Carlisle 2018
NI Dorsets Excel at Carlisle Dorset Show and Sale
Female Champion and Overall Supreme Champion
from Graham and Mary Cubitt's Kildowney Flock
Male Champion and Overall Reserve Supreme Champion
from David Rossiter's Huish Flock
The 11th Annual Show & Sale of Pedigree Registered Dorset Horn & Polled Dorset Sheep was held in Borderway Mart on Friday 31st August 2018. This annual event continues to grow in popularity with breeders making their way to Carlisle from all parts of the UK, this year attracting entries from 6 NI Dorset breeders. Also travelling from NI were a number of potential buyers wishing to either establish or add to their Dorset Flock.
This Show & Sale attracted an entry of 230 sheep comprising 25 Rams and 205 Females with quality sheep coming forward for sale and keen interest shown by the strong number of buyers present. As in previous years there was a very strong representation of NI bred sheep in the show ring, and the reputation of the breed from this part of the UK was certainly enhanced by the show results which reflected the consistent quality of the stock offered for sale year on year.
The earlier part of the day was given over to the judging of the various classes and this was expertly accomplished by Judge Ms Sian Downes. All classes were keenly contested and the judge, having had a selection of top quality animals to choose from, found her Supreme Champion in a superbly bred ewe lamb from the Kildowney Flock of Graham Cubitt, Glarryford . This well grown young ewe lamb exhibiting all the traits of the breed was sired by Downkillybegs Watson, off a Kildowney dam by Kildowney Smylie. She later went on to sell for 1000 guineas, and was purchased by Messrs Weston of Chesterfield, Derbyshire.
The top price of the sale was realised by the 1st prize Shearling ram (& Reserve overall Champion) from the Huish Flock of DW Rossiter. This ram was sired by Downkillybegs Unique and out of a Huish dam by Blackhill Kipper, and sold for 2900 gns, a record price for a Dorset ram at this centre, being purchased by Messrs Downes, Tregardon, Ceredigion.
Buyers were definitely in the market for quality stock and other leading prices were:
Graham Cubitt, 1050 gns for ewe lamb to Messrs Weston, Derbyshire; Thomas Wright 1050 gns for ram lamb to Messrs Weston, Derbyshire; R&D Rossiter 1050 gns for ram lamb to Messrs Gray, West Yorkshire; G Cubitt 1000gns for ram lamb to Messrs Byrnes, Aberdeenshire; J Larder 1000 gns for shearling gimmer to Messrs Hanna, Newtownards, NI; T Wright 950 gns ram lamb to Messrs Pritchard, Gwynedd; G Cubitt 900 gns ram lamb to G&M Trading, North Yorkshire; M&C Maybin 700 gns ewe lamb to Messrs Weston, Derbyshire; DW Rossiter 650 gns ewe lamb to Messrs Hutchings, Cornwall; B Lamb 600 gns ewe lamb to Messrs Weston, Derbyshire; R Hill 600 gns ewe lamb to Messrs Weston, Derbyshire.
Thomas Wright for pens ewe lambs : 400 gns, 350 gns, 300 gns, and 300gns.
There was a high clearance of sales in all the classes and it was no surprise the sale averages were markedly up on the previous year, reflecting the quality of animals and the popularity of the Dorset Breed.
Sale Averages were:
Ram Lambs : £671.19
Shearling Rams £1225.00
Shearling Ewes £425.00
Ewe Lambs: £338.30
Pens of ewes £252.50
Female and Overall Show Champion was a ewe lamb from the Kildowney Flock of G&M Cubitt
Male and Reserve Overall Champion was a shearling ram from the Huish Flock of DW Rossiter
Reserve Female Champion was a shearling gimmer from J Larder’s Byeways Flock, and Reserve Male Champion was a ram lamb from T Wright’s Ballytaggart Flock.
The Judge, in addition to selecting the champions in each class, had the task of selecting the prize winners in each section and these were as follows:
Shearling Ram- 1st DW Rossiter 2nd K Hodgson 3rd M&M Sheed
Ram Lamb – 1st T Wright 2nd G Cubitt 3rd G Cubitt
Shearling ewe- 1st J Larder 2nd D&R Rossiter 3rd A Steff
Ewe Lamb – 1st G Cubitt 2nd G Cubitt 3rd B Lamb
The NI Dorset Club would take this opportunity to commend the breed for its qualities, both in the pedigree sector and its ease of lambing.
