Date: Monday 18th November 2024
Location: Ballymena Livestock Centre
Flying trade at the annual show & Sale organised by the Northern Ireland Branch of the Suffolk Sheep Society at Ballymena Livestock Mart on Monday 18th November kindly sponsored by Uniblock Ltd.
The Judge for the evening was the NI Branch Chairman Ben Lamb of the Richhill flock who awarded Nicky Lowry of the Fourscore flock 1st prize in the gimmer class whilst also going on to take the Reserve Champion title, with his Limestone King Power sired ewe in lamb to Limestone Commando going on to sell for 1300gns to JD Ter Matten, Netherlands. The Castlewood flock of Martin & Eoin Butler also stood well in the gimmer class taking 2nd place with their Causeway Ranger sired ewe in lamb to Cairnton Chaos being knocked down to Eamon Duffy of the Kells flock, Co. Meath for 1100gns with Patrick McVerry taking 3rd & Martin & Eoin Butler also taking the 4th placed rosettes.
Brian Dickson took the winning rosette in the aged ewe class with his Limestone Lets Ride sired ewe in lamb to Birness the Gladiator selling for 850gns to G Baird, Co. Armagh. Sean & Jane McCloskey stood 2nd in the class with their Rookery ace of Hearts sired ewe in lamb to Crewelands Dancing Brave selling for 1000gns to S Haslett, Co. Londonderry with Patrick McVerry taking 3rd selling to Joop Timmer, France for 600gns and Timmy Lamont 4th selling for 600gns to J McCann, Co Down.
It was in the ewe lamb class that Judge Ben Lamb saw his Champion in a Limestone Dark Knight sired ewe lamb from John Trimble of the Cherrylea flock selling to John Robson, Co. Tyrone for 6,000gns, the Roe-Valley flock of HT Ritchie stood 2nd in the class selling to S Smyth, Co. Tyrone for 2,000gns with Sean & Jane McCloskey taking 3rd and selling to S O’Gorman, Co. Wexford for 4,000gns and Keith Johnston of the Rossbrook flock taking 4th selling to K&L Chambers, Co. Tyrone for 1,000gns.
Many thanks to the staff at Ballymena Livestock Market and Michael Smyth who scanned all the sheep in lamb on the evening of the sale.
Many thanks to the continued support of Uniblock Ltd who were the sponsors of the show & sale.
Leading Prices at the sale included:-
Gimmer Class
M McNally 1900gns, 1400gns, 1200gns, 1100gns x 2, 1000gns x 2
M&E Butler 1500gns, 1100gns, 800gns, 750gns, 700gnsx 2
N Lowry 1300gns, 1000gns,
D Duncan 1100gns, 950gns, 900gns
Patrick McVerry 1100gns, 750gns x 2
T Lamont 850gns,
B Dickson 800gns
N Robinson 800gns
Aged Ewe Class
S McCloskey 1000gns
D Duncan 900gns x 2 850gns, 800gns x2, 700gns x 2,
B Dickson 850gns , 650gns
M McNally 800gns, 700gns,
M&E Butler 700gns, 650gns
Ewe Lamb Class
J Trimble 6000gns, 1700gns
S&J McCloskey 4000gns, 1550gns, 1150gns,
B Lamb 3500gns, 1900gns, 1700gns, 1300gns, 1100gns, 800gns,
K Johnston 1800gns, 1600gns, 1000gns, 800gns, 750gns, 600gns
S Toye 1200gns
HT Ritchie 700gns
NI Suffolk Branch Ewe Show Results
Shearling Class
1st Lot 1 N Lowry
2nd Lot 25 M&E Butler
3rd Lot 31 P McVerry
4th Lot 24 M&E Butler
5th Lot 14 D Duncan
Aged Ewe Class
1st Lot 71 B Dickson
2nd Lot 80 S&J McCloskey
3rd Lot 81 P McVerry
4th Lot 54 T Lamont
Ewe Lamb Class
1st Lot 96 J Trimble
2nd Lot 92 HT Ritchie
3rd Lot 107 S&J McCloskey
4th Lot 88 K Johnston
5th Lot 98 S Toye
Overall Champion: Lot 96 John Trimble
Reserve Champion: Lot 1 Nicky Lowry
