Zwartbles sheep breed development west open day
THE Zwartbles Sheep Breeders of Ireland are gearing up for an action-packed breed development day at Twilight Blaze Zwartbles this weekend.
The educational and interactive event, open to all sheep enthusiasts, will take place on Sunday, April 27, at Paul Conroy’s family farm in Woodford, Co. Galway.
It will provide a unique opportunity to learn from industry leaders, refine skills, and gain hands-on experience.
Key activities, starting at 10.45 a.m., include a master judges’ talk on showing craft and presentation with Martin Preston and Raymond Heigh; clipping demonstrations, along with an opportunity for attendees to practice, led by Peter Lamb; shears sharpening demonstration with John Powell; flock walk and talk with Paul Conroy and family; stock judging competition; and showing demonstration for young handlers.
Denise Rafferty, PRO at Zwartbles Sheep Breeders of Ireland, said: “Our primary objective is to expand the breed’s numbers, and we are committed to supporting both new and experienced breeders. This event is designed to help our current members refine their skills and to inspire the younger generation to engage in breeding and showing.
“We are thrilled to welcome master judges Martin Preston and Raymond Heigh from the Zwartbles Sheep Association UK. As trainers for UK judges, we are fortunate to have them with us this year to provide valuable training for our own official judging panel.
“2025 marks a significant milestone for the breed - 20 years since Zwartbles first arrived in Ireland.”
The breed is known for its ease of maintenance, strong maternal qualities and striking appearance with its distinctive black wool and white blaze.
Females are docile and inquisitive, making them a popular choice for smallholdings. The breed is commonly known for producing multiples, with many ewes capable of naturally rearing three lambs due to their impressive milking abilities. Zwartbles are easy to lamb, often doing so unassisted, and lambs are born with great vigour and a willingness to thrive.
Rafferty comments: "The breed’s popularity continues to rise each year. Along with interest from Zwartbles pedigree breeders, there is also a rising demand among farmers to use mismarked females as recipient dams. Additionally, their commercial appeal for crossbreeding with terminal breeds is on the rise. There is a market for all females.”
Currently, there are just over 100 pedigree-registered Zwartbles flocks in Ireland, with memberships growing from 60 to 100 in the past five years.
The Zwartbles Sheep Breeders of Ireland officially launched as a breed society at the 2022 National Ploughing Championships, following the amalgamation of the Irish Zwartbles Sheep Association and Zwartbles Éire Sheep Society.
Twilight Blaze Zwartbles
Twilight Blaze Zwartbles, owned and managed by Paul Conroy, operates alongside his wife Lorraine and their children Éanna, Iarla, Rían, and Caitlin, with the assistance of Mary Stewart and David Durack.
The Conroy family also runs several businesses, including Man & Beast (an animal nutritional wholesale company), which the ZSBI are “indebted” to, for being its main sponsor over the last number of years.
The flock, established in 2019, comprises over 120 pedigree-registered Zwartbles breeding females and 80 non-registered pedigree Zwartbles.
Paul explains: “Zwartbles are docile, have elegance and strong maternal traits - the breed really has everything. Demand is growing each year and will grow ever further. The future is bright for the breed.
“Zwartbles are perfect for modern-day sheep farmers, either full-time or part-time. They also fit well into commercial systems, meeting slaughter weights efficiently and are constantly hitting R and U grades.”