Suffolk Sheep Yearbook 2023

YEARBOOK 2023

NEW DIRECTION FROM OUR NEW CEO

Coming to the Society with fresh eyes.

HIGHLIGHTS OF A GREAT YEAR

Shows and Sales throughout the year.

All Roads lead to Borderway

Suffolk Sheep Society

Unit 19, Ballymena Business Centre, Fenaghy Road, Galgorm, Ballymena Co. Antrim, BT42 1FL.

Tel (within UK) 028 2563 2342

Tel (overseas): +44 (0) 28 2563 2342

Email: enquiries@suffolksheep.org

Website: www.suffolksheep.org

Accounts & Administration

Anna McCullough

Tel: 028 2563 2342

Email: annamccullough@suffolksheep.org

Margo Fenton

Tel: 028 2563 2342

Email: margofenton@suffolksheep.org

Gill Farmer

Tel: 028 2563 2342

Email: gillfarmer@suffolksheep.org

Editor

Barrie Turner

Tel: 028 2563 2342

Email: barrieturner@suffolksheep.org

Yearbook produced by Kelsey Media

Address: Kelsey Media, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6AL

Web: www.kelsey.co.uk

Publisher Jamie McGrorty

Graphic Design

Jo Legg

Tel: 07306 482166

Flair Creative Design

Chair West Midlands & Monmouthshire

Michael Weaver

Challacombe House, Perrinpit Road, Frampton, Cotterell, Gloucestershire, BS36 2AT

T: +44 (0) 1454 772 126

M: +44 (0) 7980 503 997

E: weaverperrinpit@aol.com

Northern Scotland

David Miskelly

Corrybrae, Kildrummy

Alford, Aberdeenshire, AB33 8RX

T: +44 (0)1975 571 700

M: +44 (0) 07760 785 215

E: tdmvet@aol.com

Wales excluding Monmouthshire

Andrew Evans

Dol-llys Farm, Llanidloes, Powys SY18 6JA

T: +44 (0) 1686 412 694

M: +44 (0) 7738 815 451

E: janevans177@gmail.com

South West

Andrew Reed

Pool Mead, Blackborough

Cullompton, Devon EX15 2HQ

M: +44 (0) 7764 227 473

E: beaconhillsuffolk@gmail.com

South East

Diana Lindon

Wymbleton Farm, Henfold Lane, South Holmwood, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 4NX

T: +44 (0) 1306 888 581

M: +44 (0) 7786 376 726

E: diana_lindon@hotmail.co.uk

Midlands and Eastern Counties

Merrick Pinny

New College Farm, Halcot, Northamptonshire NN6 9SQ

T: +44 (0) 1604 701078

M: +44 (0) 7850 653 558

E: juliep@nmr.co.uk

Vice Chair

Northern England

Jane Soulsby

The Beeches, Culgaith, Penrith, Cumbria, CA10 1QL

T: +44 (0) 1768 879 151

M: +44 (0) 7980 6417 09

E: soulsbyjane@gmail.com

President

Viv Samuel

Upper Monkton Farm St Weonards

Herefordshire

HR2 8PF

T: +44 (0) 1981 580 315

E: edsamuel109@gmail.com

President Elect

Alistair Barkley

98 Lisboy Road, Dunloy, Ballymena, Co.Antrim

Northern Ireland

BT44 9AY

T: +44 (0) 282 764 1272

M: +44 (0) 774 340 3486

E: robbiebarkley@gmail.co.uk

South of Scotland

Iain Barbour

Rosefield Farm, Annan, Dumfrieshire, DG12 6QX

T: +44 (0) 1461 202 666

M: +44 (0) 7739 833 417

E: info@jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk

Northern Ireland

Mark Priestley

Limestone Farm, 22 Drumgooland Road, Seaforde, Downpatrick, Co Down, BT30 8QP

T: +44 (0) 28 4481 1641

M: +44 (0) 7545 303 267

E: priestley619@hotmail.co.uk

Northern Ireland

Joe Stewart 114a Glen Road, Comber, Co. Down, BT23 5QT

M: +44 (0) 7884 336 400

E: jmpstewart55@gmail.com

Northern England

Liz Needham

Birking Park Cottage, Stainton, Kendal, Cumbria, LA8 0DY

T: +44 (0) 1539 561 369

M: +44 (0) 7779 7882 45

E: lizneedham@btinternet.com

Co-opted

William Fleming

Carluke, Lanarkshire, ML8 5QH

T: +44 (0) 1555 860 622

M: +44 (0) 7870 154 756

E: hillend2@btinternet.com

Branch Chairmen and secretaries

Northern Counties

Chairman: Howard (Clive) Dowson

Castlehouse Farm, Little Broughton, Stokesley Middlesborough, North Yorkshire TS9 5JE

