4th Annual Spring Ram Sale
NI Dorset Club Spring Ram Show and Sale 2017
Ram lamb winner with R Currie (Judge), R Hill (Owner),
S Caldwell (Handler), K Donnelly (Provita)
Shearling Ram winner with R Currie (Judge), T Wright (Owner),
K Donnelly (Provita)
The NI Dorset Club held its 4th annual Dorset Breeders’ Sale in J.A.McClelland’s Mart, Ballymena on Monday 13th March.
This Sale is arranged at this time to give breeders the opportunity to purchase top quality rams to put to their pedigree flock in April, in order to have lambs on the ground in September, heralding the start of the pedigree Dorset breeding year.
The Sale attracted a total entry of 33, ranging from ram lambs to senior rams and all rams shown were adjudged to be quality animals. Judging was in the capable hands of local breeder Mr Richard Currie of Hilltop Flock, and commenced with a strong class of ram lambs. Following close scrutiny and due deliberation the results were as follows:
1st prize -lot No.4 sired by Richill Ubank and owned by Raymond & Julie Hill.
2nd prize - lot No.15 sired by Ballytaggart Tonka and owned by Thomas Wright.
3rd prize -lot No.11 sired by Sandy Lane Tiesto and owned by Sean Paul McCarry.
4th prize - lot No.17 sired by Pembroke Wild Card and owned by Thomas Wright.
The ram lambs were followed by a smaller number of shearling rams, all of which were predominantly strong animals displaying all the best traits of the Dorset breed. The results were as follows:
1st prize –lot No.22 sired by Ballytaggart Willie Winkie and owned by Thomas Wright.
2nd prize -lot No.27 sired by Downkillybegs Wizard and owned by Ben Lamb.
3rd prize -lot No.28 sired by Manorcroft Wanderer and owned by Ben Lamb.
4th prize -lot No.23 sired by Ballytaggart W1152 and owned by Thomas Wright.
Finally in the Senior Ram class the results were as follows:
1st prize -lot No.33 sired by Ballytaggart Powerhouse, owned by Ben Lamb and Stephen Lyons.
2nd prize –lot No.31 sired by a Richill No31 ram and owned by W&Colin Johnston.
Following the judging the Sale commenced with the Ram lambs which saw prices peaking at 650 guineas for the 1st placed ram lamb bred by Raymond and Julie Hill’s Olivertree Flock, which after a flurry of bids saw it going to join J&M Harbinson’s Glenkeen flock. This was closely followed by the 2nd placed lamb bred by Thomas Wright’s Ballytaggart flock, selling for 500 guineas to J&S Baird’s Cool flock.
Other leading prices included 400 guineas to SP McCarry purchased by C. Graham and 360 guineas to K Thompson purchased by A Hanna. Overall there was a strong trade for well grown September 2016 born lambs with good conformation and blood lines, with rams selling to average £422.
The Shearling rams followed on with the top price of 800 guineas being realised for the 1st placed Entry No.22. This was an outstanding October 2015 born ram, having been bred and shown by Mr Thomas Wright and purchased for L. James’ Ty-Croes flock (Wales). Other leading prices in this class were 420 and 400 guineas both owned by Thomas Wright and both purchased by A Dodd (Glenbrae flock).
This class realised an average of £467.
The Club would wish to record its’ appreciation to Provita for sponsoring the Spring Ram Sale and Prizes, and many thanks to Keiran Donnelly for representing the sponsors on the night.
The NI Dorset Club would wish to commend the Breed for its qualities, both in the pedigree sector and for ease of lambing in the commercial sector. While there will be future sales during the course of the year, many NI Dorset Club members are gearing up for the next big event in the breeders calendar, namely the May Fair scheduled for Tue 2nd & Wed 3rd May in Exeter. This promises to be a major sale and opportunity to celebrate the Dorset Societies 125th Anniversary.
