TOP TEXEL AWARD FOR ROBIN KENNEDY
Robin Kennedy and family of the Maineview
Flock, Ballymena have won the 2005 Janssen
Ulster Texel Flock of the Year competition
against stiff competition from a record entry
for this century.
Commenting judge Gordon Gray from Selkirk
in the Scottish Borders praised the Maineview
Flock saying it showed the character, skin
and confirmation all Texel breeders should
be aiming for.
Recalling four very enjoyable days spent visiting
flocks the length and breadth of Northern Ireland
Gordon said judging was no easy job. “ The
Reserve Champion Janssen Flock of John Foster
at Castlederg was also of a very a high standard.
“Indeed the Kennedy family faced
stiff competition in the small flock class
from second placed Robert Ervine with Stanley & Martin
Warnock coming a very close third.
“The standard of stock seen and
the large number of keen and able young breeders
augers well for the future of Texel sheep in
Northern Ireland. The interest and enthusiasm
of youth is vital to the future of any breed
organisation and the Northern Ireland Texel
Club, the largest in the UK, certainly has
a great coming generation of younger members.”
Founded in 1997 the Maineview Flock enjoyed
success the following year at the Texel NI
Premier Sale when the ram lamb Maineview Enhancer
made 2,900gns. This impressive tup going on
to sire a 5,100gns ram for new owner Martin
Cromie of Banbridge.
At this year’s NI Premier the ram Maineview
Lionheart shown by Andrew Kennedy, who works
with his father, was sold for 5,200gns to Tom
Baillie from the Irish Republic. To take the
prestigious Janssen Flock of the Year award
at just the third attempt clearly delighted
Robin, a man already noted for breeding pedigree
Holsteins dairy cows. In this past two years
the Maineview Flock had already come second
and third in the small flock class.
The overall results of the 2005 Janssen Northern
Ireland Texel Flock of the Year were;
Small Flocks: 1. Robin Kennedy, Maineview,
Ballymena 2. Robert Ervine, Millburn, Banbridge
3. Stanley & Martin Warnock, Straidarran,
Limavady.
Medium Flocks: 1. Emma Shaw, Mounthill, Larne
2. Alec & John Minnis, Mossvale, Comber,
3. N & D Hamill, Ballynadrenta, Crumlin.
Large flocks: 1. John Foster, Springhill,
Castlederg 2. Victor Chestnutt, Clougher, Bushmills
3. Roger Strawbridge, Tamnamoney, Coleraine.
In the ewe lamb competition small flocks were
asked to display a pen of three with the Gareth
Oliver Silver Salver awarded to Robert Ervine
for the second successive year. The runner
up was Robin Kennedy with Mary Clarke, Ballyrussell,
Belfast place third.
The James Warnock Rose Bowl for the best pen
of five ewe lambs displayed from a medium or
large sized flock went to Richard Henderson,
Ballynahone, Tobermore with John Foster runner
up ahead of Austin Shaw, Larne.
Revealing the Janssen Flock of the Year competition
results NI Club chairman Wilson Kennedy congratulated
the winners and thanked event organiser Stanley
Warnock.
“I would also like to warmly congratulate
Victor Chestnutt of Bushmills on becoming the
first Ulsterman to serve as President of the
British Texel Sheep Breeders’ Society.
With over 3000 members this is the largest
such pedigree organisation not only in the
UK, but all of western Europe.”
Responding Victor Chestnutt said that Texels
were now the number one sheep sire in the UK
with a 24% market share. “They are also
becoming a major influence on the female side
of commercial flocks as the Fischler CAP reform
increases the need for better quality lamb
in an era when all our returns come from the
high street.”
A smile of success from Sara
Kennedy of Ballymena with the Janssen
Trophy presented to her father Robin
when his Maineview Flock won the Janssen
NI Texel Flock of the Year competition. |
Shaw success again! Megan, Robert
and Emma Shaw from Larne won the medium
sized flock class in the Janssen Texel
Flock of the Year event. Also included
are Comber breeder John Minnis, second
right, runner up and third placed Nigel
Hamill from Crumlin. |
The top three in the large flock class
of the Janssen NI Texel Flock of the
Year competition with event organiser
Stanley Warnock of Limavady, left.
First was Castlederg breeder John Foster,
second right, with Victor Chestnutt,
Bushmills, second left, runner up ahead
of third placed Roger Strawbridge from
Coleraine. |
Event manager Stanley Warnock, Limavady,
present the prestigious Janssen Trophy
to NI Texel Flock of the Year 2005
winner Robin Kennedy, Maineview, Ballymena.
Also included, from left, NI Texel
Club chairman Wilson Kennedy, Ballyclare
and reserve champion Texel Flock of
the Year owners John and Helga Foster
from Castlederg. |
Texel Club chairman Wilson Kennedy,
centre, with the Kennedy family of
Ballymena, from left, Helen, Sara,
Robin and Andrew, who won the Janssen
Northern Ireland Texel Flock of the
Year competition at just the third
attempt with their Maineview Flock. |
|
