Beacom takes RUAS supreme champion title at Balmoral

The dam of this exceptional shearling ewe took the RUAS supreme champion title at Balmoral over three consecutive years back in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Judge Jane Soulsby’s from Cumbria was impressed with the stock presented to her and certainly had difficult decisions to make in each of the classes.

Her first major decision was to hand the first place rosette to Burnview flock owners Stephanie and William Tait after their Harpercroft Triple Crown ram triumphed in the aged ram class with Beechcrest flock owners Shaun and Ruth Turkington claiming second and Alison Kyle of the Craignageeragh flock claiming third.

Stephanie and William Tait took first in the shearling ram class with Strathbogie I’m Invincible, Jason and Campbell Watson claiming second with Convoy Kickstart and Limestone flock owner Mark Priestley taking third with Burnview Hitman.

In the aged ewe line up it was Benrafton flock owners Alfred and Norman Robinson’s eye catching Glenisla Sydney bred female who was handed the first place rosette followed closely by a Burnview Bruno ewe belonging to Mark Priestley and young upcoming Ulster rugby star Callum Patterson of the Kinbally flock claiming third.

The onlookers then got their first glimpse of the Rookery Rodeo sired shearling ewe presented by Gary Beacom ahead of Coleraine breeder Dennis Taylor’s second placed Rhaeadr Rio sired shearling ewe and Callum Patterson third.

Co Down flock owner Mark Priestley took top honours in the ram lamb class with his impressive lamb, a son of AK Magic with Gary Beacom’s Lakeview Lyphard taking second and William and Stephanie Tait’s Burnview Hitman third.

Co Down breeders, Shaun and Ruth Turkington received the loudest cheer on the day when they shone in the massive ewe lamb category, with their Strathbogie I’m Invincible bred ewe lamb taking first spot, Gary Beacom taking second and Lesley and Mervyn Liggett taking third.

Stephanie and William Tait continued their success coming out top winning the group of three just ahead of Mervyn and Lesley Liggett and Patrick Donnelly.

Gary Beacom also came out on top with his pair of lambs followed closely by Carony flock owners Lesley & Mervyn Liggett and Stephanie & William Tait.

In the final deliberations the Lakeview flock claimed the female champion, the coveted RUAS supreme champion, Mark Priestley took male champion and reserve overall champion, Stephanie and William Tait, reserve male champion and Dennis Taylor reserve female champion.

The interbreed was held later in the week with Trevor and Ben Robinson taking the Interbreed pairs title with their gimmers and Gary Beacom taking second spot.

Stephanie and William Tait and Dennis Taylor teamed up to take the interbreed group of two honours. Great achievements in very strong classes.

All in all a fantastic few days for the Suffolk breed with classes of over 30 sheep forward and many new breeders trying their hands in Northern Ireland’s premier livestock show case.

Commenting on the show Joe Stewart NI Branch chairman commented: “This was the strongest show of Suffolk Sheep in many years with visitors from all over the UK and Ireland lining the ring clear evidence that Suffolk Sheep are on the up and up.”

Results

Ram, two shear and upwards

1st S and W Tait, 2nd S Turkington, 3rd A Kyle

Shearing ram

1st S and W Tait, 2nd R C and J C Watson, 3rd M Priestley

Ewe, 2 shear and upwards

1st A and N Robinson, 2nd M Priestley, 3rd C Patterson

Shearling ewe

1st G Beacom, 2nd D Taylor, 3rd C Patterson

Ram lamb

1st M Priestley, 2nd G C Beacom, 3rd S and W Tait

Ewe lamb

1st S and R Turkington, 2nd G C Beacom, 3rd L and M Liggett

Group of three

1st S and W Tait, 2nd L and M Liggett, 3rd P Donnelly

Best pair of lambs

1st G C Beacom, 2nd L and M Liggett, 3rd S and W Tait

Male champion - M Priestley, reserve male champion, S and W Tait

Female champion - G C Beacom, reserve female champion, D Taylor

Supreme champion - G C Beacom, reserve, M Priestley