2008 Irish National Texel Show and Sale

TEXELS GROSS OVER ONE QUARTER OF A MILLION

Roaring trade at the British Texel Sheep Society’s Northern Bank show and sale in Dungannon resulted in a 90% clearance which totalled over a quarter of a million pounds with a top ram lamb price of 12,000gns.

Of the 214 ram lambs offered, 194 were sold to average £940 and 56 of these sold for 1000 gns and over. 86 shearling rams were offered and 81 of these sold to average £483 while the 64 of the 68 shearling ewes on offer averaged £414.

Curley Orlando sold for 12,000gns

Buyers from all over the British Isles packed the sale ring and 40 of the lots on offer eventually sold across the water to GB. Indeed it was Cumbria based breeder G.Wilkinson who bid to 12,000gns to secure Curley Orlando, the reserve champion, from John Trimble’s flock at Newry. This lamb is by the very successful sire, Mellor Vale Masterpiece which sired both the champion and reserve. He is out of a Carrowdore Highlite dam. Highlite was purchased at the premier sale in Portadown by the Mulligan/Watson partnership for 4200gns in 2005 and has bred many champions.

Leapoges Oscar sold for 9,000gns

Selling at 9000 gns was Leapoges Oscar a Muiresk Blondon son, exhibited by Stewart Ferris, Dromore, Co.Down. The dam of this lamb, by Castlecairn L A Lover, was Texel champion and reserve supreme champion when exhibited by John Foster at the Royal Highland Show in 2007. Oscar was purchased by Paul Swindell, Banbridge.

Ballynahone Oscar sold for 8,000gns

Richard Henderson, Tobermore sold his third prize ram lamb, Ballynahone Oscar for 8000gns to David Jones, Nutts Corner. This lamb is by Douganhill McFly, the sire of the top priced lamb, which sold for 28,000gns, at last year’s premier sale.

Kiltariff Ojo sold for 8,000gns

Also making 8000gns was a lamb from Barclay Bell’s flock at Rathfriland. Kiltariff Ojo’s sire, Ballydinaghy Nijinsky, was purchased at last year’s premier sale and was obviously a good investment as prospective purchasers commented on the good head and skin of his ram lamb. He was eventually knocked down to Gordon Gray of Selkirk.

Kerryhill Oliver sold for 8,000gns

The third 8000 gn price was paid to James Adams, Glarryford for Kerryhill Oliver a Brague son out of a Mossvale Kojak ewe.

Castlescreen O-J sold for 5,200gns

Co.Galway purchaser, Pat Lyons, was also in search of quality lambs and he bid to 5200gns to secure Castlescreen O-J, a Teiglum Magnum son. This lamb has a superior carcase and was Interbreed champion at Saintfield Show this year when exhibited by Damien Tumelty from Downpatrick.

Milestonehill Outlaw sold for 3,800gns and was Supreme Champion

Next in the price stakes was the supreme champion, Murray Annett’s Milestonehill Outlaw, a Mellor Vale Masterpiece son which sold to Philip Cromie for 3800gns. Murray Annett, sold another son of this sire privately a few weeks ago for 15,000gns.

Castleknowe Or Never sold for 3,800gns

Also selling at 3800 gns was Lesley and Karen Beacom from Ballywalter who sold Castleknowe Or Never, a Springhill Nadal son out of a Blackstown Linesman dam to Dumfries breeder, Carl Hastings.

Ballynadrenta Oscar 2 sold for 3,500gns

Nigel Hamill’s lamb, Ballynadrenta Oscar 2, which was another Mellor Vale Masterpiece son, also travelled across to GB after being knocked down to Welsh breeder Roger Hughes of Newtown for 3,500gns.

Millar’s Oakroyal sold for 3,000gns

Mellor Vale Masterpiece produced another top priced lamb at 3,000gns for his owners, Martin and Cyril Millar, Coleraine when they sold Millar’s Oakroyal to Jim Leitch of Orkney, who also purchased Richard and John Curries champion shearling ewe. Oakroyal’s full brother made 6000gns at Lanark last year.

