The Southern Ireland Branch of the Zwartbles Sheep Association staged its annual show and sale in Tullamore recently, which saw a top price of €1,000 paid for the supreme champion, a shearling ewe exhibited by Francis Lyons and bought by T Kelleher.

Not stopping there, Francis also took the reserve champion with a ewe lamb that later sold for €400. Anything that was correctly marked, had good conformation and was well turned-out generated active interest.

Around 120 pedigree males and females were offered for sale with about 51%, selling for an overall average of €238. Many of the males were snapped up by commercial sheep farmers, while the majority of females went to pedigree breeders. A select number of crossbreds were also on offer and these averaged €130 a head. The judge was Melvin Mathews.

Results

Shearling ram

  • First: Michael Naughton.
  • Second: Colin Stevenson.
  • Third: Colin Stevenson.
  • Fourth: Micheal Fitzgerald.
  • Fifth: John Powell.

    • Ram lamb

  • First: Francis and Oisin Lyons.
  • Second: Jim Smith.
  • Third: Francis and Oisin Lyons.
  • Fourth: Denny Lyons.
  • Fifth: Colin Stevenson.
  • Sixth: Josephine Ryan.

    • Aged ewe

  • First: Rose Griffin.
  • Second: Suzanna Crampton.
  • Third: Suzanna Crampton.

    • Shearling ewe

  • First: Francis and Oisin Lyons.
  • Second: Francis and Oisin Lyons.
  • Third: Francis and Oisin Lyons.

    • Ewe lamb

  • First: Francis and Oisin Lyons.
  • Second: Tom Sullivan.
  • Third: Tom Sullivan.
  • Fourth: Denny Lyons.
  • Fifth: Francis and Oisin Lyons.

    • Champion:

  • Francis and Oisin Lyons.

    • Reserve champion:

  • Francis and Oisin Lyons.