The Irish Belclare Sheep Society hosted its annual premier sale in Kilkenny last month, with the pre-sale overall champion selling for a record-breaking €3,000.

The stylish ram, Tubber Eoin, came from the flock of Liam and Eoin Dunne and had collected a number of other prizes at summer shows.

Sired by Violet Hill Derek, Eoin is out of a homebred dam sired by another Violet Hill ram. After a prolonged bidding war in the packed sales ring, he was knocked down to Tuam breeder Sonny Jennings of the Cahergal Flock.

The next-best price went to John Renehan of the Violet Hill Flock. Violet Hill Eurylochus, a tight-skinned son of Violet Hill Chappy who was also the grandsire of the supreme champion, was secured for a bid of €1,650 from pedigree breeder John McTigue.

Roles had been reversed earlier when John Renehan secured lot 31 Ballynulty Eduardo from John McTigue’s flock for €1,600. This sharp ram is a son of Foras Cal and is out of a homebred ewe.

Richard and John Lalor then claimed the next two best prices. Lot 81, Rathkenty El Chapo, a powerful twin-born son of Rathkenty Alabama, had caught the eye of Roscommon breeder Declan Miley and duly went his way for a bid of €1,400. The Lalors then sold lot 52 Rathkenty Excalibur for €1,350. A very stylish lamb by Rathkenty Cheetah and out of an all-Ireland winning homebred daughter of Rathkenty Alabama, he heads to Kilkenny breeder John Renehan.