The show of the Irish Texel Sheep Society’s premier sale took place on Friday evening, with Monaghan breeders John, Colm and Michael McHugh claiming top spot. Their ram lamb born in February 2020 ticked all the boxes for young judge Aaron Myles from Co Donegal.

The stunning ram, named Greenhill Dance Monkey, secured top place in the index class before securing the male championship followed by the supreme championship.

Oisin Daly, overall winner of the Irish Texel Sheep Society and Irish Farmers Journal editorial competition. Pictured is a ram lab he purchased with his €500 voucher prize.

\ Mullagh Photography

This classy prospect was sired by 2019 Irish ram of the year Kilclammon Brody, which was purchased at the 2018 premier for €5,000.

Out of a homebred ewe, her breeding contains Thornville Alberto, reserve male champion at the all-Ireland finals in 2018.

The double-five-star ram attracted a number of bids before the price eventually settled at €6,500, selling to the judge Aaron Myles.

The outfit didn’t stop there, selling a further three rams for €2,600 and €1,500 (twice). Hitting the upper of these was another son of Brody, this time back on an Anglezarke Uno ewe.

Reserve male champion Larahirl Danny Devito, which sold for €2,400.\ Mullagh Photography

Open ram class

Claiming first place in the open ram class, reserve male champion and reserve supreme champion was Larahirl Danny Devito from John Greene, Co Donegal.

This February 2020-born ram is a son of the 16,000gns Procters Cocktail and out of a dam by Allanfauld Am the Man.

Due to the changing of the format at this year’s sale and the champion and reserve going in ballot order, Danny Devito was one of the last of the 350 sheep through the ring to be sold.

Despite this, there were a number of interested buyers who drove his selling price to €2,400. Successful bidders were Martin McGuiness and Mick Hoey.

His full-brother entered the ring directly after and also proved in high demand, selling back to his home county of Donegal for €3,000 to the syndicate of Hegarty, Sweath and Sheils.

Taking home a price of €6,000 was Neville Myles of the Silver Hill Flock in Ballyshannon, Co Donegal. Unable to be shown due to Neville’s son Aaron being the judge, this didn’t stop people from seeing the potential.

Born March 2020, the ram lamb is sired by Sportsman A Star and is out of a sister of the 15,000gns Bushtrucker. He was the choice of Donnelly, Joyce and the McManamons.

The Myles duo also sold a January-born lamb by Auldhouseburn Capaldi for €1,600.

Ciaran Heraghty secured a bid of €4,200 for his ram lamb Tullyhill Desert Eagle. This son of Garngour Alabama is out of a homebred ewe sired by Fordafourie Windfall. Coming out on top after back and forth bidding was Mayo-based Martin Walsh.

The fourth-prizewinner in the ram lamb class was Emlach Derrick from Fergal Ó Sé. This well-grown February lamb is a son of Straghbogie Ya Belter, with the dam an ET brother to the 2017 reserve national champion. Having met his reserve, he left the ring at a price of €3,800 selling to the Springhill flock

Ó Sé also sold the ram lamb just before Derrick, Emlach Demophan, for €1,700. This one was a son of Sportsman Belter and is out of Teiglum Young Gun.

Hitting €3,200 was Brian Divilly, Co Galway, with Annaghdown Diego. This March-born ram lamb is a son of Garngour Aerosmith and is out of last year’s premier sale reserve female champion purchased from the Annakisha flock.

Securing a bid of €2,000 was Robert Walker’s ram lamb Kilcurley Dawson. This 15,000gns Harestone Commander son is out of a Springwell-bred ewe and stood second in the LambPlus class.

Michael Power exhibited his first ram at the premier and walked home with a cheque for €1,900.

His February 2020-born ram, Ballyhibben Dancing Brave, was sired by Sportsman A Star and is out of an imported ewe from the Kingspark flock.

Top of Wexford-based John Neville’s rams was Thornville Double O Seven, which hit the market at €1,800. This ram lamb came fourth in the LambPlus class and is a son of Knock Bantastic and is out of an Auldhouseburn ewe purchased for 5,200gns. He was secured by pedigree breeder Anne Murphy.

