Club Report
Northern Ireland Texel Club members were reminded
of the Club’s activities; the highs and
the lows
with the threat of disease hitting the industry
at the most crucial “Sale time” in
2007, when Austin
Shaw, Chairman of the NI Texel Club delivered
his Chairman’s report at the AGM held
in
Greenmount College recently.
The first main
event of the year, was a social one, with a
visit from the Northwest Club, when some 30
members travelled across the pond to visit
Balmoral Show, the flocks
of Maineview, Millar’s, Tamnamoney, Bushmills,
Clougher, Forkins, Castleknowe, Blackstown
and
Ballynadrenta, and as if that wasn’t
a packed enough programme they partied on Saturday
night with
Club members, lead by resident comedian and
Club Chairman Austin Shaw.
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| Barbara Gamble, President
presents outgoing treasurer, David Workman,
with a gift on his retirement from the
post after 16 years. Austin Shaw, Chairman,
looks on. |
The Royal Ulster
Show, Balmoral, kicked off the Show Season,
with Martin Cromie’s
Aged Ewe
taking the Supreme Champion; going on to take
the Interbreed Supreme Champion of Champions
title
and the Reserve Interbreed Pair team. The Show
season then began in earnest with many members
exhibiting at all the local shows.
In July over
30 Club members boarded a big yellow bus and
headed to the Boarders area of the
Mainland for a visit to the Solway and Tyne
Club who were celebrating their 25th Anniversary.
Again
the trip included a visit to some of the top
flocks in the area, namely, Douganhill, Annan,
Courthill,
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| Austin Shaw, Robert Calvin,
and Maura Hill present Victor Chestnutt,
representing RABI, with a cheque for £4250 |
Haltcliffe and Arkle flocks. Following
a visit to the Cumbria Show where our very
own ambassador, Nigel Hamill, made a great
job of judging the Texel Classes; the Texel
Champion going on to win
the Interbreed Championship, the members joined
the Solway & Tyne members for an anniversary
Dinner with superb entertainment laid on.
August
brought with it the Open Night, this year held
at the premises of Jim and Frances Wilson,
Blackstown, Crumlin. Members were warmly welcomed
and the sheep on view were a treat to behold,
it was quite obvious a lot of hard work had
gone into the preparation for the evening and
members
raised £800 in the Charity Auction for
the local Combat Cancer Group. However murmurs
of a
possible Foot and Mouth outbreak in England
the same evening left a lot of members wondering
about the effect such an outbreak would have
on the fast approaching sale season.
It was
a relief when the Province and Eire were awarded
Island status just before the Premier Sale,
allowing members to exhibit at this extremely
important event, with export status being granted
to
ROI. Again this was an exceptional Sale when
Forkin’s Nijinsky realised 28,000 gns
for breeder
Alistair Gault while his daughter and son,
Beth and Jack Gault exhibited the second highest
priced
lamb of the day Cherryvale Nijinsky which sold
for 16,000 gns. The Club sales which followed
saw
an increase in the average prices paid for
quality sheep.
 |
Members of Committee pictured
at the AGM
Standing:- V Chestnutt, J Young, A Liggett,
N Ross,A Thompson, B. McAllistair, G Fleck,
M Annett, H Gamble, P Hammond, J Currie,
N Hammill.
Seated:- Robert Calvin, Vice Chairman,
Austin Shaw, Chairman, Barbara Gamble,
President, Maura Hill, Secretary, and Stanley
Warnock, Minutes Secretary |
The Club were delighted to host
the British Texel Sheep Society AGM and Social
weekend in
November. Again many fellow Texel breeders
travelled from all parts of the British Isles
to join the
Club for this special weekend. The visitors
were welcomed to the RAMS flock at CAFRE,
Greenmount on their arrival, with further visits
to the Forkins and Cherryvale Flocks hosted
by the
Gault family and the Fairmount and Mounthill
flocks of the Shaw family, before viewing the
Elite
Gimmers which were to be auctioned at the Dinner
later in the evening.
