The Irish Vendéen Sheep Society held its 21st annual in-lamb ewe and ewe lamb sale on Saturday 30 October in Roscommon Livestock Mart.

Following its hugely successful all-DNA parentage-verified premier sale in July this year, the society was delighted to hold its first female sale where all lots were parentage verified by DNA.

The sale proved a great success, with an over-95% clearance rate and an average price of close to €600.

Notable prices were achieved for a number of sheep on the day. Ciaran Coughlan’s Landmark Sarah Biddy (originally bred by Ena Nagle - Landmark Flock), who was adjudged to be the first-prize senior ewe and sale champion by judge Richard Allen, was knocked down at €900.

The first-prize hogget ewe and reserve champion, Ballinascraw Vera, bred by John Lynch, also made €900.

However, the top price of the day went to the stylish Noggus Violet, also from Ciaran Coughlan’s Noggus Flock; when the hammer fell, she had reached €1,020.

In the ewe lamb classes, the first-prize five-star ewe lamb Quitrent Westlyn, bred by Cheryl O’Brien, made €640 and first-prize non-five-star ewe lamb Moneygold Waldhurga, bred by Brendan and Carmel Rooney, made €520.

A number of other lots sold for strong prices up to €700.