NI Dorset Club's annual sales get off to a flying start at Ballymena

So with the first sale of the season – the Spring Ram Sale taking place on March 14 at McClelland’s Livestock Market in Ballymena – breeders were spurred on from last year’s success and an increased entry was catalogued, with several new breeders offering rams for sale.

The judge for the evening was James Robson of the Ballyhamage flock in Doagh.

Three generations of the Robson family currently manage a 40 strong pedigree ewe flock established in 1980 alongside a thriving commercial flock.

Show and sale champion and top price of the evening, was the first prize shearling ram, lot number 29 from the 50 ewe Lisnafillan Flock of Laura and Kenneth Weir, Gracehill.

This young shearling ram was born in June 2015 as part of the Weir’s frequent lambing system. His dam was a homebred ewe by Granagh No.1 a successfully shown ram from the flock of Samuel Caldwell who was purchased at the July sale in 2010. The sire was Ballytaggart United who was the top price entrant at the Hilltown Export Sale in 2014. As a myomax gold carrier he is guaranteed to pass one copy of the gene onto his offspring for 5% increased leg muscling and 7% less carcase fat.

A flurry of bids ensued and the ram was eventually knocked down for 1,050gns to new breeder Glen Millar, Moneymore.

The evening’s second highest price and reserve champion of the show and sale was Ben Lamb’s first prize ram lamb. Bred by Sandleford Usain, who realised the top price of 900gns at the July sale in 2014 and out of a Downkillybegs ewe, this large September born lamb reached 750gns to breeder Andrew Knox, Dromore. Ben’s second entry achieved 250gns to Mark Warnock, Plumbridge.

Fetching 620gns was lot number 15 of Sean Paul McCarry’s Turnavedog flock, this lamb was sired by Sandy Lane Tiesto, an English import which was placed fourth in the Stock ram class in the NI flock competition 2015.

The successful purchaser was D. Hamilton, Killaoo. Sean Pauls’ second entrant reached 420gns to G&H Lyons, Dunloy. Other notable prices for the evening was 480gns and 450 gns achieved by the Downkillybegs flock of W&K Carson to J Collins, Rasharkin and D Hamilton, Killaoo respectively. 450gns was also realised by Thomas Wright for a Manorcroft Ultimatum son sold to A Flemming, Ballymoney.

A horned ram entry from the Richhill flock realised 400gns to breeder G Christie, Claudy.

An aged ram jointly entered from the Galgorm and Kildowney flocks placed first in his class realised 400gns to new breeder Seamus Devlin, Bryansford.

The sale average was well up on last year at £441.

Prize winners:

Ram lamb class: Ben Lamb, Richhill Flock; T&S Knox, Riverview Flock; Thomas Wright, Ballytaggart flock

Shearling ram class: Laura Weir, Lisnafillan Flock; Ken Thompson, Kirlish Flock; Laura Weir, Lisnafillan Flock

Aged ram class: Cubitt and Maybin, Kildowney and Galgorm Flock; Ben Lamb, Richhill Flock; Aaron Graham, Newparks Flock.