Priestley clinches the RUAS supreme champion title at Balmoral for the second year in a row

Judge Mike Black from Fife, Scotland was impressed with the stock presented to him at the opening day of Balmoral and certainly had tough decisions to make in each of the classes.

His first major decision was in the shearling ram class when he handed the first place rosette to Limestone Flock owner Mark Priestley after his homebred shearling by

Castleisle Kingsman took first and Jason Watson claiming second with his Limepark Destroyer shearling ram with Ian Donald third.

With a powerful line up of ram lambs, the Ballynacannon flock of Dennis Taylor took the 1st prize rosette with a son of Limestone Sprinbok with Mark Priestley’s Rheadar Rockshore son taking second and the Bannview flock of Campbell & Jason Watson’s Limepark Distroyer son claiming third.

In the aged ewe line up it was Blackstone owners Jack & Andrew Moses’s; eye catching Blackstone Everest bred female who was handed the first place rosette.

Cherryvalley Farm’s Birness Playboy bred ewe took second and Campbell & Jason Watson’s Beechcrest Ringleader taking third.

The onlookers then got their first glimpse of the impressive Castleisle Kingsman sired shearling ewe presented by Mark Priestley with Mark also taking the third placed rosette with another Kingsman sired shearling ewe and Campbell & Jason Watson’s Garvan Cracker sired shearling ewe taking second.

Lesley Liggett shone in the ewe lamb category with his Sportsman Scholesy ewe lamb taking first spot, Dennis Taylor took second with his Limestone Springbok sired ewe

lamb and the Limestone Flock taking third with a Rheadar Rockshore sired ewe lamb.

Campbell & Jason Watson continued their success coming out on top winning the group of three just ahead of Dennis Taylor and Mark Priestley whilst Lesley Liggett took the winning rosette with a pair of lambs followed closely by Dennis Taylor & Martin & Eoin Butler.

In the final deliberations the Limestone flock claimed the Female Champion, Reserve Male Champion and Overall coveted RUAS Supreme Title and Shortwool Interbreed Champion of the Show. Lesley Liggett took the Reserve Female and Overall Reserve Champion and Dennis Taylor took Male Champion.

The Young Handlers did exceptionally well in the Young Handlers Competition.

8-13 years: 1st Noah Taylor 2nd Lara Taylor 3rd Tommy McMonagle

14-18 years: 1st Neale Fleming 2nd Aimee Liggett 3rd Paddy McMonagle

All in all a fantastic few days for the Suffolk breed to showcase Northern Ireland’s premier livestock.

Commenting on the show Judge Mike Black said: “Firstly I’d like to say it was an honour to be asked to judge at Balmoral. As expected the quality of the sheep forward to show was excellent. It makes any judging much easier when you can find leaders in your classes.

"The prize winners and beyond in the final class lineup’s would have been suited for any show in the country and were a huge credit to those who presented them. There were a number of tup lambs that it will be very interesting to see how they develop over the year towards the sales.

"The females were particularly strong and it was an outstanding gimmer that went on to win the section and even better to secure the interbreed championship, a great advert for the breed.

"It was a great fun afternoon, the weather was kind and it was good to catch up with old friends make a few new ones and hopefully not upset to many along the way!

"If I had a pound for everyone that said ‘that’s the quickest judging ever’ I’d be on my way to buying a new stock tup! Thanks again for the invitation and best of luck to everyone heading towards the sale season and beyond.”

The Northern Ireland Branch of the Suffolk Sheep Society now look ahead to the Branch Championships taking place on 8th June at Armagh Show with a large entry of

quality Suffolk Sheep assured.

Results

Shearing Ram: 1st M Priestley 2nd C&J Watson 3rd I Donald

Ram Lamb: 1st D Taylor 2nd M Priestley 3rd RC&JC Watson 4th D Taylor 5th M&E Butler 6th L&M Liggett

Ewe, 2 shear and upwards: 1st A Moses 2nd Cherryvalley Farms 3rd RC&JC Watson 4th M&E Butler 5th S Toye

Shearling Ewe: 1st M Priestley 2nd RC&JC Watson 3rd M Priestley 4th D Taylor 5th RC&JC Watson 6th I Donald

Ewe Lamb: 1st L&M Liggett 2nd D Taylor 3rd M Priestley 4th L&M Liggett 5th I Donald 6th R Conway

Group of Three: 1st RC&JC Watson 2nd D Taylor 3rd M Priestley 4th L&M Liggett

Best pair of lambs: 1st L&M Liggett 2nd D Taylor 3rd M&E Butler

Male Champion - D Taylor Reserve Male Champion M Priestley

Female Champion - M Priestley Reserve Female Champion L&M Liggett

Supreme Champion - M Priestley Reserve L&M Liggett