Cork claim Championship cup at Charollais All Ireland's

It was a wet and windy day at Belurgan Park last Sunday week, but it was overshadowed by the excitement of spectators and exhibitors alike as the Irish Charollais Sheep Society returned to Dundalk Show for their All-Ireland Championships. A damp morning did little to quell the anticipation with many spectators assembled around the ring to watch Mr Geoff Probert of the Mortimer flock, UK whittle his way through the seven classes, as exhibitors battled it out to receive top honours.

The males were presented first, and the Aged Ram class got proceedings underway. David Condon exhibited Uppertown aka Mick Jagger and he ultimately took the red rosette doing the double for this particular ram standing champion for the second year in a row with Mr Andrew Gilmore of the Redrock flock settling for the blue ribbon and second place.

In the shearling ram class, a statuesque shearling sired by Oakchurch Utopia and exhibited by Declan Miley came out on top with second place heading home to father and son duo, David and Gyll Condon for their Gill Vale flock.

The final male class was reserved for the lambs with a relatively new breeder Douglas Hanbidge getting off the mark for a solid tight skinned January-born lamb sired by Ralahine Willy Wonka out of a Seefinn ewe.

Females

Now it was time for the ladies and a ewe who is no stranger to the show ring, Knockcroghery Winter, who has taken the Supreme Champion title for the previous two years was knocked forward in the Aged Ewe Class followed by a close second from Patrick Whyte and his Seefin flock.

It was a very stylish gimmer by Foxhill Va Va Voom bred by Raymond Douglas and exhibited by James Walsh from Co Cork that was the pick of the judge in the Shearling ewe class.

She later went on to be awarded the female Champion and Supreme Champion of the Show. Ralahine Willy Wonka again sired the 1st placed ewe lamb that was exhibited by Richard Allen from Co Wicklow, and she was followed into second by a ewe lamb sired by Ballyhibben Omagh and a Wexfo Pierro dam bred by Eamon Shanahan from Co Cork.

Moving swiftly along to the group of three, all owned and exhibited by the breeder the judge awarded 1st place to David and Gyll Condon followed in tight succession by Richard Allen vying for 2nd placings.

The Allen family continued their winning ways with Charlie Allen being selected as the Junior Handler for 2024. The excitement was profound as all the 1st and 2nd placed from the male classes were called out for the Championship. Geoff wasted no time in selecting the Ram Lamb exhibited by Douglas Hanbidge to be his Male Champion followed by Declan Miley and his super Shearling as Reserve Male Champion.

Next up was the judging of the female championship where almost immediately Geoff Probert selected his pick of the bunch in the form of a shearling ewe exhibited by Cork man James Walsh. The Condon duo struck again picking up Reserve Female Champion with their shearling. Geoff’s final task of the day was to select his Supreme Champion.

He wasted no time in tapping the shearling ewe exhibited by James Walsh forward followed by the ram lamb exhibited by Mr Handbridge as Reserve Supreme Champion. Later in the afternoon, our Supreme Champion represented the breed in the show interbreed competition where she was selected as the Reserve champion in an exceptionally strong line up.