22nd Annual Autumn Show and Sale
Flying Autumn Trade for Dorset Sale
Supreme Champion, Trevor Knox and Judge James Royan with John Taggart ( Agri Business manager Northern Bank Ballymena)
Reserve Champion , Richard Currie Daughters Mollie and Katie with Judge James Royan and John Taggart ( Agri Business manager Northern Bank Ballymena)
In what could only be described as phenonomal trade at the N.I. Dorset Club's 22nd Annual Autumn Show and sale held this week in McClelland's Ballymena Mart, buyers found it difficult to find space arround the sale ring as Auctioneer, Tom Symington conducted one of the most successful Dorset sales in the Club's 53 year history.
This well established Autumn fixture, once again kindly sponsored by the Northern Bank and represented on the night by Mr John Taggart from the Northern's, Ballymena Branch saw the Show Champion coming from Trevor and Sharon Knox, Armoy, Ballymoney.
Bidding was fast and furious from begining to end and it was the evening's pre sale champion, a ram lamb from the Knox's Riverview flock who captured the attention of the bidders and was eventually knocked down at 1200gns to Owencloughy flock owner, John McFetridge, Glenarm, Ballymena. This very eye catching son of their homebred sire Riverview Legend - a ram who has had a very successful show career including Show Interbreed mentions in 2010 and 2011 caught the eye of the event judge, Mr James Royan, Bennachie Flock, Duns, Scotland.
James is a relatively newcomer to the Breed association but not new to the breed as he has grown up with Dorset sheep all around his birthplace of Elgin where his father owns the oldest retail butchers shop in Scotland, and with hands on judging, James was thoroughly impressed by the quality of the sheep paraded infront of him on Wednesday evening.
James' choice of Northern Bank sponsored Reserve Champion and Opposite sex to Champion came in the form of an in lamb ewe from Richard Currie's Hilltop flock at Ballymena, by a homebred Hilltop sire who had previously been first prize shearling ram in Exeter, she went on to sell for 370gns to Martin Campbell, Glencloy, Carnlough, Ballymena.
Seventy one ewe lambs sold to average £246 each, an increase of over £50 from last year, showing the upsurge in interest and demand for Dorset females in quantity.
Top prices in this section came from the Ballytaggart pen from Thomas Wright, Ballymoney, whose lead price of 480gns selling to Laura Fulton Dungiven, was closely followed by two more at 460gns and 450gns for two strong inlamb ewe lambs bought by Andrew Knox, Dromara and Catherine McAuley, Larne.
Thomas Wright's cousin, Gwynneth Lyons from Dunloy was next in the price stakes selling a ewe lamb at 450gns to David Hamilton, Killaoo, Co Londonderry.
Amy McConnell, Beechmount, Templepartick sold her best at 400gns to Thomas Wright, and another at 360gns to A. Hanna Ballynahinch while S. & S. Wilson Ballynure got 390gns and 350gns for twin sisters from their Legaloy flock selling to M. Warnock, Plumbridge and David Hamilton, Killaoo.
Donal Higgins got 370gns for an inlamb ewe lamb from John McConaghie, Glenarm.
The roaring trade of the ewe lambs followed into the next class of shearling ewes with the top price here coming from the Ballytaggart pen of Thomas Wright for his first prize ewe. She sold in lamb at 500gns to Aine Devine, Claudy, with the judges choice of second prize ewe coming close behind at 480gns for one from Richard Currie Ballymena selling to David Hamilton Killaoo. The shearling ewe section also recorded an increase on the average price , this time + £11.50 on the year for 16 sold, levelling at £276 while the senior ewe averaged £295 with the top lots here coming from M. & C. Maybin, Ballymena at 350gns selling to David Hamilton, Killaloo and T. & K. Madden, Carnlough, Ballymena selling one at 340gns to I. Murphy, Castledawson.
The ram lamb section saw excellent quality throughout and this was evident in the sale ring where top demand from both pedigree breeding and commercial lamb breeding sectors looking to produce fast growing early maturing lambs help push up the ram lamb average to £463.05 -
a new height for this Autumn event.
Leading the way in this section was the Champion from the Knox's Riverview flock, followed by one from Alison Booth, Stewartstown who sold her fourth prize Slemish ram lamb at 560gns to Martin Campbell, Glencloy, Carnlough. Another from the same home sold at 300gns to G. Robson, Ballyhamage, Doagh. The third prize ram lamb again from the Knox's Riverview flock sold at 420gns to Mrs S. Ring, Portrush. The second prize ram lamb from T. Wright's Ballytaggart flock sold at 380gns to A. Boyd, Drumquin. Young breeders, Robert and Matthew Coulter, Doagh sold their only entry next at 360gns to John R. Copes, Banbridge.
The N. I. Dorset Club would like to thank the Northern Bank for their contnued support, James Royan for coming over to judge admist his busy work schedule and lambing back home in the Scottish Borders and Tom Symington, Auctioneer and McClellands Mart for their contribution to another successful Club event.
Club members are now looking forward to their next gathering on 29th October when they will have the opportunity to view the Champion winning flock belonging to Miss Laura Weir, Lisnafillan, Gracehill, Ballymena who also scooped the National Flock competition Petty France Award.
There will also be the opportunity for new and young breeders to learn about show and sale preparation, show ring etiquette and other show topics.
For further details contact the secretary on 07841 746 705.
Shane Wilson 1st Ewe Lamb class
22nd Annual Autumn Dorset Show & Sale Class Prize Winners, Sponsored by Northern Bank.
Judge:- Mr James Royan, Bennachie Flock, Duns, Scotland
Class 1 Ewe Lamb.
1st - S. & S. Wilson
2nd - T.G. Wright
3rd - S. & S. Wilson
4th - T.G. Wright
5th - A. McConnell
6th - T.G. Wright
7th - L. Weir
Class 2 - Shearling Ewe.
1st - T.G. Wright
2nd - R.K. Currie
3rd - J. Wright
Class 3 - Senior ewe.
1st R. K. Currie
2nd W. & C. Johnston
3rd T.G. Wright
4th G. Cubitt
Class 4 - Ram Lamb.
1st T.& S. Knox
2nd T.G. Wright
3rd T. & S. Knox
4th A. Booth
5th R. & M. Coulter
6th A. Booth
7th A. McConnell
Class 6 Senior Ram.
1st W. & C. Johnston
Overall Champion - T. & S. Knox
Reserve Champion & Opposite Sex to Champion R. K. Currie
