Northern Ireland Breeders to the Fore at May Fair
Sharron and Trevor Knox with the Overall Champion and
Top Price Ram Lamb, Riverview Wasabi
Ben Lamb with the Best Horned Exhibit, Richhill Woody |
Gary Henderson with Sandelford Ultan, Best Shearling Poll Ram |
Karen Carson and Downkillybegs Wonderboy, Signet Class Winner |
Thomas Wright with the Best Group of Three Rams |
Northern Irelands’ Dorset sheep breeders once again produced an outstanding selection of Dorset rams, which for the fourth year running secured both the Champion exhibit and top price at the annual May Fair sale in Exeter. Considered the premier Dorset sale within the UK, 2,224 Dorset sheep both pedigree and commercial were offered for sale, with the eleven Northern Irish breeders supplying thirty eight of the one hundred and twenty eight ram entries.
Topping the sale was one of three ram lambs entered by Sharron and Trevor Knox from Armoy, Co.Antrim, from their 35 ewe Riverview flock, established in 2001. Riverview Wasabi bred out of a homebred ewe and the homebred ram Riverview Underarmour had attracted a lot of admiration in the preliminaries before the show and sale. He was placed first in the ram lamb class and then went on to secure Champion exhibit later on in the day. The hammer went down in the ring at 3100 gns, with Wasabi finding a new home in Wiltshire with Jim and Joe Dufosee, Blackhill Flock. Knox’s two other entries also achieved well above average sale prices, with the second lamb fetching 1350 gns to Messrs Patton, Ballymoney, Co.Antrim and the third 1100 gns to Messrs Cory, Vale of Glamorgan. The three Riverview entries averaged the highest of the sale at a super £1942.50.
The third highest price of the day at 2000gns was achieved twice by Northern Irish sheep, with both entries being supplied by the Downkillybegs flock, of longstanding breeders Karen and William Carson, located in Ballymena, Co.Antrim. Downkillybegs Wallaby by Wilsey Panter was sold to Gill and Richard Trace’s Gortleigh flock in Devon, whilst Downkillybegs Wonka by Ballytaggart Puma made his way to Bridgend to join Liz Mathews Cornella flock. William and Karen also achieved the fifth and sixth highest prices of the day of 1750gns and 1700gns, these lots were sold to Messrs Brookin of Wales and Gill and Richard Trace of Devon respectively. Once again the Downkillybegs flock had a very successful sale, with their seven entries reaching an average of £1552.50.
The next highest price from Northern Ireland was supplied by Richard Currie's Hilltop flock, Ballymena, with his best entry reaching 1150 gns to Messrs Burrington, Devon. The Hilltop pen average achieved £1023.75 for two entries.
1150gns was also paid for the sales Champion Horned exhibit, Richill Woody, from Ben Lamb, Richill. This fine horned ram made his way to join the horned flock of J Wolfe, Isle of Wight. Ben’s pen of six rams averaged £810.25.
Other Northern Ireland flocks who were represented in the sale were T.G. Wright, Ballytaggart flock, Ballymoney who averaged £906 for seven, with a top of 1000gns. G. & G. Henderson, Sandelford flock, Bushmills, who averaged £892.50 for two, with a top of 1000gns. Raymond Hill, Olivertree flock, Ballyclare who averaged £745.50 to a top of 800gns. J&C Robson, Ballyhamage flock, Ballyclare averaged £717.50 for three, with a top of 800gns. Amy McConnell, Beechmount flock, Ballyclare sold two to an average of £656.50 with a top of 650gns. Seamus Mullan, Islaharnan flock, Armoy who averaged £630 for two to a top of 600gns. S. & S. Lyons, Bencran flock, Omagh who averaged £549.50 for three to a top of 550gns.
From the eleven Northern Ireland exhibitors thirteen rams out of thirty eight entries, realised a sale price of 1000gns or better. With the sale average of Northern Irish rams reaching £1051.90 in comparison to the overall sale average of £807.19 for the one hundred and twenty eight rams.
On the flip side our local breeders were keen to purchase the best of the English entries to bring back to Northern Irish soil. Leading the way again was Sharron and Trevor Knox, who reinvested some of their earnings in a strong 1800gns shearling ram from the well-respected Wilsey flock of WL French, Cornwall.
The Champion female exhibit Manorcroft Wisteria, entered by Tom Clarke, Devon, fetched a breed record breaking 1450gns to Samuel Caldwell, Rasharkin to join his Granagh Flock. The previous record for a poll dorset ewe lamb stood at 950gns, achieved in 2013. Other notable ewe purchases included two ewes from the dispersal sale of Ross and Emma Sizmurs’ Rossiz flock, they realised a figure of 1000gns to Amy McConnell, Beechmount flock, Ballyclare and Karen Carson, Downkillybegs flock, Ballymena.
Accredited ewes average £303.42
Ewe lambs and Hoggets averaged £198.59
Auctioneers:- Simon Alford and Mark Davis representing Kivells & Husseys
The Record Priced Ewe Lamb Purchased by Samuel Caldwell