The first national of the Irish Charollais Sheep Society’s 2017 sales was held on Saturday 29 July. This Bimeda sponsored sale at Tullow Mart stands as the society’s premier, so qaulity throughout was high. A sales ring that was packed to capacity throughout the day saw a strong demand, comming from across both the pedigree and commercial sectors.

The sale recorded an 85% clearance rate across all sections, standing as a substansial increase on the 65% clearance rate at the 2016 premier.

Mr Bryan Evans, formerly of the UK Penrhos flock had the difficult job of judging the excellent show of sheep that were presented to him earlier in the day. After calculated deliberations Evans found his female champion and eventual supreme champion in a very catchy ewe lamb. This ewe was sired by Carriganeela Cracker and was from the flock of Jim and Frampton Jeffrey, Co Cork. She later sold to the Bolinaspect flock of Michael O’Neill, Co Wexford for €1,200.

The male champion and later selected reserve supreme champion of the sale was selected from the Ardcath pen of Eugene O’Sullivan, Co Meath. This commanding son of Ballyhibben Berlusconi went under the hammer and was secured by Drew Cowan, from Co Down for €2,000.

The first class of the morning to be judged by Evans was the hogget ewes. A stylish daughter of Ballyhibben Olympic Gold bred by Co Wexford breeder Sarah O’Neill led this class and later she sold to Dessie Graham, Co Donegal for €720. Jim and Frampton Jeffrey were back in the action when they secured the blue rosette with a daughter of Rockvilla Parisse, she was later acquired by Aidan Loftus for €700. June Harper continued Wexfords run of rosettes when she placed third with her Lisfuncheon Sambo sired ewe. Overall, the hogget ewes present for sale on the day averaged €615 which is up €47 on the year.

In the ewe lamb class following the first-placed Jeffrey brothers supreme champion was Eamon Quinlivan from Co Clare with a Ringclare Dynamite daughter. Carlow-based buyer Robert Moore later secured her at €800.

Third position went to Andrew O’ Reilly with a daughter of Highfield Pistol which sold to Dessie Graham from Donegal for €460. Another ewe lamb which attracted a lot of attention was Joe Nolan’s Rockvilla Oscar sired ewe who was snapped up by David Power for €760. The average price for ewe lambs was €476 which again shows an increase on 2016 levels by €35.

The strongest and most competitive class of the day was the tightly fought ram lamb class. Evans found his first-placed ram in the form of the aforementioned son of Ballyhibben Berlusconi that was awarded male and reserve supreme champion.

The Jeffrey brothers from Cork were again in the rosettes when their lamb from the same sire as the female champion, Carrignageela Cracker, was placed second. Hannah Heffernan from Stradbally, Co Laois later ensured he was moving up the country with a bid of €1,620.

However, notably, the top selling price of the day went to Richard Kenny from Co Galway with a son of Bawnard Carousel.

Heading up North with the same buyer as the male champion, he was knocked down at €2,900.

Overall ram lambs had an average selling price of €787 with an 87% clearance.

In the final class of the day, the hogget ram class Simon Brown from Graiguenamanagh, Co Kilkenny took first place with a son of Cloghala Jeremy. Mr Brown claimed the second placing with another son of Cloghala Jeremy.

These later sold to James Kiernan from Westmeath for €720 and to Patrick Kehoe also from Westmeath for €600 respectively.

Jim and Frampton Jeffrey continued their winning ways by picking up the third-placed rosette with a son of Parkgare Pure Power who later sold to Joseph Gahan for €520. Overall, hogget rams saw an average of €600.

The final lot of the day was the only senior ram catalogued. The very successful Carriganeela Cracker who earlier sired the Supreme Champion of the sale was sold to the Saddle Hill flock of James Murphy, Co Kilkenny for €2,000

Other leading prices included lot 37, a son of Tullyear Perfection bred by Pa Whyte selling for €1,000 to Dessie Graham. Pa Whyte then returned to the ring to purchase lot 55 an N8 Didlier sired ram from Thomas Murphy for €1,750.

Another top price is accrediated to E&P O’ Gorman from Tipperary with a notary son of Knockcroghery Constable selling for €1,400 to Peter Hennessey.

Next up was Michael Power selling a son of Casteulla Figurehead to James Walsh for €1,350.

Jim and Frampton Jefffrey continued their successful day by selling their final ram to Kieran Forde at a price tag of €1,320.

M, D & J Miley sold their two rams sired by Wernfawr Red Bull and Rhaeadr Orlando for €1,150 and €1,300 respectively selling to Douglas Shakleton and Thomas McCormack.

Hannah Heffernan from Laois who earlier also purchased the second placed ram lamb from Jim and Frampton Jeffrey then acquired lot 130 from Cork breeder Edward Buckley for €1,220.

David Mawhinney secured lot 122 from the pen of Kieran Forde for €1,140.

Gerry and Dympna Grogan sold D817014, a son of Blakeney Oscar, to Finbarr Godfrey for €1,050. Last of the rams to make over the €1,000 was Eamon Quinlivan’s lot 75 by Ringclare Dynamite who sold for €1,020.