North Country Cheviot breeders look back on a tremendous year

The Glenavon Hotel, Cookstown was the venue for the North Country Cheviot Northern Ireland club’s AGM, annual dinner, and presentation awards.

Northie breeders families and friends got together to celebrate another successful year. Members of the North Country Cheviot Club once again made their mark, starting at the beginning of the season at Balmoral Show, where William Rankin won the breed championship, with his sucked ewe, and went on to lift the highly acclaimed interbreed champion award, a first time for the North Country Cheviot to do so at Balmoral.

Many highlights were achieved during the show season, with Thomas Mcalister’s ewe qualifying for the NISA final, J & K Rowan winning the interbreed group at Antrim show, and E & G McKenzie winning the interbreed at Fermanagh show.

All eyes were then on the premiere sale at Beatties Livestock Centre on the 1st September. No fewer than seventeen sheep sold in excess of £1000 and above, to a top price of £4200 for A & N Robinson’s Shearling Ram setting a new breed record for Northern Ireland.

The outgoing chairman Allister McNeill thanked everyone for their hard work throughout the year, and presented Steven Thompson, the outgoing secretary with the chairman’s cup, for his dedication to the club over the past number of years.

Allister also thanked Jonnie Campbell (Bardnaclavan), Roderick Runciman (Allanshaws), Alan Cowans (Philiphaugh) and Scott Davis (Synton) for their generosity in donating new trophies to the Club.

There is an increased interest in new breeders wanting to join the club, as the Northie continues to prove itself in being crossed with any other breed, producing a superb female fit for purpose whatever the desire of cross may be.

Next date in the calendar is Balmoral Show 2024, where breeders will provide an outstanding array of North Country Cheviots. Anyone expressing an interest in the breed, should come along, have a look and a chat with a club member.