Mallow father and son duo clinch supreme sheep championship
Judge Michael Bird pictured with the Supreme Overall Champion sheep and breeder Pat O'Keefe.
Double victory graced Mallow-based Texel breeder Pat O’Keefe this weekend whose Annakisha flock clinched not only the Cork Summer Show Overall Supreme Sheep Champion, but also female champion and reserve overall champion at the Texel Championships in Donegal on Saturday.
There was stiff competition from the other breeds in the sheep rings at Cork Summer Show, with deliberations between the three judges continuing at length.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner, judge Michael Bird from Co Meath, who oversaw the Texel classes during the day, said: “Luckily enough there was an odd number of judges, so democracy had to play a part.
“After making sure they are all correct and there are no obvious flaws, we look for the characteristics of their own particular breed. The champion ewe today had tremendous power and was feminine.” Farming alongside his father, Arthur, Pat also had success in the Suffolk rings picking up champion and reserve aged ewe in both the Texel and Suffolk categories.
“My father always had Suffolks, but when I was younger I wanted a bit of colour around the place and because my grandfather used to breed the Texels years ago that was part of the reason for getting into them,” he said, speaking after his win.
The father and son duo picked up their foundation animals for the flock at an in-lamb ewe sale in Galway in 2002 followed by some purchases from across the water in England. Now with several all-Ireland breed titles under their name, the rest is history.
A few years behind in her breeding career - but quickly making up for it - is Bantry lass Lucy Harrington, who picked up reserve supreme champion on Sunday with her striking Blackfaced ram. It's a particularly impressive feat given the young flock keeper is just 13 years old.
Farming is in the blood for Lucy, who was also with her grandfather at Gortalea mart last Friday when he sold what’s believed to be the most expensive bullock in Ireland.
The seven-year-old Simmental bullock weighed in at a hefty 1,310kg and fetched €3,790. So far, the Facebook video of the sale has over 1.6m views and has been shared around the world.
Dad Tim also helps with transport and show prep with the flock – known among the family as Lucy’s Scotchies - but with plans to study hard and become a vet someday, Lucy takes charge of their day-to-day management – and hopes to continue expanding where she can.
In just six years she has gone from her first Blackfaced ram bought at a show and sale to 50 breeding ewes today.
“I still have the ram I started with,” she told the Farm Exam ringside. “I just noticed there was a competitive market with them so I asked dad if we could start showing them and in 2017 we made it out to our first shows.” Commenting on her winning ram, Blackface judge Podge Bolger from Enniscorthy, said: “He was very clean – he wasn’t over-pushed - he was naturally a nice sheep with tight wool for a blackie. A clean fleece was key for me.
“It’s great to see especially the next generation doing well; I was rooting for her," he added. "But, at the end of the day, it was about the sheep, and it just so happened to be a young girl holding it.
“He was definitely the pick of my sheep today.”