The Annual Dinner Dance
incorporating the Elite Gimmer Sale and Charity
Auction was a tremendous event with the massive
crowd buzzing all evening as friendships were
forged and sires and dams and lines and genetics
were
discussed. Brian McTaggart, judge of the Flock
Competition then took to the floor to announce
the
Champion Texel Flock 2007 which he awarded
to the Millar’s Flock owned by Martin & Cyril
Millar,
Coleraine, with the Ballynadrenta Flock, owned
by Nigel & Dennis Hamill, Crumlin taking
the
Reserve Champion position. This was certainly
the Crumlin men’s night as their Elite
Gimmer;
Ballynadrenta Michelle then broke the NI female
record price selling for 6,500 gns. The commission
for this auction along with the proceeds from
the Charity auction realised £4250, which
was donated
to the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution,
a charity dedicated to relieving need, hardship
and
distress in the farming community.
The Chairman thanked all those within the
Club who had worked on its behalf throughout
the year,
at sales, open evenings, flock visits, social
events etc with special thanks to the Club
secretary, Maura Hill, his Vice Chairman, Robert
Calvin and the Club Treasurer, David Workman,
who will be sadly
missed as he retires from his position after
16 years service.
Following reports from the
Secretary and Treasurer which yet again highlighted
the firm position the
Club and in fact breed has within the industry,
the Chairman called for nominations from the
floor for
the election of four new committee members.
Geoffrey Fleck, Kells, Henry Gamble, Bangor,
Richard
Henderson, Tobermore, and Nigel Ross, Larne
were duly elected to serve for three years.
The
Chairman then called upon Mrs Barbara Gamble,
Club President, to present a gift to David
Workman as a token of appreciation from the
Club for his dedication over the last 16 years
as
Treasurer.
It was with great delight the members
welcomed Mrs Joy Moses from the Crumlin Combat
Cancer Group to accept the cheque of £800
raised at the open night, while Victor Chestnutt,
immediate past
Texel Society President, accepted a cheque
for £4250 on behalf of the Royal Agricultural
Benevolent
Institution.
Following a short break the evening
continued with past President, Victor Chestnutt
giving an insight
into his term in office with a rollercoaster
speech of the highlights and at some times
extremely dark
moments he had while serving the members as
their President and Chairman.
Thankfully the
highlights far outweighed the low times as
he described his travels to far flung countries,
introductions to the Queen and the introduction
of state of the art technology as the Texel
Society
joined with the Suffolk and Limousin Societies
to roll out the new on-line BASCO system.
Victor
concluded by expressing his deep pleasure and
gratitude for having the opportunity to serve
the
members on the Society Board over the past
number of years.
Nigel Hamill, export manager, gave a short
address on the exciting opportunity just around
the corner
as possible orders are discussed for British
genetics to be traded in Eastern Europe and
highlighted the
importance of forging firm links to both our
Southern neighbours and fellow breeders on
the
Mainland.
Austin Shaw then brought the evening to a
close by wishing all the members a successful
2008.
Texel Club Celebrate in Style
The NI Texel Club rounded off a very special
weekend with their Annual Dinner dance which,
this year, incorporated the Corby Rock Elite
Gimmer Sale, results of the Janssen Flock Competition
and a charity Auction. Over 150 members and
friends joined with visitors from the Mainland
and Eire as they celebrated the success of
their fellow breeders and indeed the breed
as a whole.
Chairman, Austin Shaw welcomed
our visitors, especially the newly elected
Society Chairman and President Tim Healy, East
Sussex and Vice Chairman and Vice President,
Gordon Gray, Scotland also Society Chief Executive
Steven McLean He extended a special welcome
to Alex Clark, President of the Irish Texel
Sheep Society, and his wife Pat. Alex, on behalf
of the Irish Society, presented the NI Club
with a magnificent trophy, to be awarded at
Balmoral Show.
Austin then thanked our own
Victor Chestnutt for the outstanding contribution
he made to the Society during his time in office
and acknowledged his dedication in promotion
of the breed over the past number of years
especially during his time as Chairman and
President. Austin then thanked Keith Jamison
and Keith Campbell, for undertaking the selection
gimmers for the Elite Sale. Rounding off Austin
expressed the Club’s thanks to Maura
Hill, Secretary, Stanley Warnock, Assistant
Secretary, Nigel Hamill, Export manager and
Karen Beacom, PRO for their continued hard
work and support.
Austin then called upon Brian
McTaggart, Douganhill Flock, Scotland, judge
of the flock competition and his wife Janice
to announce the winners and present the awards.
