The western region Texel club was out in force at this year’s Athlone Agricultural Show, hosting its annual regional championships. It proved a very successful day for young Roscommon breeders Cathal and Tony Lavin, who took their first ever west region championship title. Their outstanding Texel shearling ewe sired by Strathbogie Yabba Dabba Do is out of a Larahirl ewe out of Holylee Volcano.

This shearling is no stranger to the show ring, having won at a number of local shows throughout the region last year as a ewe lamb.

Taking the reserve overall championship in a strong championship lineup was a shearling ram from Sean, Alma and Lorraine Brennan.

This young ram also collected the overall male championship title and continued his form, having placed overall west region champion last year.

Nilands Blockade was the name of the male champion and he is by Claybury American Gangster and out of a Knock Ursus-bred dam.

New Irish Blue Texel society formed

This year has seen the formation of the Irish Blue Texel Sheep Society. With the help of Sheep Ireland, it will maintain a Blue Texel and Dassenkop (badger-face Texel) flock book and promote the breed in the Republic of Ireland and beyond.

The Blue Texel breed is quickly gaining popularity with commercial and pedigree breeders for its ease of lambing and exceptional carcase traits. Despite only being established this year, the society has already gained traction, with 30 members signed up.

The first major event for the new society will be its sale to be held on Friday 9 August at 6pm in Tullamore Mart. The sale will be held in conjunction with the Jacobs Sheep Society and Zwartbles Ireland sales.

Available at the sale will be ram lambs, shearling rams, ewe lambs, shearling lambs and a small consignment of Dassenkop ewe lambs also.

For more info on the breed, contact secretary Philip Crowe or chair Vicky Collinson on 087-418 7475.