Premier Show & Sale 2022
Monday 25th July
Blessington Mart
Export Sale
For Further Information please contact 083 0907313
National Suffolk Championships 2022
We are delighted to announce that after a three year absence due to the Pandemic, our National Suffolk Championships will take place at Charleville Agricultural Show, Co Cork on Sunday June 26th.
Classes on the day will include Young Handlers, Shearling Ram & Upwards, Aged Ewe, Shearling Ewe, Novice Lamb – Male or Female, Ram Lamb, Ewe Lamb Trimmed & Ewe Lamb Untrimmed. We are very much looking forward to this prestigious event from our Suffolk Calender and we hope to see you there.
Hall of Fame Awards 2022
Suffolk Sheep Society South of Ireland Branch
Arthur O’Keeffe, Annakisha Flock
The Suffolk Sheep Society, South of Ireland were delighted to see Mr Arthur O’Keefe of the Annakisha Flock, have his accomplishments and contributions over many years in the Suffolk World acknowledged at the National Hall of Fame Awards which were held in the Sheraton Hotel in Athlone on Sunday May 1st. The National Hall of Fame Awards, Axknowledges people in the Ovine, Equine and Bovine Industries who have contributed over their lifetime to breeding, showing, adjudicating and promoting various breeds. Each breed society nominates a person who in their opinion is deserving of such an award.
The awards on the night were presented by Minister Pippa Hackett, Minister for state for Land Use and Bio Diversity in the Department of Agriculture.
Arthur O’Keeffe’s name is synonymous with the South of Ireland Branch of the Suffolk Sheep Society for over forty years. During this time Arthur not alone worked hard to improve the Annakisha Suffolk Flock, founded 70 years ago by his late father, but also was actively involved in making the South of Ireland Branch one of the most successful branches in the society while on its committee of which he was chairman for two years.
He was appointed to the Judges Panel of the Suffolk Sheep Society in 1982 and has judged at numerous shows throughout Ireland and the UK including the Royal Highland, Royal Show, Royal Ulster, the National S&S, Edinburgh S&S, the Northern Ireland Branch Premier and the National Flock Competition.
In 2009, Arthur was honoured to be elected President of the Suffolk Sheep Society covering England, Scotland and Wales as well as the island of Ireland. His presidency saw him travel to all of the branches in these countries and he had the honour of judging the National Flock Competition of Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.
While dairying is the main farm enterprise Arthur has had a keen interest in the Suffolk breed since childhood. He believes that the Suffolk’s ability to reach target weights in a shorter time frame combined with good fleshing ability makes them the ideal sire for the commercial flock. The Suffolks also enjoy greater length than most of their counterparts while in recent years the Suffolk x ewe is in great demand for breeding and also commands a premium price from the butcher.
The Annakisha Flock has consistently enjoyed great success in both the show and sales ring. While Arthur was fortunate to win the Supreme champion on 10 occasions at the RDS/National Championships and Female of the Year 7 times, he places great emphasis on the local shows as he feels that they are a great shop window to promote the breed and encourages all breeders to participate. At the Premier Show and Sale he has successfully claimed the championship 5 times while taking Reserve Champion 8 times selling to all corners of Ireland, UK and Europe. In recent years he has seen a large number of his Suffolk ewes and rams being exported to Europe and believes that this is testament to the high standard of sheep attained by the South of Ireland Branch members.
Arthur would like to thank the committee of the South of Ireland Branch of the Suffolk Sheep Society for nominating him to receive the Hall of Fame Award and also his family who have helped and supported him through the years.
South of Ireland Branch Flockbook is now ‘LIVE’ on the Sheep Ireland Database
Your Account
Our flockbook is now hosted on the Sheep Ireland database and provides you with your online flockbook account to view the current animals located in your flock. You can now use your online account to record the information required by the breed society throughout the year – i.e., mating, lambing, animal movements etc. You can also request pedigree registrations and animal genotypes via the account. Several helpful flock management reports for your flock are also available. There is a HELP button at the top of most pages with instructions and guidance on how the page works.
How to Log in
To access your online account go to www.sheep.ie and click ‘Online Services’. Enter your personal department flock designator as your username (IE04 followed by 5 digits – IE0412345). If logging in for the first time, you will need to create your own password. To do this, click on the ‘forgot password’ link which you will find on the online services page. This will send an email to the email address attached to your flocks account (if you did not include an email on your application to the society you will not be able to access your online account, (Please contact the South of Ireland office directly to correct this).
Follow the simple instructions on this email to create your password.
First steps once you get logged in
- Please check your flock inventory once you log in. It is crucial that this inventory is accurate and kept up to date. If new sheep need to be added, you can do so by using the ‘Add Animal’ function under the ‘Inventory’ tab on your account. Contact the society if you have any issues adding sheep. If sheep have been sold or have died, please record this information accurately in a timely fashion using the animal sales screen or the death tab. Every effort was made to ensure a smooth transition of the Suffolk Sheep Society – South of Ireland Flockbook onto the Sheep Ireland database, however if you see something inaccurate please contact the SOI office directly and we will correct it as soon as possible.
