The ladies first Charollais female production sale returned to Blessington Mart over the weekend, with prices peaking at €2,600. The catalogue of 90 elite in-lamb ewes contained females from six major flocks, namely Ballyhibben, Ardcath, Seefin, Ralahine, Knockcroghery and Rathskegh.

Securing the sale’s top price of €2,600 was Ballyhibben Rhianna from the flock of Michael and Alymer Power. This Trannon Panama daughter is out of a homebred dam, which goes back to Joint Venture.

Securing the sale topper for his Enniscrone flock was Ronan Gallagher, Co Sligo.

The Limerick-based Ballyhibben flock also secured the second-top price when they sold a second-crop ewe for €2,000. Sired by Castellau Figurehead, she again goes back to a homebred dam. This 2017-born ewe goes to the Northern Irish flock Hillside Charollais owned by Alistair Moore.

A total of six ewe lambs sold to an average price of €698. Top price in this section was €1,200 for a lamb from Declan Miley’s Knockcroghery flock. Securing this top ewe in a joint purchase was the Powervill and Kilconnor flocks.

The sale of all flocks witnessed a clearance of 65% at an overall average of €596, which was back slightly on previous years.

This year’s sale also saw the inclusion of a major reduction sale of the Powerpack Hampshire Down flock, along with a guest consignment of the Awbeg flock.

The Powerpack flock has been successful in breeding champions since 2001, including the top prize for the breed at this year’s NSBA national finals in Kilkenny.

This champion ewe lamb was offered in the reduction and fetched the top price of €700, selling to Michael and Caoimhe Gottstein. Overall, the Hampshire Down sale saw a steady trade, with the clearance rate hitting 90%.