Why Dorsets? by Thomas Wright
Why Dorsets?
As autumn fast approaches, when the leaves start to fall and the evenings and mornings get shorter would it not be nice to walk among, or if you have time admire a field of new born lambs skipping and jumping in the autumn sunshine as if it was spring. Well you can! All of you unlucky sheep farmers who have not yet heard of or had experience with Dorset Sheep can too. But don’t take my word for it, keep reading and digest some of these facts and then decide for yourself.
Did you know that Dorset Sheep are the only breed of sheep that can lamb naturally at any time of the year thus providing the farmer with a flock of sheep that they can manage to produce prime, out of season lamb. They can command a higher return than a commercial hogget. Did you also know that Dorset sheep are the only breed of sheep that can lamb twice in 15 months or 3 times in 2 year thus providing a very happy sheep farmer with more lambs than an ordinary commercial flock – More lambs means more profit!
Did you know that across the world Dorset sheep have been making their presence felt in the last 35 years and now are registered in every sheep producing country in the World. They have been used extensively to produce and develop other breeds and are currently the number 1 terminal sire in the worlds top two lamb producing countries of Australia and New Zealand. Also quite recently they have been making their presence felt in the new superpower in the sheep world – China. China has become the largest producer of wool in the world and has become a firm supporter of Dorset sheep because of their ability to produce more lambs, more lambs mean more sheep, more sheep means more wool! With an added bonus of a prime lamb all year round.
So why don’t you follow the rest of the world to McClellands Livestock Market on Wednesday 10th October at 5pm and do yourself and your flock a favour and buy a Dorset sheep and do like the rest of the world is doing and watch your profits grow.
The Northern Ireland Dorset Clubs 16th annual show and sale will take place at McClellands Market, Ballymena on Wednesday 10th October at 5pm. Pre-show will be judged by society Chairman Roland Davies from Wales. Auctioneer will be Mr Tom Symington and the sale will again be very kindly sponsored by the Northern Bank.
NI Dorsets make presence felt in National Flock Competition
After a very successful show season around our local shows Dorset sheep have raised a few eyebrows to say the least. A Poll Dorset gimmer belonging to the ever impressive flock of William and Karen Carson became the first Dorset ever in Northern Ireland to win a Supreme Interbreed Championship, and also a few reserve interbreeds along the way! She definitely is a credit to the breed as well as to her breeder and owner.
She also started the ball rolling to a show season where Northern Ireland Dorsets certainly held their own, not only in Northern Ireland but in mainland UK too. After a very successful May Fair when the Lamb Brother Partnership of Ben and Peter of Richhill, Armagh became the first flock outside of England to win the coveted title of Best Horn Exhibit and carried on the winning trend when they carried off the First Prize in the National Flock, small flock section and also the Petty France Award for Best New Entrant. Congratulations not only to Ben and Peter but to their father Robin and Grandad John for all their support and enthusiasm over the past three generations.
In the medium section it was again the Ballytaggart flock of Thomas Wright who raised the bar and indeed made the headlines by not only coming First in their section but were very unlucky after a very close contest to settle for Reserve Supreme Champion Flock over all. For the third time the Supreme Champion being the famous Blackhill Flock of Jim Duffosee from Warminster, Wiltshire.
The Ballytaggart flock also became the first flock from Northern Ireland to come First in the Ewe Lamb section, this time pipping Mr Duffosee into second place. At the end of the competition it was Thomas Wright who was rewarded for all his hard work, and not the quality of his sheep, when he received the award of Best Shepherded Flock. Again it was the first time this prize headed for Northern Ireland, but also the first time a flock owner and not a professional shepherd has received it.
After all these awards and prizes I think it is fair to say that all the current Dorset Breeders can’t wait until May next year when the new show season gets underway and they can once again show everyone just how good Dorset sheep have become.