THE largest ever sale of Connemara-Mayo Blackface sheep will be held on this coming Friday and Saturday [Oct. 5/6] in Maam Cross Mart with over 3,500 sheep entered.

Organised by the Connemara-Mayo Blackface Breeders Group [CMBBG] the sale begins at 11am sharp on Saturday morning when nearly 3,000 Blackface breeding ewes will come under the hammer including ewe lambs, hoggets and breeding ewes.

On Sunday morning, the attention switches to the rams with 570 for sale – the largest single-day ram sale of any breed in the country, many of them SIS [Sheep Improvement Scheme] approved.  Judging of the rams starts at 9am with the sale commencing at 11am.

Brendan Joyce, spokesperson for the CMBBG, said that this weekend’s sales reflected ‘the strength and vitality of the breed’ with buyers from all corners of the country expected to attend.

For those unable to collect their sheep on the day, Brendan Joyce said that arrangements can be made to hold the animals temporarily, or transportation can be co-ordinated. Interested buyers are asked to contact Bríd Burke, Mart Manager [091-552254], or Brendan Joyce [087-2226737] to make these arrangements.

“This is a unique opportunity for farmers to access the finest quality Connemara-Mayo Blackface ewes and rams – there really is a fantastic entry of sheep on both Saturday and Sunday. We are also expecting a huge turnout of buyers both in-person and online,” said Brendan Joyce.

Pictured: Conamara Blackfaces: Hardy and resilient.