NSA/Closamectin dog sale
Noel Gill from Norbrook Laboratories with vendors at a previous sale.
THE Northern Ireland Region of the National Sheep Association are organising another sale of working sheepdogs at Ballymena on Monday 6th August at 6pm. Following the success of the last sale held in May the organisers have been approached by a number of dog breeders wanting to enter dogs for sale, so it was decided to hold another sale to coincide with the opening Monday evening sale of store and breeding sheep in Ballymena mart.
The NSA are very grateful to Norbrook Laboratories for once again generously agreeing to sponsor this event.
An excellent entry of dogs at the last sale met a good trade with a sharp young bitch from Paddy McKeever from Martinstown selling at over £1,000, and many useful farm dogs selling from £800 - £900.
At the recent NSA SHEEP 2012 Event held in The Three Counties Showground, Malvern top price for a two and a half year old fully trained bitch was £2,400 with several making £2,000.
The demand for working dogs in Northern Ireland shows just how important the dog is on sheep farms both hill and lowland. Even in these days of quad bikes and 4X4’s the dog is an indispensable part of the shepherding team.
Farmers are being told that they must adopt lower labour, easier care systems, but these systems are impossible without an easy, one man method of gathering and moving sheep.
Without a dog moving sheep can become a daunting and stressful operation often needing the whole family, but with a well trained collie it becomes much simpler, and with a little practice for both man and dog, it can become a pleasure.
The sale will once again be held in a field, kindly loaned by John Anderson, adjacent to the mart, and the dogs will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their ability on a batch of dry hogget ewes, before being offered for sale. The entry fee for working dogs remains at £10 + VAT (£12) and there will also be a section for younger dogs and pups. The entry fee for pups (less than 9 months old) is £5 + VAT(£6)
All dogs and pups should be entered on an official entry form, and these are available either from the NSA or Ballymena Mart. Anyone wanting more details of the sale or with any queries should contact Eamon McCormick, Telephone: 07740175698.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 21 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 8 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 4 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North west