Results
Small Flock: - 1st
Sam Gordon, 2nd Robin Kennedy, 3rd Alistair
Gault
Medium Flock:-1st Martin & Cyril Millar, 2nd Nigel & Dennis
Hamill, 3rd Emma, Megan & Robert Shaw
Large Flock: - 1st John Foster, 2nd Jim Wilson, 3rd Austin
Shaw
Champion Flock Overall: -
Martin & Cyril Millar
Reserve Champion: - Nigel & Dennis Hamill
Pen of Ewe Lambs
Small Flock (3 Lambs):- 1st Robert Irvine,
2nd Wilson Kennedy, 3rd Alistair Gault
Medium Flock (5 Lambs):- 1st N & D Hamill,
2nd S & J McCollam, 3rd Simpson & Calvin
Large Flock (10 Lambs):- 1st John Foster, 2nd
Rodger Strawbridge 3rd Geoff Fleck
Best Stock Ram
- A Shaw, D McKay & J Currie - Cherryvale
Nijinsky
- R Strawbridge, R Henderson, M Warnock & A
Gault – Teiglum Magnum
- John Foster – Woodbrook Marcus
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| Brian McTaggart, Judge,
congratulates Martin Millar and Cathy McCann
on winning the Northern Ireland Overall
Flock Competition |
 |
| Austin Shaw presents the
Chairmans trophy to Victor Chestnutt and
his wife Carol, for outstanding contribution
to the Club |
 |
| Small Flock winners, Sam
Gordon, Andrew Kennedy, and Alastair Gault
with Judge Brian McTaggart |
 |
| Medium Flock Winners,
Martin Millar and Cathy McCann, Nigel and
Dennis Hamill, and Emma, Megan and Robert
Shaw. |
 |
| Large Flock Winners, John
Foster, Jim Wilson and Austin Shaw with
Judge Brian McTaggart. |
Chairman’s Trophy
Austin Shaw presented the Chairman’s
Trophy for the Outstanding Club member to Victor
Chestnutt, who has worked tirelessly for the
Club and Society over the past two decades.
The Corby Rock Elite Gimmer Sale and Charity
Auction then commenced; bids flew fast and
furiously for the lots on offer with the guinea
(in the case of the gimmer sale) and all proceeds
of the charity auction being donated to the
chosen Charity, the Royal Agricultural Benevolent
Institution. RABI was formed in 1860 as a farming
charity to help the farming community and provides
welfare advice, care and financial support
to those people who find themselves in times
of hardship or distress. This Charity benefits
farmers both on the Mainland and Northern Ireland
and has been experiencing heavy workloads due
to the stressful times the farming community
are encountering at present. Over £4,500
was raised through both auctions and will be
forwarded RABI in due course
Following the Charity Auction members were
entertained by the superb performance of a
local Irish Dancing Troop, before they danced
the night away, to resident Club band Catch
22.
Ballynadentra Michelle Breaks NI record
The Ballynadentra flock of Nigel and Dennis
Hamill hit the jackpot at the Corby Rock Elite
In-Lamb Gimmer Sale held by the NI Texel Club
when Ballynadentra Michelle sold to local breeder
Geoff Fleck for 6,500 gns breaking the Northern
Ireland female record price. This fantastic
Kiltariff Kooga daughter has been part of the
Hamill family’s show team over the past
two years winning rosettes in her class at
both Antrim and Ballymena Show. She comes from
the flock which had earlier been judged Reserve
Overall in the Janssen Animal Health Texel
Flock Competition and joins the Ballymarlow
flock in Ballymena in-lamb to Blackstown Linesman
1 along with a Tamnamoney Limited daughter
presented by David Wilson, of the Firgrove
flock, Ahoghill.
001.jpg) |
| Ballynadentra Michelle |
Adrian Liggett of the Corbo Flock, Fintona
faced stiff bidding to secure Downkillybegs
Miss Molly; a member of the same family as
Downkillybegs Dolly – All Ireland Texel
Champion and NI Premier Sale Champion ’98.
This super ewe presented by TJ Carson & Sons
exchanged hands for 3,000gns.
Our Scottish visitors, in Northern Ireland
for the Social weekend and Society AGM, didn’t
go home empty handed. Veteran breeder Bruce
Mair, Muiresk was very impressed with the naturally
strong ewe presented by John Foster, Castlederg,
eventually securing this smart gimmer for 3,000gns.
