On Saturday 13 January, the Bluefaced Leicester Sheep Breeders Association Northern Ireland Region held its first female show and sale of 2024, with 44 females on offer met which met great demand on the day.

Shauna Fitzmaurice from the Drinane flock, based in Co Galway, had the task of judging the hotly contested classes in the pre-sale show.

Lot 23 from the Tievebuaile Farm flock was tapped out as overall champion on the day, with the March 2023-born ewe going on to sell for 1,800gns (€2,193).

The reserve champion spot went to lot 70 from the Holmview flock of Joe Adams and sons who, unfortunately, failed to meet her reserve on the day.

The three-year-old ewe was sired by Allanfauld Dazzler and she was bred from a Carry House dam.

The top price on the day was awarded to lot 26 from Jimmy Mills of the Ballytober flock which went on to sell for 2,400gns (€2,925).

The 2021-born in-lamb ewe was scanned with triplets to the flock’s new herd sire that was recently purchased for 8,000gns (€9,284), while the ewe herself was sired by Tievebuaile Farm 3920.

Notable prices

Other notable prices include lot 51 from the Drummuck flock.

This 2023-born ewe sired by Hewgill was bred from one of the flock’s top breeding ewes sired by Carry House and was purchased from the Midlock flock for 5,500gns (€6,079). The ewe herself went on to sell for 1,700gns (€1,879).

Next in line was a March 2022-born ewe sired by Orra View and bred from a Hewgill dam which also sold well on the day when the hammer fell at 1,100gns (€1,340).

Lot 35, a daughter of Beeches Wingman out of a Midlock Iceman dam from the Temain flock, sold for 1,000gns (€1,105), while her stablemate – lot 37 – a daughter of Carry House Ronaldo out of a Temain Dark House ewe also secured 1,000gns.