Kennedy’s Hampshire ram rules at Balmoral

Brian took the breed championship with his homebred ram lamb at his first ever Royal Ulster beating off stiff competition from a large entry of 85 Hampshire Downs.

The ram lamb also caught the eye in the Interbreed championship with the judge pulling him forward into his final line up.

The ram lamb, sired by Loughan Moss Kappa, out of a Loughan Moss ewe was placed first in his class. Judge Jim Quail from Banbridge was so impressed by his superb carcass conformation and breed type that he awarded the ram lamb best male and breed champion. Brian has been breeding Hampshire Downs for four years, following on from his grandfather Joe who bred Hampshire downs and Jersey cattle for many years.

Reserve champion was a delightful ewe lamb from Allen and Vicky McFadden’s Ashley flock. The ewe lamb was sired by Kelsey Duke and out of Balmoral 2015 champion Ashley Dakota R32. She stood first place in a strong ewe lamb class and made her presence known in the breed championship class. She was awarded best female and reserve breed champion. The Ashley flock also went on to take first place in the best pair class.

Sean and Gillian Doyle of Loughbrae flock won 1st place in the ram any age class with a shearling ram sired by 2014 Balmoral champion Ashley Black Jack out of a homebred ewe. The Doyle’s went on to win the untrimmed ram lamb class sired by 2018 Balmoral champion Loughbrae Black Knight out of a home bred ewe. The Loughbrae flock success continued with first place in the group of three class.

Young breeder Jake Wells of the Whistlinthorns Flock took first place with his aged ewe sired by Ashley Black Jack out of an Edenderry ewe. Father and son team of Stirling and Graham Manson of the Dunraven Flock, Castlederg, took first place with their shearling ewe. She is sired by Dunraven Pairs boy out of a Dunraven ewe. Peter and Harry Stevenson’s persistence over the years was rewarded when they were awarded novice champion with their ram lamb.

The club would like to thank Jim Quail for judging of the Hampshire Down breed this year. Jim started breeding Hampshire Downs in the 1960s. Over 20 years of successful breeding Jim won 13 breed championships at the RDS, RUAS and many more shows. Jim is very well known for his famous butchers “Quails” of Banbridge and also for his Limousin cattle under the Lynderg prefix which still can be seen in some Hampshire Down Pedigrees.

The quality of Hampshire Down sheep on show was truly outstanding this year with several breeders from England and Scotland over viewing the Hampshire classes. The Hampshire Down National Show will be held at Armagh show on June 8.

Results:

Ram, born on or before 30 November 2018
1st Doyle, Mr Sean, Castlewellan, 2nd Lawson, Mr Peter, Bailliesmills, 3rd Kennedy, Mr Brian, Craigavon, 4th Manson, Mr Stirling, Castlederg, 5th Wells, Master Jake, Portadown 
6th Wilson, Mr Rodney, Dungannon

Ram lambs, untrimmed, born on or after 1st December 2018: 1st Doyle, Mr Sean, Castlewellan, 2nd Kennedy, Mr Brian, Craigavon, 3rd McFadden, Mrs Victoria, Banbridge, 4th Manson, Mr Stirling, Castlederg, 5th Stevenson, Mr Peter, Portadown, 6th Fletcher, Mr Jim, Comber

Ram lamb, trimmed, born on or after 1st December 2018: 1st Kennedy, Mr Brian, Craigavon, 2nd Stevenson, Mr Peter, Portadown, 3rd Manson, Mr Stirling, Castlederg, 4th McFadden, Mrs Victoria, Banbridge, 5th Doyle, Mr Sean Castlewellan, 6th Lawson, Mr Peter, Bailliesmills

Ewe, two-shear and upwards, rearing or having reared a lamb in 2019 : 1st Wells, Master Jake Portadown, 2nd Doyle, Mr Sean, Castlewellan, 3rd McCarthy, Mr Kevin, Comber, 4th Lawson, Mr Peter Bailliesmills, 5th Manson, Mr Stirling, Castlederg, 6th Kennedy, Mr Brian, Craigavon

Shearling ewe, shorn bare on or after 1st March 2019 : 1st Manson, Mr Stirling, Castlederg, 2nd Doyle, Mr Sean, Castlewellan, 3rd Manson, Mr Stirling, Castlederg, 4th McFadden, Mrs Victoria, Banbridge, 5th Lawson, Mr Peter, Bailliesmills 
6th Fletcher, Mr Jim, Comber

Ewe lamb, born on or after 1st December 2018: 1st McFadden, Mrs Victoria, Banbridge, 2nd Manson, Mr Stirling, Castlederg, 3rd Doyle, Mr Sean, Castlewellan, 4th Stevenson, Mr Peter, Portadown, 5th Stevenson, Mr Peter, Portadown, 6th Robinson, Miss Hannah, Donaghadee

Best group of three Hampshire Down sheep
SP: Doyle, Mr Sean, Castlewellan, reserve: McCarthy Kevin, Comber

Novice champion and reserve SP: Stevenson, Mr Peter, Portadown, reserve: Kennedy, Mr Brian, Craigavon

Best pair of Hampshire Down lambs
SP: McFadden, Mrs Victoria, Banbridge, reserve: Stevenson, Mr Peter, Portadown

Best male and best female

Best male Kennedy, Mr Brian, Craigavon

Best female McFadden, Mrs Victoria, Banbridge

Champion: Ram lamb trimmed- bred by Brian Kennedy

Reserve champion: Ewe lamb - bred by Allen and Vicky McFadden