Leading Ram Lamb Prices:
12000 – John Trimble, Downpatrick to G. Wilkinson, Cumbria
9000 – Stewart Ferris, Dromore to Paul Swindell, Banbridge
8000 – Richard Henderson, Tobermore to David Jones, Nutts Corner
8000 – James Adams, Glarryford to T. MacTaggart, Castle Douglas
8000 – Barclay Bell, Rathfriland to Gordon Gray, Selkirk
5200 – Michael Tumelty, Downpatrick to Pat Lyons, Galway
3800 –Murray Annett, Banbridge to Philip Cromie, Banbridge
3800 – Lesley and Karen Beacon, Ballywalter to Carl Hastings, Dumfries
3500 – Nigel Hamill, Crumlin to Roger Hughes, Newtown
3000 – Martin and Cyril Millar, Coleraine to Jim Leitch, Orkney
2600 – Andrew Fyfee, Omagh to Hamilton Wilson, Ballymena
2500 –Henry Gamble, Bangor to Alex Gray and son, Lanark
2500 – Austin Shaw, Larne to J W Mellin, Yorkshire
2400 – Richard Henderson, Tobermore to Smith-Blakemore, Welshpool
2400 – Jim Wilson, Crumlin to M. Boyle, Dungannon
2400 – Owen Donohoe, Enniskillen to Ron Gallagher, Enniscrone, Co.Sligo
2200 – Alastair Gault, Newtownabbey to Jim Wilson, Crumlin
2100 – David Wilson, Ahoghill to Ron Gallagher, Enniscrone, Co.Sligo
2100 – Leona Young, Castlederg to Kerr & Simpson, Ballymoney
2000 – Christopher and Martin Mullan, Limavady to John Neville, Co.Wexford
2000 – Nigel Hamill, Crumlin to P O’Kane, Ballymena

SHEARLING RAMS TO 1400GNS

The quality of the shearling rams paid dividends at the British Texel Society’s Northern Bank show and sale in Dungannon and resulted in a top rice of 1400gns which was paid for Alastair Gault’s Forkins Nutcase, a ram by a Castlecairn Kennedy son. Castlecarin Kennedy is a sire that has bred a lot of champions including the ram which sold for 22,000gns in Lanark in 2005. Nutcase’s dam is by Knock Impulse which also sired the record breaking ram, £122,000 Tophill Joe. The purchaser of this shearling ram was Welsh breeder, Brydn Thomas from Lampeter.

John Watson from Downpatrick received 1100gns for Duvarren Nicon which was sired by Carrowdore Highlite, the ram purchased by the Watson/Mulligan partnership for 4,200gns at the premier sale in Portadown in 2005. Michael Watson, Dundonald, is obviously still interested in this breeding line and purchased this ram for 1100gns.

Following close in the prices was Tullyhubert Nelson from Marshall and Sarah Riley’s flock at Newtownards which sold to David Dodd of Saintfield for 1050 gns.
John Foster from Castlederg sold Springhill Nike, a Brague I O U son for 1000gns to Gary Ferguson, Stewartstown.

Leading Shearling Ram Prices:
1400 – Alastair Gault, Newtownabbey to Brydn Thomas, Lampeter, Wales
1100 – John Watson, Downpatrick to Michael Watson Dundonald
1050 – Marshall & Sarah Riley, Newtownards to David Dodd, Saintfield
1000 – John Foster, Castlederg to Gary Ferguson, Stewartstown
920 – Richard Henderson, Tobermore to Charles Clarke, Carrickmacross
850 – Michael Tumelty, Downpatrick to Charles Clarke, Carrickmacross
850 – Jim Wislon, Crumlin to David Johnston, Maghera
800 – Greenmount College to James Smyth, Banbridge
800 – Michael Watson, Dundonald to James Henderson, Kilkeel
800 – Adrian Liggett, Fintona to M G Barr, Larne

SHEARLING EWES REACH 2500 GNS

Strong demand for shearling ewes at the British Texel Society’s Northern Bank show and sale in Dungannon realised a top price of 2500gns. Buyers from throughout the British Isles bid continuously for the quality lots on offer with some of the top priced females finding homes from Orkney to Wexford.

But it was a local buyer from Omagh who outbid all comers and paid 2500 gns to secure a Cornerstone ewe from D A and N Simpson’s flock at Ballyrobert. This Baltier King grand daughter was originally passed in the ring at 1700gns but the purchaser followed her back to her pen to close the deal at 2500gns. Her maternal sister was a first prize ewe lamb at Balmoral 2006 and sold for 4800gns for Springwell at Select Seven 2007.

The second highest priced ewe also went to a local home with John Wilson from Ballymoney bidding to 1400 gns to secure a Ballynadrenta ewe from Nigel and Dennis Hamill’s flock at Crumlin. This ewe is by Straidarran Kojak which won the aged ram class at Balmoral in 2006 and 2007. Her grand sire is Knock Impulse which is famous for having sired the highest priced ram lamb in the UK, Tophill Joe for 122,000 gns.

