Premier sale success for Gault ram lamb

Leading County Antrim breeder Alastair Gault took top honours for the second year in succession at the recent Northern Ireland Branch Premier Show and Sale held in Ballymena Livestock Mart
Judge John Gibb selected S&W Tait's shearling ram top of the class and it later sold for 700gns to PL McKeag, Co DownJudge John Gibb selected S&W Tait's shearling ram top of the class and it later sold for 700gns to PL McKeag, Co Down
Judge John Gibb selected S&W Tait's shearling ram top of the class and it later sold for 700gns to PL McKeag, Co Down

The outstanding ram lamb from the Forkins flock beat off stiff competition to clinch the Supreme Championship before the 2016 champion changed hands for 2,400gns.

Sired by Mountford Mustang and out of a Cairness Liam ewe the champion found a new home in the flock of Co. Tipperary breeder John Hanly.

The top price of the day went to Coleraine breeder Philip Gurney of the Oakbridge flock. The Lakeview Hit the Diff sired lamb out of a Cairness Liam dam which was 3rd in the open fetched 2,600gns before being knocked down to Co. Donegal breeder Jonathan Lucas.

The Robinson family sold the highest priced shearling with Oran McConnon’s final bid of 2,400gns securing the Ballygarvanstud Flashdance ram. They also went on to sell their Cairness Ignition sired ram lamb to Co. Sligo breeder J Rooney for 1,200gns.

A number of Southern Ireland breeders made their presence felt at the ringside with R Tait, Co. Donegal paying 1,400gns for an eye catching ram lamb belonging to Stephanie & William Tait’s Burnview flock. This lamb stood 2nd in the Open ram lamb class and went on to take the Reserve Champion title, it was sired by Ballynacanon Attitude which was purchased for 18,000gns at Stirling in 2015.

Meanwhile, M Jennings, Co. Mayo paid 1,300gns to secure an impressive ram lamb from the Teeshan flock of Trevor & Ben Robinson. It was bred by Duncan’s Dominator out of a Broomknowes Touch of Class ewe.

Elsewhere in the show ring Stephanie & William Tait claimed the Shearling Ram honours ahead of Ballymena breeders Campbell & Jason Watson with S&W Tait also taking 3rd.

Stephanie & William again made their presence in the Signet Recorded ram lamb class, by taking home the coveted winning rosette while Patrick McVerry of the Tullywinney flock claimed the Novice Cup title while his Saffadan Sapphire sired ram, Wesley Cousins went on to take 2nd & 3rd place.

The pen of three honours went for the second year to the Drumquin flock of Mervyn and Lesley Liggett, G McAdoo and D Taylor were runners up.

Results:

Shearling: 1, S&W Tait; 2, RC&JC Watson; 3, S&W Tait.

Signet Recorded: 1, S&W Tait

Novice: 1, P McVerry; 2, W Cousins; 3, W Cousins

Open Ram Lamb: 1, A Gault; 2, S&W Tait; 3, P Gurney

Pen of three: 1, L&M Liggett; 2 G McAdoo; 3, D Taylor

Champion: A Gault. Reserve: S&W Tait.