Records were smashed at the Premier Texel Show and Sale in Blessington over the weekend, as the Irish Texel Sheep Society celebrated 50 years in existence.
The pre-sale show kicked off on Friday 14 August, as the trio of judges - who have the accolade of being the three remaining foundation flocks since the society's formation 50 years ago - adjudicated in the show ring.
With a record number of sheep entered, the three wise men certainly had their work cut out.
The shearling ewe class was judged by Padraic Niland, the only remaining original member of the Irish Texel Sheep Society, who has remained an active member and breeder for 50 years.
His champion came from John Greene with a daughter of Drumcon His Royal Highness. She was a true standout for Padraic and went on to take the female championship title.
She impressed again in the overall championship, where Donal Mee - whose father was one of the society’s founding members and whose family flock has remained in existence for 50 years - tapped her out as overall supreme champion of the show.
Record price
Later that evening, she made history, selling for a new record price of €16,000, smashing the previous record by €6,000. Purchasing this tremendous Ssearling was Glen Devlin from Co Monaghan.
The same shearling ewe class produced the reserve female champion, another daughter of the breed legend Drumcon His Royal Highness from John Neville, Co Wexford. She went on to sell for €3,800 to Edward Buckley, Co Cork.
The ewe lamb class was won by John Redmond, Co Carlow, with a daughter of his Blessington purchase from last year, Conamara Invincible. She sold later that evening for €2,000 to Tom Kenny and Brian Connelly.
Ram classes
The ram section was judged by Johnny Donohoe, another son of a society founding member who continues to run the family flock 50 years on.
The shearling ram class was won by Arthur and Patrick O’Keeffe with a son of Forkins Havana, which later sold for €2,000.
The open ram lamb class went to Roger Doherty, Co Donegal, with a son of the aforementioned Drumcon His Royal Highness. Although the last lamb into the ring, he sold for €2,000.
The lamb plus class produced one of the biggest highlights of the sale. Neville Myles took the top spot with a son of Hillcrest Ironman, a private purchase for €10,000 last year, an investment that certainly paid dividends.
Male champion
The lamb went on to claim the overall male championship and later sold for a new flock record of €33,000 to Eugene and Malachy Hand for their Brideswell flock.
The reserve male champion also came from this class - a son of Duncryne Hakuna Matata, shown by Irene Donnelly and bred from the famous Gucci ewe. He sold for €9,500 to Martin McConville of Glenhoe and Derek McDowell of Tamary.
Neville Myles’ €10,000 investment struck again in the Irish-sired class, where another son of Hillcrest Ironman took first place.
This lamb attracted plenty of attention before being purchased by Percy O’Callaghan, Patrick and James Murphy, Robbie and James Walker, and Dermot Behan for a whopping €12,000.
The new breeders class was won by Aoife Harty, with a naturally born son of Haymount Fandabadozi.
This March-born lamb was later selected by the McHugh flocks and sold for €10,000.
There was exceptional demand throughout the breeders’ ram lamb section, with 23 rams breaking the €3,000 barrier.
Strong commercial demand
The shearling rams were met with exceptional demand from commercial farmers, with every ram finding a new home.
The top-priced shearling ram came from John Canty, a son of Drumderg Fancy Pants, selling for €3,500 to Graham Sutton.
Ronan Gallagher also reached €2,500 with a son of Silverhill He’s A Cracker - another previous Blessington purchase.
Overall, commercial farmers were paying between €900 and €2,000 for fit, active shearling rams, showing the continued confidence in the Texel as a commercial terminal sire.
The ram lambs were also met with exceptional demand.
The first lamb forward from the McHugh family of Greenhill, a son of current sire of the year Silverhill Helpful, caught the eye of Edward Buckley, Co Cork, selling for €16,000
Show Speed son
James Dunne from Co Cavan was also in the money with a son of Largy I Show Speed, joining Adam Heffernan's flock for €9,000.
Peter McLaughlin reached €8,500 for another son of Haymount Fandabadozi, selling to Aaron Cox, Co Donegal.
Demand was also lively for females, particularly in the shearling ewes.
Pat and Barry Farrell sold their shealing ewe by Drumderg Haribo to Adam Braken for €4,800.
Neville Myles was back hitting the high notes with a daughter of Glenside Gaurdsman selling for €4,500 to Dan Bonner.
Fergal O'Se topped the ewe lamb trade with a Coniston Equinox daughter which was national female champion earlier in the year, selling to Paul and Arron Murphy.
Overall, there was a really strong demand from pedigree breeders, with commercial farmers also showing well. Rams suitable for commercial flocks were making in the region of €800 to €1,200.
Averages
The sale averages were the best the sale has seen for some time, as hogget ewes averaged €1,892 with an 86% clearance, up from €1,766 in 2025, hogget rams averaged €1,538 with a full clearance, up from €1,461, ram lambs averaged €2,069, up from €2,005 last year with an 80% clearance, while ewe lambs averaged €1,297, up from €1,062 in 2025.
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