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- Judge, Tim Butcher, making his mind up on the final placings of his choice of the top 6 rams lambs in the open class
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- Pat Oliver presenting the Production Cup to Ena Nagle with Tim Butcher the judge and Mark O’Rourke Univet, sponsor
Vendeen rams are selling very fast and as a result there are none left for the listed Fermoy sale on Mon 14th Sept but there are still sales in Athenry, Delvin, Ballinasloe and Enniscorthy.
AIB National Livestock Show Vendeen Champion for 2015 is Ballinascraw Northern Dancer a shearling ram owned by John Lynch from Co. Longford. The same ram was the 2014 champion in Tullamore. This AI bred ram out of a home bred ewe has unique breeding as he is the only lamb registered in Ireland from this French imported semen.
The reserve champion is a shearling ewe, Quitrent Noreen, owned and bred by Conor & Cheryl O’Brien from Co. Cork.This ewe was also bred from French semen out of a Quitrent Gordon bred ewe. O’Briens also won the the senior ewe class and the group of 3. Ciaran Coughlan from Co. Offaly won the Senior Ram and Ram Lamb Class while the Ewe Lamb Class went to Gordon & Yvonne Johnston from Co. Westmeath. 
The Teagasc Better Farm program brings best practice and research to selected commercial farms. There is also a trial aspect to it. In the case of Brian Nicholson in Kilkenny, he undertook a trial on 3 different sire breeds on his ewe lambs in autumn 2014. The results were released today at an open day on his farm.
It was no surprise to the Vendeen lambs coming out on top at weaning. There was no difference in lambing ease/difficulty between the breeds but the Vendeen
lambs were 1kg heavier at weaning that the nearest and 2kg heavier than the third breed.
Stephen Lynch, showing the Champion of the Premier, with Ciaran Coughlan, Chairman, Tim Butcher, Judge Cheryl O’Brien with the Reserve Champion and Mark O’Rourke, sponsor
The premier Show and Sale held in Roscommon Mart on Wed 15th July was a exciting event. The show was judged by the Chairman of the British Vendéen Society, Tim Butcher. He was meticulous in his deliberations and eventually tapped forward a shearling ram of John Lynch’s, Ballinascraw Neron, into the Champion position. This was followed by Cheryl O’Brien’s Quitrent Oswald into the Reserve spot.
Pat Oliver presenting the Production Cup to Ena Nagle with Tim Butcher the judge and Mark O’Rourke Univet, sponsor
The Pat Oliver Production cup went to Ena Nagle for her double 5 star ram lamb,Landmark Osborne, and 2nd was Cottage O’Cuive, owned by Gordon & Yvonne Johnston
The highest price of the day went to the 4th prize winning double 5 star ram lamb, Landmark Ogburn, owned by Ena Nagle.
There was a clearance of over 80% of the lambs with good farmer interest especially for STAP eligible rams.
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- John Lynch with the Mullingar Champion his shearling ram and Gordon Johnston with the Reserve champion a senior ewe also in the photo is the judge Melvin Mathews
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- Conor and Cheryl O’Brien with their Champion and reserve champion at Clonmel show
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- Charleville show Champion owned by Ena Nagle and the Reserve Champion owned by Cheryl O’Brien
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- Joey & Aoife Walsh with their Champion ram at Athlone Show. Also in the photo is Oisin Gannon with the reserve champion ram lamb owned by Gordon and Yvonne Johnston.
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- Supreme Champion Vendeen 2015. Shearling ewe owned by Padraig Monaghan and judged by Brian Hanthorn
Breeders from all over the country are preparing for the Premier Show and Sale in Roscommon Mart on Wednesday 15th July. Some are preparing to sell and some are preparing to buy. LambPlus eurostar evaluations are published in the catalogue. Lots of 5 star rams available and many more STAP eligible 3 star or better. Check it out for yourself HERE
Shearling Ram and upwards
1st Shay Kennedy
2nd Joey Walsh
3rd Kieran Coughlan
4th Ena Nagle
5th Conor and Cheryl O’Brien
Shearling Ewe and upwards
1st Conor and Cheryl O’Brien
2nd Kieran Coughlan
3rd Ena Nagle
4th Ena Nagle
5th Conor and Cheryl O’Brien
Ram Lamb
1st Conor and Cheryl O’Brien
2nd Conor and Cheryl O’Brien
3rd Ena Nagle
4th Ena Nagle
5th Mike Edgeworth
Ewe Lamb
1st Conor and Cheryl O’Brien
2nd Ena Nagle
3rd Conor and Cheryl O’Brien
4th Ena Nagle
Champion: Conor and Cheryl O’Brien Ewe Lamb
Reserve Champion: Conor and Cheryl O’Brien Senior ewe.