T: +44 (0) 1642 712347

M: +44 (0) 7813 573108

E: hcdowson@gmail.com

Secretary: Liz Needham

Birkrigg Park Cottage, Stainton, Kendal, Cumbria LA8 0DY

E: normansuffolks@gmail.com

Western Area

Chairman: Paul Fletcher Gybhouse Farm, Clowstop, Nr Kidderminster, Worcestershire

DY14 9RH

T: +44 (0) 1299 832 677

M: +44 (0) 7966 455 642

Secretary: Lyndon H Trumper

The Auction Rooms, Tiverton Place Lion Street, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire NP7 5PN

T: 44 (0) 1873 852 624

E: lyndon@strakerchadwick.co.uk

South East

Chairman: Tom Blunt

15 Common Street, Ravenstone, Olney, Buckinghamshire MK46 5AR

M: +44 (0) 7748 907 108

E: tom.blunt@hotmail.co.uk

Secretary: Matt Legge

Duxmore Barns, Mersley Downs Road, Downend, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 2JQ

M: +44 (0) 7710 493 534

E: mjlfarming@gmail.com

Midlands and Eastern Counties

Chairman: Kevin O'Donoghue

Moss Farm, Somerford Booths, Nr Congleton, Cheshire, CW12 2JU

M: +44(0) 7594 562 461

E: moss4@btinternet.com

Secretary: Abi Howl

Glebe Farm, Lowick, Kettering, Northants, NN14 3BA

T: +44(0) 7886 650 512

E: divesheep@hotmail.co.uk

Scottish Area

Chairman: Ron Greig

South Tillydesk, Ellon, Aberdeenshire AB41 8SY

M: +44 (0) 7721 577 641

E: rgreig71z@gmail.com

Secretary: Heather Pritchard

c/o Pedigree Livestock Services, Holme House, Dale, Ainstable, Carlisle CA4 9RH

M: 07714 761 311

E: info@pedigreelivestockservices.co.uk

Northern Ireland

Chairman: Patrick McVerry

28a Tullywinney Road, Camlough, Newry, Co.Down BT35 7HW

T: +44(0) 283 083 9647

M: +44(0) 7973 426947

E: paddymcv@hotmail.com

Secretary: Orla Butler

359 Cushendall Road, Rathkenny, Ballymena, Co Antrim BT43 6QB

T: +44 (0) 2821 758510

M: +44 (0) 7841 117252

E: orlabutle@gmail.com

Club Chairs and secretaries

England

Eastern Anglian Suffolk Sheep Club

Chair: Janice Broughton

T: +44 (0) 1263 862 500 M: +44 (0) 7860 101 333

E: janicebroughton131@btinternet.com

Secretary: Chris Partridge

Eastern Suffolk Sheep Club

T: +44 (0) 1787 210 859

M: +44 (0) 7786 192665

E: thecovey@kerseylivestock.co.uk

Gloucestershire & Adjacent Counties

Chairman: Philip Smith

Peg House Farm, Broadwas-on-Teme

Worcester, Worcestershire, WR6 5NT

M: 07815 422 338

E: Philip.smith@martley.org

Secretary: Jane Whitehouse

Weston Park Farm, Dovers Hill, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire GL55 6UW

T: +44 (0) 1386 840 835 M: +44(0) 7887 550 224

E: jane_whitehouse@hotmail.com

Midlands

Chair: Julie Inman

Salters Hill Farm, Thorpe Satchville, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 2TB

T: +44 (0) 1664 840 252 M: +44 (0) 7774 635 748

E: dandjinman@aol.com

Secretary: Andrew Pinny

New College Farm, Holcot, Northamptonshire, NN6 9SQ

T: +44 (0) 1604 740 802

E: amtp@berrymorris.co.uk

North West

Chairman: Graham Denby

M: +44 (0) 7921 391 084

E: grahamdenby85@aol.com

Secretary: Andrea Smith

T: +44 (0) 7817 330 830

E: asmithsuffolks@yahoo.com

Shropshire & Montgomery

Chairman: George Powell

Burlton Lane Farm, Myddle, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY4 3RE

