May Fair 2010
May Fair 2010
Thomas Wright with champion pair of ram lambs shown by William Carson and Ben Lamb
Thomas Wright with one of a pair of ram lambs, which went on to sell for highest price of 2800gns
Norman Hammond with Champion Horn exhibit
Five out of top seven dorset ram lambs are from Northern Ireland
The Dorset Horn and Poll Dorset Sheep Breeders Association held their annual May Fair at Exeter Livestock Market on 4th & 5th May 2010 . This is the premier sale for Dorset Sheep in the United Kingdom , and a total of 1794 sheep were offered with a 95% clearance reflecting a strong trade and demand in both the pedigree and commercial sections.
Ten Northern Ireland breeders were represented with twenty-eight sheep going over for sale, twenty-seven poll ram lambs and one horned shearling ram. The showing classes were held on the first day and the breeders from Northern Ireland landed the major awards. Congratulations to Thomas Wright, Ballymoney whose Ballytaggart flock won first prize for the best pen of five or more ram lambs, 1st Prize Ram Lamb and 1st Prize Pair of ram lambs. His pair of ram lambs, both sired by Downkillybegs Jethro went on to win the Overall Championship. William and Karen Carson’s Downkillybegs Flock took 2nd prize in the class for a group of 3 ram lambs or shearling rams. It is a mark of the quality of Dorsets being bred here in Northern Ireland that four of the top five placed sheep in the poll ram lamb class were exhibited by Co Antrim breeders-: Thomas Wright, William and Karen Carson, Richard Currie and Graham Cubitt.
Only one horned sheep was put forward by a N.I. Breeder, this was a strong shearling ram from the Annaghhone flock of Norman Hammond, Stewartstown, Co Tyrone. This ram won his class and then was awarded the best horned exhibit, so congratulations to Norman on this great achievement.
A good day for locals in the show ring was then followed up by top prices in the sale ring on the second day of the event. Thomas Wright’s 1st prize ram lamb sold for 2800gns to T.G. Wilson, Yorkshire , the highest price of the sale, with the Ballytaggart pen of six averaging at £1286.25. Messrs R & R Hole of Sherborne sold their 2nd prize ram lamb “Sherborne never say Die” at 2200gns to Mr David Rossiter. The Huish flock from David Rossiter sold a ram lamb “Huish Napoleon” at 2100gns being purchased by Mr G Cubitt. Top price shearling ram was 1000gns for “North Covert Lloyd” from Mr Nick Burrington whose pen of three shearlings averaged £969.50. The best horned ram exhibit was won by Mr Norman Hammond of Co Tyrone, N Ireland and was sold for 520gns.
Other notable ram prices were as follows:-
Lot 103 1700gns – Ram Lamb from W & K Carson, Ballymena, N Ireland
Lot 104 1400gns – Ram Lamb from W & K Carson, Ballymena, N Ireland
Lot 154 1300gns – Ram Lamb from T Wright, Ballymoney, N. Ireland
Lot 148 1200gns – Ram Lamb from G Cubitt, Ballymena, N Ireland
Lot 140 1200gns – Ram Lamb from R Sizmur, Okehampton, Devon
Lot 86 1100gns – Ram Lamb from R Currie, Ballymena, N Ireland
Lot 127 1100gns – Ram Lamb from Messrs Fooks Bros, Bridport, Dorset
Top pen prices were:-
T Wright, Ballymoney, N Ireland six ram lambs averaging £1286.25
W & K Carson, Ballymena, N Ireland seven ram lambs averaging £1081.50
NJ Burrington, Exeter , Devon three shearling rams averaging £969.50
DW Rossiter, Kingsbridge, Devon seven ram lambs averaging £927.00
Three ram lambs from English flocks were purchased by N.I. breeders. In addition to David Rossiter’s Huish Napoleon, which was bought by Graham Cubitt; T & S Knox, Armoy bought from Mr Mark Hayman, and G & G Henderson, Bushmills bought the 2nd prize horn ram lamb from Miss C L Moorhouse. W & K Carson, Ballymena bought a prize winning shearling ewe from the Blackhill Flock of Mr J Dufosee. An excellent attendance from all corners of the British Isles ensured that the Breeding Females met a very strong trade with prices up on last year. Top price of the day went to the days Reserve Champions at £245 for a pen of Registered Hoggets from Fooks Bros of Bridport. The day’s Champion pen was a pen of Registered Ewe Lambs from Mr R Sizmur of Okehampton, Devon which later sold for £198, to Mr D Lennox, Moneymore. Another pen of ewe lambs from Ross Sizmur are also coming to Northern Ireland , having been purchased by Mr R Rutledge, Castlederg. In all over sixty females, ewe lambs and shearling ewes were bought to join flocks here, showing that the popularity of the breed is spreading year by year.
The Northern Ireland Dorset Breeders Club will hold its 38th Annual Premier Show and Sale in Ballymena Livestock Market on Monday 26th July 2010 .
