The trade for Blackface female sheep at day one of the Connemara / Mayo Blackface Breeders Group (CMBBG) annual two-day sale was positive, with ewe hoggets matching last year’s prices and ewe lambs and aged ewes slightly easier.

Starting with ewe hoggets first, the general run of prices for about 35 lots was from €200 to €250.

This accounted for the majority of sheep on offer, with a few lots of prizewinners and excellent-quality types selling to a top of €340/head.

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Group member Brendan Joyce said the trade for females was boosted by a number of new customers and while buyers were coy in their bidding, the increase in demand helped to keep a floor under the trade.

This underpinned a clearance rate of 90% of the entry of approximately 1,900 head.

The trade for about 100 lots of ewe lambs was also positive, considering breeding sales have been more challenging in 2026.

Prices were easier in cases by about €10 per head, but, in general, the trade held relatively firm.

About 80% of the offering fell within a price range of €110 to €150 per head, with a few lots back to €100 and likewise some excellent-quality lambs sold to a top price of €340 per head.

The trade for aged ewes was similar to ewe lambs and €5 to €10 easier in places, but still meeting solid buying.

Standout pens

A price range of €90 to €120 accounted for upwards of 75% of entries, while a few standout pens of ewes rose to and exceeded the €200 mark with a top call of €260 per head.

Mart manager Bríd Burke commented that the two days of selling with over 1,900 Blackface females entered on Saturday and 560 rams entered in Sunday’s sale shows that there is plenty of life in sheep farming in the Connemara-Mayo region.

Bríd added: “It is great to see the breed improving each year and this is testament to the commitment of all sellers and buyers, for whom we wish the best of luck to in this year’s breeding season.”

The ram sale on Sunday was one of the largest sales on the island of Ireland for a single breed and a report on the sale is available in this week’s pedigree section and on www.farmersjournal.ie.

The sale topped at €3,750 for a ram hogget, while aged rams sold to a top of €1,950 and the leading price for ram lambs was €880, with a 65% clearance rate.

In pictures

These top-quality ewe hoggets sold for €250 each.

These nice-quality ewe hoggets sold for €210 each.

These good-quality ewe hoggets sold for €200 each.

These excellent-quality ewe lambs, which also claimed second prize, sold for €360 each.

These well-grown ewe lambs sold for €230 each.

These well-bred aged ewes attracted strong bidding and sold for €185 each.

These aged ewes sold for €110 each.

This batch of aged ewes sold for €120 each.

These top-quality ewe lambs sold for €270 per head.

These strong ewe lambs sold for €170 per head.

These aged ewes sold for €125 each.

This pen of first-prizewinning aged ewes sold for €135 per head.

Padraic Joyce receives the Walsh Family Cup from Thomas Walsh for his champion winning ewe lambs on Saturday at the annual Connemara Mayo Blackface Breeders Group premier breeding sale. It sold for €320 minutes later.

The first-prizewinning pen of ewe hoggets sold for €290 per head.