Belclare Sheep

The largest exhibition of Belclare sheep of the year took place last Sunday at Clonmel Show, where all six classes were strongly contested.

Championship honours stayed local when Richard and John Lalors hogget ram Rathkenty Caesar was awarded the Supreme Champion. This fine ram was sired by Rathkenty Alabama and had earlier in the day seen off a strong class of hoggets to claim the first prize. Second place in the hogget ram class also went to the Lalors with their Rathkenty Columbus a son of LB141678 taking home the blue rosette. Carlow breeder Larry Barrett supplied the third prize winner Annfield Crispin a smashing son of RL142335.

The Reserve Champion also went the way of the Rathkenty flock, this time being awarded to their hogget ewe winner Rathkenty Circe, a tight skinned daughter of Rathkenty Alabama, who like the Supreme Champion was winning her class for the second week in a row. Second prize in the hogget ewe class went the way of the Lalor brothers, while the third prize went to a Larry Barrett produced ewe.

The show kicked off for the day with the aged ram class. Richard and John Lalors three time All-Ireland winning homebred ram, RL142327 took the first prize and in the process was also bringing up a hattrick of wins at this show. He saw off another Rathkenty ram, Rathkenty Bundaberg, a 2016 born son of Rathkenty Achilles. Third prize went the way of Liam Delaney’s Coolgarragh Beckham a two-year-old son of TF131634.

The Lalors final winner of the day came in the ewe lamb class. Their smart daughter of Supreme Champion Rathkenty Caesar was making her first appearance in the show ring and should go on to more success. Second place also went the way of a Rathkenty lamb in the form of another showing debutante, this time sired by Rathkenty Alabama. Larry Barretts Kilmeany flock supplied the third prize winning lamb.

The ram lamb class saw Larry Barrett claim his first winner of the day with Kilmeany Donal, a sharp looking, tight skinned son of Coolgarragh Adalrich. Second place went to Rathkenty Debussey, a well grown son of Rathkenty Alabama, while the third prize also went back to Co. Carlow with Larry Barretts Kilmeany Dave, a son of Violet Hill Bacla.