Awards evening for Hampshire Down breeders

This saw great interest from new breeders who took part over the showing season.

Trevor Todd and son, Christopher, were awarded the Tyrone Crystal Novice trophy which was presented by Jim Quail. This was a great achievement for Trevor and Christopher as they were rewarded for their hard work and great enthusiasm attending many shows throughout the season.

Peter and Francis Lawson, of Glenbrook farm, Balliesmills, also had a great success throughout the showing season and this was reflected in the awards they received. They were awarded the Moneycarragh Trophy for Best individual male, Anniversary Crystal Rose Bowl for Best Female Show Team and the Schering Plough Trophy for team having gained most points at three shows.

Peter was a little shocked and very pleased with these awards and thanked his farm manager Sean Doyle for all his hard work throughout the year preparing and presenting the flock.

Chairwoman Josephine Wray thanked all the breeders for taking part in the competition and highlighting the great success the breed has had throughout the show season. She praised all the breeders on their outstanding work that everyone is doing for the breed, and wished everyone a successful show season for the year ahead.

Josephine expressed how she was looking forward to the start of the 2018 season and the first event The Spring Lamb competition which is to be held on Wednesday, March 21, in Ballymena Livestock Market. Judging will take placed from 9.30am. The Hampshire Down classes are sponsored by David Morgan, of Crystalyx, with prizes for first, second and third placed pedigree Hampshire Down lambs, and Sam McQuaid, Newport Collection Services, sponsoring first, second and third placed crossbred lambs sired by a Hampshire Down ram.

This event is open to all pedigree and commercial farmers.

Tyrone Crystal Novice trophy: 1st: Trevor and Christopher Todd; 2nd: Jake Wells

Moneycarragh Trophy for Best individual male: 1st: Peter & Francis Lawson; 2nd: Hannah Robinson; 3rd: Kevin McCarthy.

Anniversary crystal rose bowl for Best female show team: 1st: Peter & Francis Lawson; 2nd: Kevin McCarthy; 3rd: Hannah Robinson.

Schering Plough Trophy for team having gained most points at three shows: 1st: Peter & Francis Lawson; 2nd: Kevin McCarthy; 3rd: Hannah Robinson.