23rd Annual Autumn Show and Sale
Slemish Champion Tops Autumn Dorset Sale
The Judge Mr. Matt Care, Mrs. Maureen Currie ( Agribusiness manager Northern Bank)
and Jason Booth with the Supreme Champion
The Judge Mr. Matt Care, Mrs. Maureen Currie ( Agribusiness manager Northern Bank)
and Thomas Wright with the Reserve Champion
The Supreme Champion at the Dorset show and sale from Allison Booth's Slemish flock at Stewartstown, topped the trade at the evening auction following the 23rd Annual Show and sale in McClellands' Mart Ballymena, last week.Long time supporter of the Dorset Breed, Allison Booth from Stewartstown won the Overall Championship at the Northern Bank sponsored 23rd Annual Autumn Show and sale of Dorset sheep in Ballymena and went on to top the sale at 460gns with her first prize ewe lamb. Brought out and shown by her husband Jason, this very fetching ewe lamb full of Ballytaggart bloodlines on both sides was not detered by coming in at lot 1 in a large sale entry of 180 lots as she got the evening sale off to a rip-roaring start.
Fuelled by enthusiastic bidding from young breeders this impressive young lamb was finally knocked down to 15 year old Shane Wilson, Ballynure, Ballyclare for his Legaloy flock.
Reflecting on the sale, Auctioneer Tom Symington from McClelland's commented that in a sale which was periodically lack lustre, the quality animals on offer sold easily and to their value but purchasers were remindfull of the bigger situation out there in farming and the lack of Autumn grazing and winter fodder and therefore were selective in the number of additional animals that they were willing to take home. Mr Symington also paid tribute to the band of youth coming through the Dorset breed, both as exhibitors and also importantly as purchasers where he witnessed a rally of interest in all the top priced lots from young or junior enthusiasts which will bode well for the future of the breed in Northern Ireland.
Young Shane Wilson was the last man in the next two highest priced lots, both fetching 400gns each and both coming from Trevor & Sharon Knox's Riverview flock at Armoy.
The Knox's pen of four inlamb ewe lambs, all sired by their homebred stock ram Legend commanded tremendous interest as they were carrying lambs to the English bred Houghton Night and were over four months gone.
Shane Wilson was successful with the first two at 400gns each, while Pollock & Tannahill from Coleraine accquire a third and James Robson Doagh, Ballyclare the fourth both at 360gns each all getting in on the action to accquire the first ewe lambs from this impressive sire.
The judge, Mr Matt Care, from Helston in Cornwall, who owns the Burhos flock of Dorset Horns and Polls on his family's Burhos Farm, 750 feet above sea level and only 15 miles from the UK 's most southerly point at Lands End chose as his Reserve Champion the first prize ram lamb who also equalled the 400gns sale price.
Both the first and second prize ram lambs were brought out by the Ballytaggart flock of Thomas Wright, Ballymoney and both were carrying the Australlian bloodlines used within the Ballytaggart flock. The first prizewinner later sold to Angus Fleming, Ballymoney for 400gns while the second prize winner sold to Pierce Foster, Dunamore, Cookstown for 360gns.
Coming in between the two Ballytaggart lambs in the sale rankings was the second Riverview ram lamb by the newly purchased 1000gns Olivertree ram from T. & S. Knox, Armoy who sold for 380gns to Jock McFetridge, Glenarm, Ballymena, which was then followed by another Riverview ram lamb at 310gns, this time by their homebred ram who was Autumn sale champion last year and sold for 1200gns. Successful purchaser on this occassion was Adrian Dodd, Saintfield.
Julie Rea from Aldergrove, Antrim then sold two rams at 300gns each, both of whom had been used in her Killeady flock this year, they found new homes with David Nelson, Banbridge, and William Lennox Cookstown respectivately.
Young breeders Robert & Matthew Coulter, Doagh, Ballyclare, who were spirited bidders throughout the whole sale got back some of their evening's outlay when they sold their only entry from their Browndod flock at 300gns to James Mullan Randalstown.
The top priced Horn exhibit also made 300gns coming from long established Ballyvaddy flock belonging to T.&K. Madden, Glencloy, Ballyvaddy, Carnlough and selling to Club Chairman, Ben Lamb, Richhill. Mr Lamb also bought the Madden's first prize Ballyvaddy Horn ewe to help strengthen his Richhill flock at Richhill.
The N.I. Dorset Club would like to thank the Northern Bank for their generous, continued support of this Autumn fixture and in particular Mrs Maureen Currie, Agribusiness manager, Ballymena Branch, for her time and support and thanks also to McClellands Mart, Auctioneers Tom Symington and Foster Gowdy and Office Staff.
Sale organised by N.I. Dorset Sheep breeders club.
Conducted by McClellands Mart, Ballymena.
Sponsored by Northern Bank.
