Premier Sale Report 2025

2025 BELCARE PREMIER SALE, A RESOUNDING SUCCESS

As the dust settles after the Belclare Sheep Society Premier Sale, held on Friday 8th August,

it is clear that the decision to change the date, venue, and time of the event was a

resounding success. This year’s sale took place in GVM Tullamore Mart on Friday evening,

starting at 6pm. There was an impressive 94% clearance rate across the entire sale, a 100%

clearance rate in the female section, and an average selling price of €885 for the 60 males

sold — with 35% of rams making €1,000 or more per head.

The day began at 3pm in the show ring, where the Belclare Sheep Society was privileged to

have Liam Coen as guest judge. The prestigious J.P. Hanrahan Cup, named in honour of the

breed’s founder, was awarded to John McTigue of the Ballynulty Flock, Tuam, Co. Galway,

for his ram lamb Ballynulty Leo. Reserve Champion went to Liam and Eoin Dunne, Co.

Offaly of the Tubber Belclare Flock with their ram lamb Tubber Lance.

The first class judged was the Shearling Ram class. With a strong line-up of entries, judge

Liam Coen tapped forward Tim Keady’s Oltore King for the red rosette, which later sold for

€1,050. The Oltore Flock of Co. Galway also claimed second prize in the Hogget Ram class

with Oltore Kalin, which went on to sell for €1,200. In a highly competitive Hogget section,

the top-priced Hogget of the day came from John Renehan’s Violet Hill Flock. Lot 8, Violet

Hill Kasim, boasting elite €uro-Star ratings — top 1% (€9.27) Replacement and top 2%

(€3.05) Terminal — sold for €1,300. Third prize went to Patrick Doyle of the Ballytarsna

Flock; fourth to John Renehan; and fifth to Pat Lynch of the Rossdelia Flock with Lot 1,

which sold for €1,050, setting the tone for a strong trade throughout the sale.

An exceptional line-up of ram lambs followed in the 2025 Premier Sale Ram Lamb Show.

Judging proved a challenge, with high-quality entries from flocks across Ireland. First prize

was awarded to John McTigue of the Ballynulty Flock for Ballynulty Leo. This powerful ram

went on to claim Overall Champion and later sold for €1,250.

Second prize and Reserve Champion went to the Tubber Flock of Liam and Eoin Dunne for

Tubber Lance, a ram of exceptional power and style, which later sold for €1,100. Third prize

was awarded to Ciarán Coughlan, Ferbane, Co. Offaly, for Glen View Legend, which made

€950. Fourth prize went to David Craig, Clonard, Co. Meath, with Abbeyview Luggy, later

sold for €850 to the Lankill pedigree flock, who themselves took fifth prize with Lankill

Ludwig, bred by Charles J. Hughes, Westport, Co. Mayo, selling for €950. Sixth prize was

awarded to John Kennedy of the Dranagh Flock, Dranagh, Co. Carlow, for Dranagh Lucian.

The female section concluded the 2025 Belclare premier show, showcasing some of the

finest females in the Society. The Violet Hill Flock of John Renehan dominated, claiming

first, second, and third prize.

Despite the quality and excitement in the show ring, the evening’s real drama unfolded in the

sales ring. The top price of the day went to Liam Delaney of the Coolgarragh Flock with Lot

45, Coolgarragh Laois. Starting at €1,000, bidding quickly climbed, with the hammer

eventually falling at €2,700 to the Tubber Flock. This ram combined exceptional length and

style with elite €uro-Star values — top 1% (€9.32) Replacement and top 2% (€3.01)

Terminal. Liam’s success continued with Lot 45’s full brother, sold to the Togherbeg Flock of

Barry Cunningham for €2,200. The Coolgarragh Flock averaged €1,600, a fine showcase of

the Belclare breed’s qualities.

Paul Smyth of the Silverbrook Flock matched his 2024 success, with Lot 9, Silverbrook

Lyric, selling for €1,900 to the Beltra pedigree flock of Christopher McLaughlin, Co. Donegal.

This ram, in the top 1% (€9.47) Replacement and top 1% (€3.05) Terminal, combined power

with genetic merit. The Ballynulty Flock of John McTigue also shone in the sales ring. Lot

49, Ballynulty Looker — the 2025 All-Ireland Champion ram lamb — sold for €1,750 to the

Oltore Flock. John’s pen of ram lambs averaged €1,120. Strong prices continued across the

catalogue, with the Tubber Flock also backing up their show ring success with sales up to

€1,500 and an average of €980.

The Belclare Sheep Society extends sincere thanks to judge Liam Coen, GVM Tullamore

Mart, auctioneer Gordon Cobbe, all Society members, and, most importantly, the purchasers

who made the 2025 Premier Sale such a success.

Future Sales:

• Sheep Ireland Kilkenny – Saturday 23rd August

• Tullow – Tuesday 2nd September

• Athenry – Monday 15th September

• Roscommon Multibreed – Saturday 27th September

• In-Lamb Hogget Ewe Sale – Saturday 15th November