- Record your ewes recent pregnancy scan results, including your barrens
- Order a genotype for your stock ram/s. This is compulsory. You can also genomically test any other animal in your flock if you so wish.
NB: ALL STOCK RAMS MUST BE GENOTYPED INCLUDING RAMS USED IN 2021
- Add your 2022 lambs as soon after birth as possible, by clicking on ‘Lambing Management’ located under the ‘Management’ option on your account.
Make recording your lambing even easier!
Download the Sheep Ireland app to your phone and record your lambing data as it happens. Our LambPlus members have found this app extremely user friendly and efficient.
Sheep Ireland on the App Store (apple.com)
Sheep Ireland – Apps on Google Play
Joining Sheep Irelands LambPlus programme
We strongly encourage all society members to join the LambPlus performance recording programme. To continue and increase the rate of genetic gain in our breed, we must collect as much data as possible on our breed. There are also many perks, such as subsidised genotyping costs and access to the LambPlus customer care team.
PLEASE NOTE: If you are considering joining the LambPlus Program, Sheep Ireland have extended the online application deadline for the LambPlus 2022 season for Suffolk members until 24th January 2022
You will see a yellow banner appear on your homepage when you log into your Sheep Ireland account and you can simply sign up there. Alternatively, call their office on 023 88 20 451 to discuss what’s involved or email query@sheep.ie to express your interest in joining. Sheep Ireland will be closed over the Christmas period and will re-open again on Tues 4th Jan.” Please bear with us as we transition from the Grassroots system into the new Flockbook system on the Sheep Ireland system. Inevitable there will be some queries and adjustments to be made.
If you have any queries, please contact the Suffolk Sheep Society – South of Ireland Branch office directly either by phone on 083 0907313 or via email at enquiries@irishsuffolksheep.org
Useful Links
Sheep Ireland on the App Store (apple.com)
South of Ireland Branch Premier Show & Sale – Blessington 2021
Ballinatone Flock Suffolk Ram sets New Irish Record at Blessington
Date: 2nd August 2021
Auctioneer: JP & M Doyle
Judge: William Tait, Burnview Flock
Blessington Mart was the place to be on August Bank Holiday Monday. A packed mart saw the highest price paid for a sheep in Ireland when the hammer fell on Richard Thompson’s (Donegal) ram lamb at €44,000. But this wasn’t just a breeder’s sale, an excellent clearance of 81% in the ram lamb class had the lot, breeders lambs at record prices, forty-one sheep exported and a strong commercial turnout with over 60% of sheep sold meeting the needs of the Irish commercial farmer. Although the overall sale average was €1.884 with a clearance of over 83%, the average price for commercial sheep was €660 to €670.
The record breaking top priced Lot 70 from Richard’s Ballinatone Flock is a son of the 2017 born Solwaybank Sapphire 2 out of a Mountford Mustang sired Ballynacannon ewe. Coming second in the Novice class, he was bought by Northern Ireland breeders Dennis Taylor, for his Ballynacannon flock based near Coleraine, County Antrim’s Alaistair Gault (Forkins flock), Ronan McLaughlin from Donegal (Ballyboe flock) and Portuguese breeder Joao Guilherme with Richard Thompson retaining a share. The Ballinatone pen also had the highest average at €15,625 for three sheep sold.
Darragh McMenamin’s (Mullinvale Flock, Donegal) Breed Champion, and winner of both the Novice and Open Ram Lamb classes, was next in the money list with Judge William Tait (S & W Tait, Burnview Flock) paying €34,000 for this Salopian Scuderia sired ram lamb out of a Balquhain dam for his Co Tyrone based flock. The Mullinvale pen had the second highest average after Ballinatone at €6,575 for 6 ram lambs sold.
Maghera breeder, Stephen Sufferin (Crewelands Flock, N Ireland) paid €7,500 and €6,500 for Philip Byrne’s (Kilkenny) lot 119 and Richard Wilson’s (Donegal) lot 194 respectively. Byrne’s Limepark flock bred Muirton One Direction sired lamb is out of a Limepark ewe. Richard Wilson’s February born Shannagh ram lamb is by last years Champion, Kells T-Rex, out of a Birness Murray sired Shannagh dam.
Two sheep then sold for €5,000. Brian and Gus Doyle’s (Kilmacoo Flock) lot 129 was the top price ram going to mainland Europe and was bought by French breeder, Sebastian Delval. This Kilmacoo ram lamb is the son of Errigal Grim Reaper out of a Birness dam. The other €5,000 priced sheep was lot 173 from J & M Doherty’s Malinhead Flock. P J Howard (Co Clare) bought this Limestone Red Rum sired ram lamb out of a homebred dam.
The females got the sale off to an excellent start with James O’Connell’s lot 7 Knockogan Shearling Ewe topping the female money list at €1,600 for his Female Champion purchased by F & S Brigdale for their Co Clare based Atomic Flock. The Reserve Female Champion, Kenneth Bailey’s winner of the Ewe Lamb Class got €1,400 from Michael McHugh of Co Wicklow.
