The Quarrymount Beltex flock, owned by Brian Matthews, pulled off a double at the all-Ireland finals held at Athlone Show over the weekend.

The wet weather witnessed throughout the day wasn’t enough to take the smile from Matthews’ face, as judge Dafydd Lewis of the Cothi flock in Wales tapped forward his overall champion and reserve.

Supreme

Taking the male and eventual supreme championship was the shearling ram Quarrymount Destroyer.

This homebred ram is sired by Stone Edge Captain Fantastic, while the dam is out of an Ardstewart ram. This win marks the second year in a row the Offaly man has left Athlone with the title of overall Beltex all-Ireland champion.

While the Quarrymount flock may have won the overall championship before, it has never secured the double.

Claiming the overall female and reserve overall championship titles was Matthews’ shearling ewe. This stylish gimmer is out of Royal Flush Caesar and out of a ewe imported out of the Carlisle in lamb sale.

Double for Cuddy

It was also a double win for breeder Alan Cuddy, Camross, Co Laois. His senior ram and senior ewe stood reserve to Brian Matthews’ shearlings in both the male and female championships.

His senior ram Aughduff Chequer is no stranger to the show ring having won the ram lamb class last year. The young homebred ram is a son of Blackjack Willy Wonka.

On the female front, Cuddy’s aged ewe winner was Aughduff Buttercup. Another highly successful sheep, Buttercup has won an all-Ireland at all the different levels through the years, right up from the ewe lamb class. This homebred ewe is again sired by the aforementioned Blackjack Willy Wonka.