Fresh from their success at the NSBA championships in Kilkenny last month, the O'Keeffe family was once again out in force to take the top position at the NSBA interbreed championship at Clonmel Show.

The farming duo of Arthur and Patrick O’Keeffe, based in Mallow, Co Cork, took both the overall champion and reserve championship at the prestigious NSBA awards last month. Continuing their dominance with a different show team, the group claimed the top spot again in Clonmel.

Judge TJ Gormley had a tough job in separating the 15 different breeds put forward, but eventually tapped the Texel ewe as his overall champion.

This shearling ewe is no stranger to success, claiming champion in Cork two weeks ago and had also placed first in the junior ewe lamb class in Kilkenny last year. She is sired by a Welsh ram and out of a homebred ewe by Knock Trident.

Standing reserve to the Texel was the Zwartbles champion from Colin Stephenson, Baltinglass, Co Wiclow. This well-grown ewe, Hilltop F6, is sired by Hillview Excell and was purchased from a Galway-based herd last year.