Our Story

Cavanalee Farm is a small 30 Arce holding based in the foothills of the Sperins, we are a Family run farm with Ryan, Emma and Ronan Conway. In 2018 when Ryans dad retired with thought what can we do to make a functional farm?

First was looking at the ground and what animals suited we quickly decides after some research on the land and soil type that sheep was a great fit. Not only would they suit the small holding and be low impact, but because of pedigree dogs being such a big part of our lives having shown and bred many champion Irish Water Spaniels, pedigree sheep seemed to be a good fit.

We envisaged that we could apply some of our skills with showing and breeding our pedigree dogs to now the pedigree sheep world so we set to making plans. We began by looking at different breeds, and initially started with Suffolk sheep because we loved the look and the soft almost dog like nature, soon after Emma had seen a picture of the Valais Blacknose and fell immediately in love!! But where do we get one??

The hunt began whilst we built our Suffolk flock the Valais was never far from our minds. Finding breeders wasn’t easy as the Valais breed was much in its infancy in 2018-19 in Northern Ireland, then much to Emma’s surprise on their wedding anniversary that year Ryan surprised her with her first Valais Blacknose ram aka “Herbie” he was the foundation of the most amazing few years ahead!!

In 2022 with the Valais on the rise Balmoral show hosted the first Valais classes and of course we attended with our Herbie much to our amazement he claimed Male Champion and went on to win multiple shows that year, the bug had well and truly bitten us!!!

Over the next few years we have continued to show and breed both our Suffolk and Valais aiming to breed the best quality genetics and top class show stoppers!! 2023 saw Herbies babies sweeping the boards again at Balmoral with his Daughter Judy winning shearling ewe and son Slieveroes Jaxon winner over all champion!! We also won the Ram lamb class and several over home bred lamb gained multiple placings we where over the moon!!

In late 2023 Emma had the most amazing opportunity presented to her with a once in a lifetime trip to Switzerland to experience first had the Shepards way and to learn to become a Swiss Trained Grader. It was the experience of a life-time that she immersed herself in fully, becoming a breed expert and learning from the founders of this amazing breed was simply a dream come true!!