It will go down as a memorable day for the Cork-based O’Keeffe family who took both the interbreed champion and reserve at last weekend’s NSBA championships in Killkenny.

Taking the supreme title having secured top spot in the Texel ring was the outfit’s shearling ewe class winner. This smart young sheep is sired by 5,200gns Scotsman Avicci and out of a ewe purchased from Alastair Gault in Northern Ireland. Making her debut appearance on the show circuit, the yearling also claimed the title of female and overall national champion for 2019.

Father and son Arthur and Patrick didn’t stop there, also collecting the Suffolk championship with another shearling ewe class winner. This well-grown ewe is sired by Shannagh Knock Out and out of a homebred dam. Power and presence saw this ewe later tapped out as reserve supreme champion to her Texel pen-mate.

Overall National Texel champion was the shearling ewe from Arthur and Patrick O’Keeffe, Annakisha house, Mallow, Co Cork.

Overall National Texel champion was the shearling ewe from Arthur and Patrick O’Keeffe, Annakisha house, Mallow, Co Cork.

This was the second year the National Sheep Breeders Association (NSBA) held the championships, with this year’s numbers far exceeding that of the event in 2018. This year’s show attracted over 800 of the country’s best sheep from across nine breeds. This was matched with a surge of spectators, with the show arena at Cillín Hill filled to capacity at some stages throughout the day.