Second-top price ram from the Silver Hill flock, which sold for €6,000.\ Mullagh Photography

Shearling rams

Topping the Shearling section was Danny Murray with Billary Hill Commander, which sold to Peter McHale at €2,000. This son of Quarry Hose Baby Guinness is out of a Usain Bolt daughter.

Taking first prize in the shearling ram class was Flor Ryan with Lawn Cracker Jack. This five-star terminal ram is a son of Derrylahan Big Balls, with the dam a daughter of Baileys One & Only. He sold for €1,850.

Securing the second-top price in this section were Daire and Enda McManamon with Derrylahan Chancer. This Clarks Bolt son hit the market at €1,600.

Second-prizewinner in the shearling class was Rower Colby from Kate Purcell, Co Kilkenny. Sired by a Milnbank ram out of Straghbogie Yes Sir, he was knocked down at €1,500.

Shearling rams saw a 95% clearance with an average price of €965, while the ram lambs witnessed a 75% clearance with an average price of €973.

Females

Mayo breeders Daire and Enda McManamon took the female championship with a ewe from their Derrylahan flock.

This February 2019 shearling is sired by Garngour Bladerunner, which was purchased for 5,500gns.

The homebred dam is one of the best in the flock and was all-Ireland champion in 2015. The champion met her reserve, selling for €2,800.

Female champion and joint-top female made €2,800 from the Derrylahan flock. Exhibited by Daire McManamon.

\ Mullagh Photography

Standing reserve female to the McManamons was a ewe lamb from Clive Rothwell’s Ballypierce flock.

This ewe is homebred on both sides, with Auldhouseburn Bullitt and Thornville Viking Warrior in the back breeding. After back and forth bidding, she hit the market at €1,400.

One of the first ewes into the ring from Johnny Ryan got the sale off to a flying start when she sold for €2,800.

This double-five-star shearling from the Graigues flock is a daughter of Speenogue Alonso. This one was secured by Garrett Murphy.

Reserve female champion from the Ballypierce flock, which sold for €1,400.\ Mullagh Photography

In directly after her and securing a bid of €1,600 was another from the Graigues flock. This March 2019-born ewe also has five stars on the terminal and replacement indices and is a daughter of Foundry Achilles. Ciaran Cunningham proved top bidder here.

Father Flor Ryan was also in the money when he sold a daughter of Kilclammon Brantson for €2,200. From the Lawn flock, this shearling is out of a homebred ewe by Pairc Aird Titmus.

Just before that, Flor’s third-prizewinning shearling hit the market at €1,800. This daughter of Derrylahan Big Balls is a full sister to a ewe sold at the premier in 2017 for €4,200.

Second prize in the shearling ewe class went to Robert Walker for a ewe from his Kilcurley flock.

This five-star terminal ewe is a daughter of Hartside Assassin and hit the market at €2,000. All the last three high-selling females were purchased by the aforementioned Garrett Murphy.

Walker’s ewe directly after this, another Assassin daughter, sold for €1,600.

Neville Myles’s Silver Hill flock in Co Donegal got two shearling ewes away at €2,000 and €1,400 respectively.

Hitting €2,000 was a double-five-star ewe by Stringwell Abu Dhabi, while selling at €1,400 was a daughter of Milnbank Ally-Cat out of a Knock Trident-bred ewe.

Meath breeder Jackie Ryan got into four-figure sums with two of his Rotsee flock shearling ewes.

First up at €1,600 was a daughter of Derrylahan Big Balls, while at €1,400 was a Speenogue Alonso daughter.

Joint-top price female at €2,800 came from the Graigues flock. \ Mullagh Photography

Ewe lamb class

In the ewe lamb class, the third-prizewinner from Fergal Ó Sé’s Emlach flock sold for €2,000. This daughter of Deveronvale Aftershock is out of the same dam as the champion at last year’s sale.

Hitting the market at €1,800 was a ewe lamb from Ryan Doherty’s Hill View flock in Co Donegal.

Sired by Procters Cocktail, which also sired the reserve supreme champion this year, she is out of a Straghbogie Yabba Dabba Do-bred ewe.

The female trade was incredibly strong, with shearlings achieving a 100% clearance to average €1,294 and 95% of ewe lambs selling to average over €750.