She leaves the Springhill flock, winners of
the Large section in the Janssen Animal health
flock competition in-lamb to Woodbrook Marcus
who was placed 3rd in the best stock ram section.
Brian MacTaggart, Castle Douglas, also purchased
a gimmer for his Douganhill flock. He secured
his choice, a Clougher show team ewe offered
by Past Society President Victor Chestnutt,
for 1,000gns.
Also on offer at this special sale, from the
Tullagh flock, was the 1st placed shearling
ewe at Antrim Show bred by John Currie. Alastair
Gault, Carnmoney purchased this strong gimmer
for his Forkins flock with the hammer finally
dropping at 2,800gns.
The Forkins flock also presented a Ballynahone
Lancelot daughter, in-lamb to Douganhill McFly,
which joins the Castleknowe flock of Leslie
Beacom for 2,000gns. Further Ballynahone Lancelot
daughters were offered by Richard Henderson,
selling to Stephen and Jean McCollam, Carmavy
for 1000gns; and Beth & Jack Gault, selling
to Maura Hill, Round Top. Nigel Ross offered
a strong Fairmount Landmark daughter from his
Glenross flock in-lamb to Castlecairn Kennedy
which changed hands for 1,300gns being purchased
by David Boyd, Crawfordsland.
Martin and Cyril Millar offered a powerful
gimmer from their Championship Millar’s
flock, a Corrie Lancelot daughter in-lamb to
Mellorvale Masterpiece; she was purchased by
Kenneth Wilson, Ahoghill.
This was a truly special sale with all the
lots on offer hand picked by two of the most
experienced breeders within the industry, Keith
Jamison, Annan and Keith Campbell, Drimsynie,
Argyll. The Northern Ireland Texel Club are
especially delighted that the sale was such
a resounding success as the guinea in each
lot will be donated to the charity RABI (Royal
Agriculture Benevolent Institution) along with
the proceeds of the Charity auction which included
items kindly donated by club members, BTSS
and Innovis, a special thanks is extended to
all those involved.
AGM
At the recent NI Texel Club Annual General
Meeting in Greenmount College Wilson handed
over the chair to Larne farmer, lamb group
co-ordinator and rural raconteur Austin Shaw.
The treasurer’s report prepared by David
Workman certainly reflected the Texel Club’s
continuing success with 212 full members, including
14 new flocks in 2006, and 55 associate members.
Taking the chair Austin Shaw announced that
the new vice chairman is Robert Calvin, who
also continues to lead the sales cataloguing
team.
With voters spoilt for choice there followed
a close fought election when six members sought
the four vacancies on the Texel Club committee.
WINNERS
The winners; John Young, Castlederg, Adrian
Liggett, Fintona, John Currie, Ballymena
and Murray Annett, Rathfriland will serve
unpaid in this time consuming role for three
years.
They join existing committee members Barbara
Gamble, president, Austin Shaw, chairman, Robert
Calvin, vice chairman, David Workman, treasurer,
Victor Chestnutt, British Texel Society president,
Rodney Magowan, press officer, Maura Hill,
Phillip Hammond, Alex Thompson, Brian McAllister,
Robbie Mulligan, Alistair Gault, Nigel Hamill,
export manager, and Robin Kennedy.
Newly appoint export manager Nigel Hamill
and Texel Society president Victor Chestnutt
then gave an up beat report on the demand for
British farm animal genetics on the EU mainland.
Also looking ahead British Texel Society Chief
Executive Steven McLean said the sheep sector
faced more dramatic changes in the next two
years than in the past 15. The era of subsidised
production was gone and Single Farm Payments
were already shrinking so that the pressure
was on to produce lamb much more efficiently.
With this in mind the Society is offering
a free base recording package as part of the
birth notification process with full recording
also available at a very attractive cost, as
is ultrasonic back fat and CT scanning.
Encouraging every NI Texel breeder to utilise
this service Mr McLean warned that as their
out going chairman Wilson Kennedy had said
only those who seize change as an opportunity,
rather than fear it as a threat,’ have
a farming future.
“To further help members adapt to new
technology your Society is offering useful
discounts for those registering via computer
using Basco rather than in time eating form
filling,” Steven added.
In conclusion the Texel Society supremo urged
more breeders to become involved with benchmarking
through Greenmount College as a means of comparing
production costs across the EU.
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