Averages:
Overall:
Top: €44,000
Clearance: 83% (160 sold)
Average: €1,884
Shearling Ewes:
Top: €1,600
Clearance: 89% (16 sold)
Average: €909
Ewe Lambs:
Top: €1,400
Clearance: 95% (20 sold)
Average: €732
Ram Lambs:
Top: €44,000
Clearance: 81% (124 sold)
Average: €1,851
| LOT NO. | FLOCK | PRICE IN EUROS | BUYER |
| 70 | BALLINATONE | 44,000 | PDW Taylor, A Gault, R McLaughlin, R Thompson & J Guilherme |
| 158 | MULLINVALE | 34,000 | S & W Tait |
| 119 | LIMEPARK | 7,500 | S Sufferin |
| 194 | SHANNAGH | 6,500 | S Sufferin |
| 129 | KILMACOO | 5,000 | S Delval |
| 173 | MALINHEAD | 5,000 | PJ Howard |
TOP PRICE IN IRELAND ACROSS ALL BREEDS
Lot 70 R Thompson
TDL:21:03062 sold for €44,000
BREED CHAMPION Lot 158 D McMenamin
UJU:21:02676 sold for €34,000
Lot 194 Wm J & R Wilson
78A:21:06871 sold for €6,500
Lot 119 P Byrne
TJW:21:00048 sold for €7,500
Lot 129 B & G Doyle
UTX:21:00179 sold for €5,000
Lot 173 J A Doherty
CFN:21:03086 sold for €5,000
Show Results
Male and Supreme Champion
1st Lot 158 Darragh McMenamin
UJU:21:02676 by Salopian Scuderia
Reserve Male and Overall Reserve Champion
1st Lot 133 Arthur O’Keeffe
R15:21:06302 by Castleisle Kilteskin Prince
Female Champion
Lot 7 James O’Connell
DBJ:20:02212 by Shannagh Synergy
Reserve Female Champion
Lot 31 Kenneth Bailey
HDC:21:00172 by Cairness Cobra
Class 1- Shearling Ewe
1stLot 7 James O’Connell
DBJ:20:02212 by Shannagh Synergy
2nd Lot 11 Kenneth Bailey
HDC:20:00125 by Cairness Corker
3rd Lot 5 John Hanly
G4:20:02645 by Limestone Lowry
Class 2- Ewe Lamb
1st Lot 31 Kenneth Bailey
HDC:21:00172 by Cairness Cobra
2nd Lot 35 Robert Tait
18W:21:02433 by Glenagh Gideon
3rd Lot 32 Philip Lynch
CZK:21:01017 by Benedyglen Big Jack
Class 3- Shearling Ram
1st Lot 47 James O’Connell
DBJ:20:02276 by Shannagh Synergy
Class 4- Ram Lamb Sired by a SOI Bred Ram
1st Lot 133 Arthur O’Keeffe
R15:21:06302 by Castleisle Kilteskin Prince
2nd Lot 211 Brian & Gus Doyle
UTX:21:00174 by Errigal Grim Reaper
3rd Lot 77 John A Doherty
CFN:21:03102 by Shannagh Top Gun II
Class 5- Recorded Ram Lamb Class
1st Lot 128 Susan O’Keeffe
BYD:21:02580 by Burnview One For Arthur
2nd Lot 121 Philip Lynch
CZK:21:01024 by Strathbogie Kind Of Magic
3rd Lot 78 John A Doherty
CFN:21:03103 by Shannagh Top Gun II
Class 6- Novice Ram Lamb
1st Lot 158 Darragh McMenamin
UJU:21:02676 by Salopian Scuderia
2nd Lot 70 Richard Thompson
TDL:21:03062 by Solwaybank Sapphire 2
3rd Lot 129 Brian & Gus Doyle
UTX:21:00179 by Errigal Grim Reaper
Class 7 – Open Ram Lamb
1st Lot 158 Darragh McMenamin
UJU:21:02676 by Salopian Scuderia
2nd Lot 122 Philip Lynch
CZK:21:01024 by Strathbogie A Kind Of Magic
3rd Lot 119 Philip Byrne
TJW:21:00048 by Muirton One Direction
Class 8 – Gigot Class
1st Lot 81 Robert Tait
18W:21:02446 by Errigal Masterpiece
2nd Lot 85 John Stacey
JYO:21:01152 by Benrafton Panther
3rd Lot 161 John & Esther Gahan
SKW:21:00558 by Forkins Franko
Group of Three
1st Lots 156, 58, 60 Darragh McMenamin
UJU:21:02650, UJU:21:02624, UJU:21:02643
2nd Lots 108, 109, 110 Eamon Duffy
C46:21:03216, C46:21:02176, C46:21:03158
3rd Lots 70, 71, 165 Richard Thompson
TDL:21:03062, TDL:21:03064, TDL:21:03065
