The County Waterford Sheep Breeders Association held its annual show and sale of Blackface Mountain rams late last month at Dungarvan Mart.

Celebrating its 79th year, the sale is marked as one of the most successful yet. Quality was much increased on previous years, with prices to match. A total of 87 of the 95 entries on offer traded on the day, with 13 of these selling for more than €1,000. Top price was a massive €4,350 for a ram from the flock of Nora Whelan.

This ram was one of the three rams which placed second in the pen of three class.

Judging the sale was Donegal-based Eugene Logue. He found his overall champion in the open class winner from Pat and Pa Whyte. This is the third year in a row the two have taken home the overall championship accolade and the Tommy Power Memorial Cup. The price for the overall champion was just behind that of the sale topper at €4,250.

Pat and Pa also secured first place in the pen of three class with their other two rams selling for €2,150.

Taking the reserve overall championship was Pa Walsh, who later sold his ram for €1,700.

Other top prices were well distributed. John Walsh received €1,520, Tom Walsh €1,420, Paddy Cooney €1,200, William Drohan €1,100, Jamie Daly €1,080 and €1,000, Noel P Walsh €1,020 and John Hennebry €1,000.

Ram lamb prices were at their highest ever this year with three sales exceeding €1,000. Billy Fraher received €1,950 for the top ram lamb.

Pat and Pa Whyte were back in the money selling their first prize-winner for €1,820, while John Walsh took home €1,120 for a second prize-winner.

Swiss judge set for 2019 National Dairy show

The National dairy show takes place in the Green Glens arena this Saturday 19 October. The show continues to grow in stature year on year with over 150 trade stands and many more activities.

However, the main attraction is still the show, with many of the country’s top breeders making Millstreet their home from early on this week. Tasked with judging the fine animals these breeders have brought to north Cork for the 2019 show is Swiss judge Erhard Junker.

Erhard, 41, owns a cattle trading company with his brother Marc and his father Samuel, where about 8,000 to 10,000 cows are traded every year. His main activity is the purchase and sale of dairy cows. He spends four days a week driving through Switzerland and buying animals directly on the farms. Many exhibition winners in Switzerland were bought by Erhard as young cows and sold to other show herds, where they brought success. Famous examples include Decrousaz Iron O’Kalibra and Suard Red Jordan Irene.

In addition to cattle trading, Erhard and Marc run a farm with about 60ha of land and about 80 cows and heifers. The farm also has a small herd of show animals under the name Mattenhof Holsteins, the barn where, for example, the last two European champions Galys-Vray and DuRahun Chelios Heline came from.

Curragh sheep sells for €4,000

Pat Corrigan being presented his cup for winning the hogget class by Peter McGrath and his daughter Grainne with Andrew and Patrick Corrigan

The Wicklow Cheviot sheep breeders hosted their 77th annual premier ram sale earlier this month in Blessington, Co Wicklow. The sale boasted an 85% clearance with an average price of €740.

This was helped substantially by the sale of the overall champion which hit the market at €4,000. This ram was bred and exhibited by 85-year-old Pat Corrigan, The Curragh, Co Kildare. Having claimed first place in the hogget ram class, the sale topper was also part of the group of three who placed second for the Kildare breeder.

Tubridmore reduction tops €3,000

The reduction sale of the Tubridmore Angus herd took place in Tralee Mart last Friday with prices topping at €3,000. A total of 40 animals were presented for sale, with a 90% clearance.

Receiving the top price on the night was the former show cow Tubridmore J Rosebud 480. This seven-year-old cow is a daughter of Netherallen Peter Pershore and the successful show cow Luddenmore Rosa Erica. With five stars down the line, she was sold in calf to stock bull Tubridmore Prime Time, calving in February.

The top cow and calf outfit on the night sold for €2,700. Tubridmore Penny M484, sired by Oakchurch Dictator, sold alongside her December born heifer calf.

One of the picks of the sale was the yearling heifer Tubridmore Rose Girl. This September 2018-born heifer is a daughter of Intelagri Matteo Et and carried a replacement index of €144. Going back to the Belvin Lady Blossom family in Canada, this one was knocked down at €2,000.

Bulls in particular sold well on night, with five out of seven young bulls selling to average €2,310. Top of these was €2,900 for the 10-month-old bull Tubridmore Rising Kerry.

This five-star bull is a son of Te Mania Berkley and goes back to the aforementioned Rosa line.