A hugely successful sale of Suffolks in Blessington Mart last Saturday, saw Arthur and Patrick O’Keeffe, of the Annakisha and Clyda Pedigree sheep flocks, take home not only the red rosette in the open ram class, but also the male championship title and the supreme overall championship title – with their January-born ram lamb, Annakisha Bright Eye.

The five-star ram had previously scooped the reserve championship title at the national finals at Sheep 2023 in Gurteen, in June.

The champion ram lamb was sired by Blackbrae AB President and sold at Saturday’s sale in Blessington for an impressive €20,000. Bright Eye’s dam is a full sister to Annakisha McLovin, who was the reserve champion at the premier show and sale in 2019, and the sire was also the reserve champion in Ballymena in 2022, before he went on to sell for 10,000gns.

ADVERTISEMENT

Standing in reserve

Standing in the reserve championship spot ahead of Saturday’s sale, was AJ and JA Lucas from the renowned Finn Vale flock in Co Donegal, with their January-born ram lamb, Finn Vale BFG. BFG was sired by last year’s premier sale champion Finn Vale I’m the Man. He sold to a Northern Ireland breeder for €2,600. The sale started strong and maintained a positive and steady trade throughout, with prices to suit every breeders pockets. SIS scheme-eligible rams were purchased upwards from €500. It was very encouraging to see so many new buyers and sellers around the ring.

Sale figures

The sale was met with an overall clearance of 85% on ram lambs, with 70% of the lambs sold securing their new homes within the commercial sector.

The demand for good quality rams was very high and commercial rams averaged €804 on the day.