T: +44 (0) 7960 874 412

E: gepowell94@icloud.com

Secretary: Helen Roberts

Orseddwen, Selattyn, Oswestry, SY10 7HU

T: +44 (0) 7976 803066

E: Helen@ardleensuffolks.com

West Country

Chair: Mary Julia Cornish

Parkridge, 116 Oaklands Park, Buckfastleigh, Devon, TQ11 0BW

T: +44 (0) 7770 442 828

E: maryjuliacornish@gmail.com

Secretary: Andrew & Wendy Reed

Pool Mead, Blackborough, Cullompton, Devon, EX15 2HQ

T: +44 (0) 7764 227 473

E: beaconhillsuffolks@gmail.com

Wales

Dyfed

Chairman: Huw Thomas

T: +44 (0) 7970 474 427

E: huwthomas@fcgagric.com

Secretary: Christine Vaughan

Penlan, Crymych, Pembrokeshire, SA41 3SG

T: +44 (0) 1239 831 512

E: dyfedsuffolks@live.co.uk

North Wales

Chairman: D. P. Roberts

T: +44 (0) 1745 812 534

Secretary: John Huw Hughes

Bryncir Auction Centre, Bryncir, Gwynedd, Wales, LL51 9LX

T: +44 (0) 1766 530 828

E: lwhbryncir@btconnect.com

Welsh Borders

Chairman: Dai Harvey

T: +44 (0) 1597 860 596

Secretary: Lyndon Trumper

J. Straker Chadwick and Sons, Market Street

Chambers, Abergavenny, NP7 5SD

T: +44 (0) 1873 852 624

E: lyndon@strakerchadwick.co.uk

Northern Ireland

East Down

Chairman: Jason Trimble

12 Curley Road, Newry, Co.Down, BT34 1NU

T: +44 (0) 7801 695 742

Secretary: Amanda Priestley

Limestone Farm, 22 Drumgooland Road, Seaforde, Downpatrick, Co. Down, N.I. BT30 8QP

T: +44 (0) 2844 811 641

E: limestone_suffolks@hotmail.co.uk

North Antrim and East Londonderry

Chairman: John Hegarty Jnr

9 Inshinagh Lane, Bendooragh, Co. Antrim, BT53 7NE

T: +44 (0) 7738 412 684

E: johnatbenhead@gmail.com

Secretary: Sharon Thompson

4 Hebron Heights, Ballymoney, Co. Antrim, BT53 7LQ

M: +44 (0) 7835 413 838

E: naelsuffolkclub@gmail.com

Scotland

Borders (Scottish Borders, Northumberland)

Chairman: Michael Walton

T: +44 (0) 7790 094 135

Secretary: Caroline Nelson

Trows Cottage, Kelso, Roxburghshire, TD5 8LX

T: +44 (0) 1573 450 733

M: +44 (0) 7968 599 840

E: caroline.nelson4@btinternet.com

North East Scotland

Chairman: Melvin Stuart

Milltown of Birness, Ellon, Aberdeenshire AB41 8EJ

M: +44 (0) 7803 186746

E: Birness@yahoo.co.uk

Secretary: Evelyn Young

Muirton, Alford, Aberdeenshire, AB33 8JN

M: +44 (0) 7831 154 918

E: sufftex@yahoo.co.uk

Tayside

Chairman: Alan Sands

Southfield Farm, Abernyte, Perth & Kinross, PH14 9RB

T: +44 (0) 7833446385

E: alan.sands@hotmail.co.uk

Secretary: Kirsty Sands

Southfield Farm, Abernyte, Perth & Kinross, PH14 9RB

T: +44 (0) 7939 242 213

E: taysidesuffolkclub@gmail.com

West & Central Scotland (Dumfries & Galloway, Strathclyde, Central)

Chairman: David Gilmour

Broomknowes, Maybole, Ayrshire, KA19 8HF

T: +44 (0) 1655 883 184 M: +44 (0) 7779 536 607

E: davidwmg@aol.com

Secretary: Paula Reid

Calfpark, Mouswald, Dumfries & Galloway, DG1 4QB

T: +44 (0) 1387 830 250 M: +44 (0) 7743 267 484

E: paulareid1968@gmail.com

Europe

Flanders Club

Chairman: Peter Frijters

T: 0032 1465 5784 M: 0032 4968 77138

E: peter-frijters@skynet.be

Breeding Advertisers

Show season coming to an end

Christmas and New Year has come and gone, the 2022 sheep season is coming to an end, now we look forward to the new season.

