PRIESTLEY CLINCHES RUAS SUPREME CHAMPION TITLE AT BALMORAL
Date: 10th May 2023
Judge: John Gibb, Cairnton Flock
Limestone breeder Mark Priestley clinches the Supreme Champion accolade with his impressive Stockton Sniper Son sired shearling ewe.
Judge John Gibb from Aberdeenshire, Scotland was impressed with the stock presented to him at the opening day of Balmoral and certainly had tough decisions to make in each of the classes. His first major decision was to hand the first place rosette to Boveedy owners Stephen & Jordan Toye after their Crewelands Man of War ram triumphed in the aged ram class and the Bessiebell flock of Jack Smyth went on to claim second with his Landale Lugs ram.
Nicky Lowry of the Fourscore flock took first in the shearling ram class with Limestone Commando and Ian Donald of the Donbraid flock claimed third with Islandmoyle Amorak.
With a line up of over 20 strong ram lambs, the Limestone flock of Mark Priestley took the 1st prize rosette with a son of Castleisle Kingsman with the Ballynacannon flock of Dennis Taylor’s Lakeview Fury son taking second and Carony flock owners Lesley & Mervyn Liggett’s Mullinvale Ace son claiming third.
In the aged ewe line up it was Benrafton flock owners Alfred & Norman Robinson’s eye catching Cairness Diamond Geezer bred female who was handed the first place rosette whilst also going on to clinch the Overall Reserve Champion title. Jack Smyth’s Bessiebell V6 bred ewe took second and Campbell & Jason Watson’s Malinhead Jumping Jack bred ewe taking third.
The onlookers then got their first glimpse of the impressive Stockton Sniper son sired shearling ewe presented by Mark Priestley ahead of Co. Tyrone breeders Stephanie & William Tait taking second and Alfred & Norman Robinsons Ballinatone Showstopper sired shearling ewe taking third.
Dennis Taylor shone in the ewe lamb category with his Lakeview Fury ewe lamb taking first spot, Alfred & Norman Robinson took second with their Ballynacannon Hakuna Matata sired ewe lamb and the Bannview flock of Campbell & Jason Watson taking third with a Garvan Cracker sired ewe lamb.
Alfred & Norman Robinson continued their success coming out on top winning the group of three just ahead of Dennis Taylor and Stephanie & William Tait whilst Dennis Taylor took the winning rosette with a pair of lambs followed closely by William & Stephanie Tait and Jason & Campbell Watson.
In the final deliberations the Limestone flock claimed the Male Champion, Female Champion and the coveted RUAS Supreme Champion whilst also going on to be awarded the Champion Short Wool ribbons followed by the Reserve Interbreed Champion of the show. Norman Robinson took the Reserve Female Champion & Overall Reserve Champion with Dennis Taylor taking Reserve Male Champion.
This year also saw the introduction of a Suffolk Young Handler competition. All of our Young Handlers did exceptionally well. Hope you all enjoyed the experience.
8-13 years
1st Lara Taylor
2nd Aimee Liggett
3rd Noah Taylor
4th Harry Hunter
5th Oliver Hunter
14-18 years
1st Anna Taylor
2nd Neale Fleming
3rd Daniel Bryan
4th Martin Og Brown
RESULTS
Ram, two shear and upwards
1st J&S Toye
2nd J Smyth
Shearing Ram
1st N Lowry
3rd I Donald
4th D Bryan
5th A Barkley
Ram Lamb
1st M Priestley
2nd D Taylor
3rd L&M Liggett
4th D Ford
5th M&E Butler
Ewe, 2 shear and upwards
1st AJ &NAJ Robinson
2nd J Smyth
3rd RC&JC Watson
4th J Alexander
5th A Barkley
Shearling Ewe
1st M Priestley
2nd S&W Tait
3rd AJ&NAJ Robinson
4th M Priestley
5th D Taylor
Ewe Lamb
1st D Taylor
2nd AJ&NAJ Robinson
3rd & 4th RC&JC Watson
5th I Donald
Group of Three
1st A&&NAJ Robinson
2nd D Taylor
3rd S&W Tait
Best pair of lambs
1st D Taylor
2nd S&W Tait
3rd RC&JC Watson
Male Champion – M Priestley
Reserve Male Champion – D Taylor
Female Champion – M Priestley
Reserve Female Champion – NJ&NAJ Robinson
Supreme Champion – M Priestley
Reserve – AJ&NAJ Robinson
All in all a fantastic few days for the Suffolk breed to showcase Northern Irelands premier livestock.
The Northern Ireland Branch of the Suffolk Sheep Society now look ahead to Our Branch Championships taking place on 10th June at Armagh Show with a large entry of quality Suffolk Sheep assured.
