Last year's top price at the Big Boy Ram Sale was well and truly smashed on Friday (July 30) at the Showgrounds in Carrick-On-Shannon.

Cavan breeder James Dunne, who topped the sale last year at €1,120, once again came out on top this year with a Texel ram lamb that sold for €1,900 - sired by Loosebeare Chief - and purchased by John Foster of the Springhill Flock based in Northern Ireland.

James sold 10 Loosebeare Chief sons at an average of €846. Staying with the Texels, Ben Lynch topped the Texel shearling category at €1,160.

The next best price overall on the day was achieved, jointly, by a Suffolk ram bred by Stuart Dorran and a Charbex ram bred by Hugh Connor, that both sold for €1,260. While the top-priced Suffolk ram lamb was bred by Liam Higgins, lot 93, that sold for €1,020.

The chief organiser of the sale, Stuart Dorran, spoke to Agriland after the conclusion of the sale and said: "The overall sale number was 160 with 101 sold on the day, with an overall clearance rate of 63% achieved.

"The sale's clearance between breeds told the story; increased or the same clearance in the established breeds with other breeds seeing little demand.

"Meanwhile, the ewe lambs raffled for Embrace Farm were won by Mark Murray, with a grand total of €675 raised for the cause."

Other top prices on the day: