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Beltex Sheep SocietyShepherds View,
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Irish Beltex Sheep Breeders Club / Beltex – The Word is Out!!Irish Beltex Club’s 2nd Show & Sale in Ballymena Livestock Mart This year has brought an increased demand across the province for Beltex as a terminal sire, with commercial producers from as far afield as Ballycastle, Mayobridge and Fintona ‘taking the plunge’ and making their first purchase to bring that extra quality and premium to their farm gate. Consequently the Irish Beltex Club’s 2nd Show & Sale in Ballymena Livestock Mart on Monday evening saw rams finding new homes in previously uncharted areas. Whilst the sale was an easier trade than the earlier Premier sale, the quality was equally impressive, and judge Wade McCrabbe from Raphoe had a difficult task in his efforts to find his Supreme Champion. Taking the honours was the 1st placed shearling ram, Ballycreelly Kid, out of Headlind Joy-Ride, and bred by Comber breeders K & A McCarthy – a ram displaying all the desired characteristics of size, length and exceptional muscle.
The Reserve Supreme Champion went to the 2nd placed shearling ram, Lagyveagh Klaus, a very strong ram of equal quality, sired by a De Puydt ram, from the Glenarm flock of H & E O’Neill.
The Female Champion title went to the excellent 3-year old ewe, Islandview Hilary, a traditional Beltex ewe from the Glebe Ennis sire, bred by C & L Johnston, Stoneyford. The Islandview flock also took the red rosette in the Shearling Ewe class – Islandview Kitty is sired by Lagyveagh Gareth and from a Dergview dam. Reserve Female Champion went to the eye-catching ewe lamb, Ravara Lily, from a homebred sire out of the Carlisle 2004 champion Elbert, and bred in Ballygowan by A. Murray & Son. In the Ram Lamb class, the 1st prize was taken, as in 2006, by A & M Scott, Ballyclare. Hollylane Livingstone is a March born son of Tiree Jiggy Jig and displayed excellent length and muscle. Honours in the Aged Ram class went to Cookstown James 3rd, a very strong, well-muscled two-shear ram bred by J. Elliott, Dungannon, and out of a Belgian sire and dam. Trade was strongest in the shearling ram class, with H & E O’Neill receiving the top sale price of 560 guineas for Lagyveagh Kidman, finding a new home in the Carnew flock of C. Aiken. The Lagyveagh flock achieved a pen average of 416 guineas for their 6 rams, and sold their Reserve Champion shearling to Ian Telford, Fintona for 500 guineas. At 380gns, the Supreme Champion left the ring unsold, as did the 1st prize ram lamb at 250gns. The 1st and 2nd placed aged rams from Jim Elliott’s Cookstown flock sold at 210 guineas each to William Ritchie, Ballymoney. In the small entry of females, the top price went to the Female Champion from C & L Johnston which sold at 270 guineas to Ahoghill breeder F. Coulter. Alfie Murray’s 1st placed ewe lamb sold at 200gns to young breeder M. Burleigh from Kinawley, whilst the 1st placed shearling ewe also sold at 200gns to Thomas Edgar, Kilkeel. Leading Prices in Guineas: (Females) The Irish Beltex Club extends thanks to their sponsors: Ulster Bank, represented at the prize-giving by Ann Caldwell; Doherty & Gray; Countryside Services; Forum Products Ltd (Kling-On Blue). Thanks also to Wade McCrabbe (judge), John Hall (Society Inspector from Cumbria), the staff at Ballymena Livestock Mart, and everyone who helped in any way. |
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