Red letter day for Tipp breeder
The top honours at the Irish Rouge Sheep premier show and sale were divided among a handful of breeders, writes
BREEDERS from a spread of nine counties, extending from Waterford to Monaghan, Galway to Westmeath, competed for the awards at the Irish Rouge Sheep Society Premier Show and Sale at GVM Mart, Tullamore.
Nevertheless the entry of 75 ewes and rams came from a relatively small number of flocks, with individual breeders showing up to 17 lambs from their flocks.
Edwin Draper from Roscrea, Co Tipperary took the overall Championship of the Show award for a February 2016-born ewe lamb.
One of triplets, Kyleen Granny-Smith — a five-star replacement and three-star terminal lamb —born to Kyleen by the sire Quarrymount Bastian.
The ewe, winner of the Shearling Ewe class at the show, has the same breeding as the champion at the society’s premier sale in 2014, and attracted good interest from bidders before being knocked down at €550.
Top price at the sale went to the Reserve Champion, Drumhirk Hiero, a three star from the flock of Hilary and Malcolm Workman, Drumhirk House, Monaghan, Co Monaghan.
The January 2017-born ram, by the sire Langlands Samson, was winner of the Ram Lamb class at the show and reigning All-Ireland Ram Lamb Champion. He sold for €900 to Shay Kennedy, Churchtown Hill, Carrick-on-Suir who was among the exhibitors at the show.
The trade was described generally as “tough” at the sale, with a scarcity of buyers impacting on prices, while the quality lots were in demand and realised reasonable prices, within an overall clearance of 55pc.
In the ram lamb section, Shay Kennedy also purchased Seeorum Hardy, a January 2017born lamb from the flock of Oliver Keaskin, Bailieboro, Co Cavan at €520. The lamb is by the sire Tullyvallen Neptune and out of the dam Seerorum Daisy.
Oliver Keaskin sold the February 2017-born ram lamb Seeorum Hotshot, a four star for both replacement and terminal indices — out of Tullyvallen Merry and by Tullyvallen Scooby Doo —to Leslie Hardy, Lorrha, Co Tipperary at €510.
Hilary and Malcolm Workman received €500 for their ram lamb Drumhirk Hamlin, a January 2017-born lamb by Langlands Samson with fivestar replacement and four-star terminal index.
In the ewe classes, second highest price of the sale was paid by John Moroney, Corofin, Co Clare for second prizewinner in her class Kyleen Gurbil.
The February 2016-born shearling was by the sire Quarrymount Flight Pilot, the same sire as bred the All-Ireland Champion in 2015, and she sold for €500.
A number of the ewes sold for between €300 and €350 with the level of interest stronger than that for the ram at the sale in general. Shearling Rams 1 Brian Mathews, Killeigh, Co Offaly 2 Shay Kennedy, Churchtown Hill, Carrick-on-Suir, Co Waterford 3 Brian Mathews 4 Shay Kennedy
Ram Lambs 1 Hilary and Malcolm Workman , Drumhirk House, Monaghan, Co Monaghan 2 Edwin Draper, Heathview, Ballinlough, Roscrea, Co Tipperary 3 Joseph Kennedy, Weekheld, Roscommon 4 Oliver Keaskin, Seeorum, Bailieboro, Co Cavan
Shearling Ewes 1&2 Edwin Draper, Heathview, Ballinlough, Roscrea, Co Tipperary 3 Hugh O’Connor, Knockkelly, Fethard, Co Tipperary 4 Brian Mathews.
Ewes Lambs 1 Oliver Keaskin, Seeorum, Bailieboro, Co Cavan 2 Hilary and Malcolm Workman 3 Oliver Keaskin 4 Hilary and Malcolm Workman
THE QUALITY LOTS WERE IN DEMAND WITH REASONABLE PRICES