries from all over Ireland only one ram could take home the prize of the 2022 Premier Sale Champion and that award went to the stand out ram on the day TOGHERBEG HECTOR from Barry Cunningham’s flock.
The red rosette and the supreme champion was awarded to lot 58, TOGHERBEG HECTOR. This ram from the flock of Barry Cunningham, Co Galway also won the all-Ireland in Mullingar Agricultural show, due to his great power and size. This was Barry’s first time winning ram lamb class at the Belclare Premier Sale and did so in style as the ram topped the sale. Following the brisk bidding, George Chandler dropped the hammer at €2,350.
TOGHERBEG HECTOR is sired by LEVEL CROSSING GERRY and was purchased by Paul Smyth of Silverbrook Flock, Co Offaly.
Second in the ram lamb class was awarded to Michael Gottstein’s ram lot 72 COOLKELLURE HARRY MAGUIRE. This ram lamb was awarded second prize and also took home reserve champion of the sale. This stylish ram was sired by KILMEANY GANGER from the flock of Larry Barrett who topped the 2021 premier sale with a price €3,100. COOLKELLURE HARRY MAGUIRE was purchased on the day by Tim Keady of the Oltore flock for €1,550.
Third in the ram lamb class went to lot 51 TUBBER HAMILTON. This powerful ram lamb bred by Liam and Eoin Dunne, Co Offaly, was awarded the yellow rosette and was sold for €1,750 to Jonathan Duffy from Co Leitrim. This lamb was sired by KNOCKCROGHERY GOTTRIED from the flock of Declan and Joe Miley, Co Roscommon. This ram excelled in both the show ring and sales ring due to his exceptional €uroStar values. Another ram who excelled on the day was BALLYNULTY HURRICANE, a ram lamb sold by breeder John McTigue to a commercial producer for the deserved price of €1,700