As part of the National Sheep Breeders Association (NSBA) Championships, five breeds brought their all-Ireland Championships to Cillin Hill. One of these was the Charollais breed, with Declan, Mark and Joe Miley sweeping the board. Prominent faces on the sheep showing circuit, the Miley family not only claimed the overall all-Ireland title, but the reserve overall Charollais Championship also.

Given the task of the judging the Charollais all-Ireland was Welsh judge Myfyr Evans, who owns the renowned Rhaeadr flock. A common face in the show ring, his pedigree flock consists of Charollais, Texel and Suffolk.

He made quick work of judging the 80 sheep which were presented in front of him. After much deliberation over the championship lineup, he awarded the overall title to Miley’s hogget ewe class winner H19-17-009. This stylish ewe is sired by 5,500gns Rheadar Orlando and out of two-time previous all-Ireland champion Logie Durno Oprah.

Having claimed first in the shearling ewe class and coming up trumps in the female championships, the hogget then went on to claim the supreme championship title and was awarded the prestigious Coilcuill cup.

Dam of the champion, Logie Durno Oprah also made the headlines when she was awarded champion senior ewe and later the reserve overall title. This two-time previous champion is sired by Rutland Humdinger. This well-made ewe has now proven herself both in the show ring and in her production.

Along with breeding this year’s champion, her previous year’s ram secured the supreme champion title at the all-Ireland in 2017. This marks an incredible run for the Miley family, having now secured the Charollais all-Ireland title for four consecutive years. The ram lamb class winner came from Michael and Alymer Power. Their January 2018-born ram B3-18-063 was sired by Sant Andras Sergeant Major, a ram which the Powers purchased for 9,000gns at the premier sale in Worchester last year.

The Powers also won the ewe lamb class with a shapely daughter, again sired by Sergeant Major. Earlier in the day, the aged ram class was awarded to the shapely stock ram of Eugene O’Sullivan’s Ardcath flock, Cardoonan Rags to Riches.

Michael and Sarah O’Neill were in pole position in the Hogget ram class with Wexfo Mississippi sired by Rhaeadr Alaska.

This year’s all Ireland championship saw the introduction of a group of three class for the first time ever. A tough class for anyone to judge, Evans made quick and easy work of it, awarding first place to Strokestown breeder Frank Gibbons. Michael and Sarah O’Neill secured the second top spot while the Power duo were back on form to secure the yellow ribbon.

Senior ram

1 Cardoonan Rags to Riches, exhibited by Eugene O’Sullivan, Ardcath, Co Meath.

2 Island Echo, exhibited by S &E Conway, Ballinasloe, Co Galway.

3 Thackwood Highlander, exhibited by D Kavanagh and P Moran, Borris, Co Carlow.

Shearling ram

1 Wexfo Mississippi, exhibited by ML and Sarah O’Neill, Bolinaspect, Camolin, Co Wexford.

2 F39-17-044, exhibited by Eugene O’Sullivan, Ardcath, Co Meath.

3 D82-17-024 exhibited by Frank Gibbons, Caggle, Strokestown, Co Roscommon.

Ram lamb

1 B3-18-063, exhibited by M Power, Shepherds Rest, Cappagh, Askeaton, Co Limerick.

2 B3-18-005, exhibited by M Power, Shepherds Rest, Cappagh, Askeaton, Co Limerick.

3 A17-18-045, exhibited by ML and Sarah O’Neill, Bolinaspect, Camolin, Co Wexford.

Senior ewe

1 Logie Durno Oprah, exhibited by M, D and J Miley, Ballyglass, Knockcroghery, Co Roscommon.

2 ZCA 15017011, exhibited by M Power, Shepherds Rest, Cappagh, Askeaton, Co Limerick.

3 B3-12-036, exhibited by Tait, William, Calhame, Convoy, Co Donegal.

Shearling ewe

1 H19-17-009, exhibited by M, D and J Miley, Ballyglass, Knockcroghery, Co Roscommon.

2 B54-17-001, exhibited by Frank Gibbons, Caggle, Strokestown, Co Roscommon.

3 B54-17-031, exhibited by Frank Gibbons, Caggle, Strokestown, Co Roscommon.

Ewe lamb

1 B3-18-003, exhibited by M Power, Shepherds Rest, Cappagh, Askeaton, Co Limerick.

2 D32-18-074, exhibited by Jim and Framton Jeffery, The Bungalow, Ahanesk, Midleton, Co Cork.

3 D32-18-007, exhibited by Jim and Framton Jeffery, The Bungalow, Ahanesk, Midleton, Co Cork.

Next week: Belclare, Zwartables, Texels and Suffolk.