Taylor Tops and takes the RUAS SUPREME CHAMPION AT Balmoral
Date: 11th May 2022
Judge: Andrew Wilson, Castleisle Flock
Ballynacannon breeder Dennis Taylor clinches the Supreme Champion accolade with his impressive Birness Freedom sired shearling ewe.
Congratulations to the Northern Ireland Branch for an excellent turnout of sheep at the 2022 RUAS Show at Balmoral.
Judge Andrew Wilson from Donegal was impressed with the stock presented to him at the opening day of Balmoral and certainly had difficult decisions to make in each of the classes. His first major decision was to hand the first place rosette to Carony flock owners Lesley & Mervyn Liggett after their Birness Bees Knees ram triumphed in the aged ram class. The Burnview flock of Stephanie & William Tait went on to claim second with their Strathbogie Joel ram with Jack Smyth of the Bessiebell flock claiming third.
Denis Taylor of the acclaimed Ballynacannon flock took first in the shearling ram class with Ballynatone Showstopper with this shearling ram going on to take overall Reserve Champion, Jason & Campbell Watson of the Burnview flock claiming second with Blackbrae Barbarian X and Stephanie & William Tait taking third.
With a line up of 16 strong ram lambs, the Limestone flock of Mark Priestley took 1st with a son of Stockton Sniper Son with Stephanie & William Tait’s Birness Warrier son taking second and Alastair Barkley’s Blackbrae Black Label son claiming third.
In the aged ewe line up it was Rossbrook flock owner Keith Johnston’s eye catching Ballynacannon Taylor Made bred female who was handed the first place rosette and Blackbrae flock owner Alastair Barkley’s Drimmie Blackisle bred ewe taking second.
The onlookers then got their first glimpse of the impressive Birness Freedom sired shearling ewe presented by Dennis Taylor ahead of Co. Down breeder Mark Priestley’s Convoy Pablo Escobar sired shearling ewe taking second with Dennis Taylor also going on to take the third placed rosette.
Mark Priestley shone in the ewe lamb category with his Stockton Sniper Son ewe lamb taking first spot, Mullaghboy flock owner David Ford took second with his Forkins McCoy sired ewe lamb and the Crewelands flock of Stephen Sufferin taking third.
Mark Priestley continued his success coming out on top winning the group of three just ahead of Jason & Campbell Watson and Stephanie & William Tait whilst the Limestone flock also took the winning rosette with their pair of lambs followed closely by William & Stephanie Tait and David Ford.
In the final deliberations the Ballynacannon flock claimed Male Champion, Female Champion the coveted RUAS Supreme Champion and Reserve Champion. Mark Priestley took Reserve Male & Female Champion.
All in all a fantastic few days for the Suffolk breed to showcase Northern Irelands premier livestock.
Congratulations to all our breeders and the results are:
Champion – D Taylor (Ballynacannon Flock)
Reserve Champion – D Taylor (Ballynacannon Flock)
Male Champion – D Taylor (Ballynacannon Flock)
Reserve Male Champion – M Priestley (Limestone Flock)
Female Champion – D Taylor (Ballynacannon Flock)
Reserve Female Champion – M Priestley (Limestone Flock)
Class 177 – Ram, Two Shear and Upwards
- L & M Liggett (Carony)
- S & W Tait (Burnview Flock)
- J Smyth (Bessiebell Flock)
Class 178 – Shearling Ram
- D Taylor (Ballynacannon Flock)
- RC & JC Watson (Bannview Flock)
- S & W Tait (Burnview Flock)
Class 179 – Ram Lamb
- M Priestley (Limestone Flock)
- S & W Tait (Burnview Flock)
- A Barkley (Blackbrae Flock)
Class 180 Ewe Presented Shorn Two Shear and Upwards
- K Johnston (Rossbrook)
- A Barkley (Blackbrae Flock)
Class 181 – Shearling Ewe
- D Taylor (Ballynacannon Flock)
- M Priestley (Limestone Flock)
- D Taylor (Ballynacannon Flock)
Class 182 – Ewe Lamb
- M Priestley (Limestone Flock)
- D Ford (Mullaghboy Flock)
- S Sufferin (Crewelands)
Group of Three
- M Priestley (Limestone Flock)
- RC & JC Watson (Bannview Flock)
- S & W Tait (Burnview Flock)
Best Pair of Suffolk Lambs
- M Priestley (Limestone Flock)
- S & W Tait (Burnview Flock)
- D Ford (Mullaghboy Flock)