The show season started in Northern Ireland at Balmoral and Dennis Taylor won with a yearling ewe out of some very strong classes with Dennis also taking reserve with his yearling ram. After the show, my wife Bridget together with

Smooth transition

Barrie Turner, chief executive and breed secretary

Chris and Di Holmes travelled by ferry to Cairnryan, then an enjoyable trip home.

In June we had a very hot Three Counties Show day where Dafydd G Jones had a successful day, taking the Championship with an outstanding yearling ewe and also taking reserve with a ram lamb. Chris and Sally Homes had a good show with second prize ram lamb, second and third ewe lambs together with third yearling ewe and first prize pair.

The Highland Show is always something to look forward to, always a lot of good sheep, with some very good sheep returning to the pens. Finn Christie had Champion with a yearling ewe and Stewart Craft’s aged ewe Reserve.

The Great Yorkshire Show saw Gordon Troup choose another yearling ewe as Champion and Keith Denby’s ram lamb reserve. After the judging there was a very enjoyable get together and refreshments.

As we move onto the Royal Welsh, which was right in the middle of the heatwave, it was a credit to all exhibitors for turning out. An afternoon showing right in the heat of the day was tough for everyone, but the stock was very good quality. Dafydd G Jones had his yearling ewe on form, taking Championship and then also the Interbreed Championship, well done!

The ram sales at Lanark, Shrewsbury, Ballymena and Carlisle were a great success, especially the rams that were fitting the bill of the modern type with good colour and fleshing.

As the Suffolk is quick growing and able to produce early fat lambs and also a female breeder on the mule ewe, it is important that we produce the right type.

The autumn female sales have been on fire, there seems to be more interest in them than the ram sales.

In October I had the honour to judge the Western Area flock competition. During the week, travelling from Mid Wales to Redruth to Dorset, Bristol and Shropshire but it was in Devon where I found my Champion, the Mogford flock. Aimee and Tom had a very good level flock of ewes and ewe lambs and their Mogford Ronnie ram lamb was the icing on the cake. I should like to thank everyone for their time and hospitality.

As I write the report, the Suffolk lambing is well under way. I should like to thank Robin and Anna and all the office staff for their help in making my year enjoyable.

Well, here we go with the first report for the Yearbook 2023 from the new CEO of the Suffolk Sheep Society having been appointed CEO designate in August 2022. Since joining I have had the great pleasure and luxury of working with Robin McIlrath who has managed the transfer of information, administrative tasks, and everything that I need to know about the Society and how it works. I have very much enjoyed working through the process with Robin and I, as I am sure all of you do, wish him well with his future endeavours. There was a little discomfort from certain quarters about having two CEOs in place at the same time but I would like to reassure you that this has been of exceptional value in the smooth transition of the post, and has also created the space to give me the opportunity to focus on developing a strategy and direction that I feel the Society needs to go down in the form of a ten year plan.

We are very fortunate to have three excellent members of staff too, Anna, Margo and Gill go about their business in an organised and well-mannered way dealing with many different tasks and intricacies of a breed society. Having them with me and all the experience that they bring is an asset to you as members of the Society. The skill set required is a unique one and not to be taken lightly, as knowing your way around the system to resolve problems is very bespoke to our organisation and I thank them for accepting me and my relentless questions, to the office staff.

The bare bones of a few ideas were put to council at the Zoom meeting in October 2022 and it was deemed appropriate for me to hang some flesh on the bones of the plan to be presented at a workshop prior to the face-to-face Council meeting in Edinburgh on 5th December 2022, following which, unanimous support was given to the proposed strategy. This included a further breakdown of the ten year plan, with more detail of the actions and benchmarks over the first five years of the plan with the view that we needed to add value to being a member of the Society. This has now gone to budget stage and following approval we will start to roll out the new direction in 2023. I want to assure you all that the Society as it is today will not be affected in any way and the services and support that the staff and office provide to you all currently will not be compromised, but on the contrary, we should be able to enhance the functionality of the Society for the benefit of every member. How I see it, and Council have approved this, is the key to a secure financial future for the Society and the membership. Some further details of the planned pathway are covered later on in this publication and I hope that you join Council and myself in support of some new initiatives as we move through 2023 and beyond.