Female Champion went to J & R Currie

Neighbours, T J Carson and John and Richard Currie from Ballymena shared the 850 gns slot with John and Richard Currie’s ewe which was female champion finding a home in Orkney. She is by Annagh Jewel which also bred the female champion at this event last year. Her dam bred a shearling ewe which was sold privately to Andrew Fyfee’s Fairywater flock for an undisclosed sum.

T J Carson and Sons Downkillybegs ewe which made 850 gns is a granddaughter of the 48,000gns sire, Douganhill Jeronimo and she found a home in Co. Clare with Adrian Howard.

Leading Shearling Ewe Prices:
2500- D A and N Simpson, Ballyrobert to undisclosed buyer
2000- D A & N Simpson, Ballyrobert to Adrian Liggett, Fintona
1400- N & D Hamill, Crumlin to John Wilson, Ballymoney
850 - T J Carson, Ballymena to Adrian Howard, Co. Clare
850 - John and Richard Currie, Ballymena to Jim Leitch, Orkney
800 - Alastair Gault, Newtownabbey to Ian Millar, Ballyclare
750 - Richard Henning, Newry to Reuben Carson, Florencecourt
750 - Richard Henderson, Tobermore to Rushvalley Texels, Ballymoney
700 - S and J. McCollam, Crumlin to S.Robson, Ballyclare
700 - S and J. McCollam, Crumlin to J.Kirkham, Scotland
700 - Brian Hanthorn, Armagh to M. Rowantree
650 - Rodger Stawbridge, Coleraine to Michael Smyth, Limavady
575 - Brian Hanthorn, Armagh to John Wehrly, Dundalk
550 - Roger Strawbridge, Coleraine to John Neville, Co. Wexford
520 - Roger Strawbridge, Coleraine to John Wehrly, Dundalk
500 - Richard Henderson, Tobermore to James Carey, Martinstown

TEXEL SIRE PRODUCES TWO MASTERPIECES

Judging of the entries for the British Texel Society’s Northern Bank premier show and sale resulted in a champion and reserve champion from the same sire – Mellor Vale Masterpiece.

Judge, Padraic Niland from Co.Galway makes his selection

Judge, Padraic Niland from Co.Galway selected his champion and reserve from the first and second prize ram lambs at the event. Murray Annett from Rathfriland showed a Milestonehill lamb which was an ET brother to the lamb sold privately for 15,000gns a few weeks ago. This Masterpiece son is by Turi Elegant which also bred ‘Landlord’ the top priced lamb at this premier event in 2005.

Standing in reserve place was John Trimble’s Curley lamb from his farm at Newry. Also a Masterpiece son this lamb is out of a Carrowdore Highlite ewe.

Leading the novice rams class was Richard Henning from Newry’s Mullglass lamb by Castlecairn Keltic Star and out of a Cornerstone Judge dam.

The MLC lamb class was won by yet another Masterpiece son with Cyril and Martin Millar from Coleraine taking the award with a full brother of the lamb which made 6000 gns at Lanark last year.

Greenmount Campus won the shearling ram class with Rams Nimo, a Baltier Just Look son.

Shearling ewe winner and female champion was John and Richard Currie’s ewe. She is by Annagh Jewel which also bred the female champion at this event last year. Reserve female champion and second placed shearling ewe was a Teiglum Magnum daughter from Richard Henderson’s flock at Tobermore.

Championships:

Supreme Champion, Male champion and best ram lamb – Murray Annett, Rathfriland, Milestone Outlaw.

Reserve supreme champion, reserve male champion and second prize ram lamb – John Trimble, Newry

Female champion and best shearling ewe – John Currie, Ballymena

Reserve female champion and second placed shearling ewe – R. Henderson, Tobermore.

Class Results:

Shearling ewes – 1.John Currie, Ballymena; 2 R. Henderson, Tobermore; 3. Richard Henning, Newry

Novice ram lambs – 1.Richard Hennng, Newry; 2.Owen Donohoe, Enniskillen; 3.Joshua Hill, Ballyclare

Ram Lambs – 1.Murray Annett, Rathfriland; 2.John Trimble, Newry; 3.R. Henderson, Tobermore

MLC Ram Lambs – 1 Martin and Cyril Milar, Coleraine; 2. T J Carson and Sons, Ballymena; 3.Alastair Gault, Newtownabbey

Shearling rams – 1.Greenmount Campus, CAFRE; 2.Jack and Nathan Tumelty,Downpatrick; 3. M and J.Watson, Dundonald.

Auctioneers: Dungannon Farmers’ Mart.

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