Northern Ireland Texel Club holds 2012 AGM

Members of the NI Texel Club gathered at Greenmount College for their Annual General Meeting. The Chairman Victor Chestnutt was delighted to welcome Club members and friends to the meeting before presenting his report of the year’s events.

Victor described 2011 as “the year of Young Breeders” with the reason why becoming apparent as he highlighted the copious events the Club were involved in 2011.

Balmoral Show as always starts the calendar of events off in style, with an exceptional turn out of Texel Sheep, Victor spoke of the enthusiasm of the breeders and thanked all those who took part in both Balmoral and the local shows, congratulating Richard Henderson once again, on winning the RUAS Texel Championship with his superb Ballynahone gimmer.

He then continued his resume of events reporting on; the Club’s attendance at the NSA Sheep event in July, the annual club trip which took a cheery group of travelers to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland visiting over some 10 flocks and Caithness Show, open night kindly hosted by the Bell family, sales - when the young breeders came into their own as the Kiltariff flock run by Barclay Bell and his sons Elliott and Jonathan won the Championship at the Premier Sale, while young Andrew Fyffe’s Fairywater flock took the highest price, then young breeder Michael Smyth travelled to Lanark with a consignment from his Foyleview flock where he topped the Scottish National Sale selling Superstar for 46,00gns.

Victor also reported on the flock competition, the photographic competition, the National AGM and Social weekend, which the Club were honored to host and the success of the Texel Young Breeders Club.

The Chairman also expressed particular thanks to those who sponsored the Club throughout the year namely, Norbrook Laboratories, Tulivin Growvite, Pfizer Animal Health, Corby Rock, Farm Care, Glen Farm Supplies, Smyth Daleside, Lissan Fuels, SH Coleman, Ulster Bank, MSD Animal Health, Elanco, Mr. Ivan Porter, The Texel Society, Kevin McAuley Photography and Thompsons. He also expressed his gratitude to Ballymena and Enniskillen Mart and to all those members who contributed to the running of the club especially to the convenors at Club sales for their continued support during the sale season.

Through-out the evening various presentations were made; for the first one members were thrilled to welcome the Annett family, in particular James, who was involved in a horrific car accident back in the summertime. We were delighted that he could attend the meeting to present a cheques to Revive, a charity set up to support families of patients in the RVH Intensive Care and High Dependency Unit and provide additional equipment and services for patients. James had spent some time on the unit following his accident and the Club was pleased that he was able to present a cheaque for £4,000 raised through the commission from the sale of elite gimmers, the Charity Auction and the raffle at the AGM & Social weekend. Noel Breslin, an intensive care nurse gratefully accepted this donation and thanked all those involved for their very generous support. Further Charity donations were made to Leukaemia Research and Fields of Life, Uganda Appeal.

The Chairman then called upon Bill Ferris, Elanco to present the Elanco Texel Flock of the Year prizes before he presented the Texel Chairman’s Trophy to the staff of Ballymena Mart, represented by Jim Beggs, for their help and support throughout the year.

Vice Chairman, Geoffrey Fleck presented stalwart of the Club, Nigel Hamill, with a gift in recognition of 25 years’ service to the Club during which time he held office on committee, as Chairman and Export Manager as well as performing the unenviable task of Trip advisor and tour guide to both the NI members and those visiting from other regions.

Brian McAllister, Treasurer, then gave a detailed report on the Club’s finances, and Stephanie McCollam, gave a report from the Texel Young Breeders Club. Following the adoption of both the chairman’s and treasurer’s reports the Chairman called for nominations from the floor for three new committee members. Mrs. Jean McCollam, Martin Cromie and John Foster were duly elected.

After supper Henry Gamble NI representative on the National Board, outlined a few points of interest with regard to Society matters, while Nigel Hamill gave a run-down of a ‘typical’ Club trip encouraging all members to pencil 9th -11th July in their diaries for the Club’s visit to the Yorkshire Show and John Hamilton, gave a presentation following the commercial breeders survey carried out by the Club.

After a short Question and Answers session the Chairman wished members every success with lambing and the year ahead before bringing the meeting to a close.