Glenarm Texel Show 2004
Judge: Alan Cullen, Lanarkshire

Tuesday, July 13th was the ‘Day of the Texels’ at the Glenarm Highland Games on the Antrim Coast with 255 quality sheep entered for a prestigious one-off event. The British Texel Sheep Society having selected Glenarm to host one of two major events across the UK marking 30 years since Europe’s largest and most progressive pedigree sheep society was founded.

Texel Society vice chairman Victor Chestnutt of Bushmills worked closely with Northern Ireland Texel Sheepbreeders’ Club members to produce a spectacular event in idyllic surrounds at the family home of the MacDonalds, Earls of Antrim.

Despite huge classes and closely matched sheep the judges, Jimmy Warnock, Sandilands, Lanark and Brian MacTaggart, Castle Douglas did an excellent job, resulting in Paddy Kinney from Crumlin, Co. Antrim taking the supreme championship with an aged ewe.

“She is homebred as we have not brought ewes into the Ballydonaghy Flock for over 10 years,” a delighted Paddy explained. “Sired by Sweetwall Gigglo. Alistair Gault of Newtownabbey’s ram, which sired several other ‘Texel £2K Show’ winners this ewe has already taken three reserve championships and one championship.

“She is also in the finals of the NI Shows Association event at Castlewellan Show and the Irish Shows Association continental sheep championship at Clogher.”

Apart from taking this supreme accolade in the Texel Society Show Paddy also had the pleasure of seeing many sheep sired by his Hernando stock ram produce winners for other breeders.

The Duvarren Flock of John Watson, Annacloy, Downpatrick took the reserve overall award and male championship. An excellent result for a flock founded only in 2000 using stock from the home farm at Dundonald.

Larne breeder Austin Shaw, who devoted many hours with a team of volunteers to organise the show, took the reserve male championship in partnership with eldest daughter Emma and friends Alec Thompson and Hamilton Wilson. This shearling ram was bred by Robert Mulligan and cost over 6000gns at Dungannon.

Fittingly Henry Gamble, whose late father, Robert, was a founder member of the NI Texel Club, won the reserve female section with a Springwell shearling ewe. Graham Martin, the Broughshane horseman and milk producer, was one of the newer Texel breeders to share the honours when he took first in the ewe lamb class.

Commenting NI Texel Club chairman Michael Watson paid tribute to the willing band of unpaid volunteers, lead by Wilson Kennedy and Austin Shaw, who laid on a show to exceed all expectations.

The Texel Society and Lanark Mart sponsored 60 cash prizes mounting to over £2000 with Northern Ireland Texel Sheepbreeders’ Club members providing the hands-on organisation of a highly successful event.

Prizes were awarded as follows;

Supreme Champion
Patrick J Kinney, Ballydonaghy, Crumlin

Best opposite sex to supreme champion
John Watson, Duvarren, Downpatrick.

Male champion
John Watson

Reserve male champion
A & E Shaw , A Thompson, H Wilson

Female champion
Patrick J Kinney

Reserve female champion
Henry Gamble, Springwell, Bangor, Co Down

Class 1. Aged Rams

1. John W Watson
2. M & J Watson, Hillhead, Dundonald, Co. Down
3. P J Kinney

Class 2. Aged Ewes

1. P J Kinney
2. John Currie & Sons, Tullagh, Ballymena
3. Alistair Gault, Forkins, Newtownabbey

Class 3. Shearling Rams

1. A & E Shaw, A Thompson & H Wilson
2. Henry Gamble
3. J W Watson

Class 4 Shearling Ewes

1. Henry Gamble
2. D Simpson, Rashee, Ballyclare
3. R Kennedy

Class 5 Ram Lambs

1. Robert Mulligan
2. Austin Shaw
3. Alistair Gault

Class 6 Ewe Lambs

1. Graham Martin
2. J W Watson
3. Graham Martin