The Show season returned in full flow throughout last year,

with good turnouts of Suffolks at all the shows around the countries that come under our jurisdiction, and I give my thanks to all who exhibit at the Shows, flying the flag for the breed. The cost of showing is not insignificant in both monetary cost and the time taken out of the everyday busy lives on farms where without exception I am sure that a few days of catch up are required upon the return to base!

Sale reports as always are included in the Yearbook, and it has throughout the year been a succession of positivity around the sale rings. Suffolks are in the ascendancy again this year and it does reflect in the activity of both pedigree buyers and commercial buyers at the latter end of the sale season. Clearance rates have been good at all levels and averages have been above last year with market forces dictating that demand is outstripping supply, always a good situation and we will do all within our power to keep that trend going.

My appointment to date has given me a great deal of pleasure and meeting many of you throughout my short time in post has been a big part of that. Listening to what we do right and where we perhaps could adjust the things we do and how we do them. We do need to evolve what we do in an everchanging marketplace that alters it’s demand and we need to listen very carefully to what the supply chain beyond the farm gate is asking for and make sure that we are supplying sheep to the marketplace that fit as many of the consumer demand criteria as possible to safeguard the future.

You will hear when I speak to any of you, I have two phrases that I use consistently one is “behind the farm gate” and the other is “beyond the farm gate” both are very important areas. As we go through 2023 you will hear the phrase “Suffolk Advantage” added to the above two. Today’s environment requires giving people a reason to buy, developing a story around why they should and if the story developed, backed with data, can be told then it does create a very compelling picture which is difficult to walk away from.

The sheep that we all breed we take for granted, but I have come into the Society with fresh eyes and very limited sheep knowledge but that is growing daily, and it is my intention to use the knowledge that you all take for granted and develop the Suffolk Advantage for all parts of the supply chain. The story is there, it just needs to be told.

I believe that we are on a mission, and every mission needs a statement that sums it up in one sentence and our mission is to grow the prevalence of Suffolk sheep in the UK pedigree and commercial marketplace for the benefit of all concerned.

I am very much looking forward to rolling the plan out and working and meeting with you all as we work through the next period, my promise to you is that it will be a very exciting and rewarding time to be a member of the Suffolk Sheep Society.

I hope that you enjoy the Yearbook this year!

Suffolk is the breed to make money

Firstly, I would like to say that our new CEO, Barrie Turner, has settled in well following Robin’s retirement at Christmas. We were fortunate to have a five month changeover between both of them that was invaluable in ensuring a smooth handover. Once again, I would like to thank Robin for all he has done for the society in the six years he was at the helm. I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of him. I would also like to thank Katie Allen for all she has done working for us and wish her well for the future. We welcome Gill Farmer as her replacement, who has fitted in well as a valued member of the office team.

Barrie joins us having been a previous CEO of the Aberdeen Angus Society as well as having a background in marketing. So, he understands breed societies and has plenty of ideas going forward, some he has shared with a number of us already.

Commercially, the butchers lamb trade has remained pretty good, still well above where we were two years ago. But it’s been harder going following the hot summer in getting lambs to finish and expensive feed has been needed to do it in many cases. The export market to the EU remains a key driver in keeping prices up; while imports decreased for most of the year which also helped. Getting lambs to finish quickly off grass is key to making money and the Suffolk is certainly the breed to do that for our commercial customers, especially when we see the hogg price dropped in January. All the Suffolks have been gone a while ago! We now seem to face new challenges, especially with regards to the environment, sustainability and CO2 emissions. Sheep that finish off grass ticks all of those boxes and we can certainly grow it here. In time we will only see more pressure groups becoming active, we must make sure that they know the red meat we produce in the British Isles is mostly grass fed and has a better carbon footprint and is better for the environment than most from around the world. Finally, two years ago, I did say I would only take on the Chairman’s role for a short time, having already been in the position between 2008-2014, so, I will be stepping down at the next AGM in April. So, I would like to thank Council, staff and the membership for their support during my time in the chair.

Meet the office team

Office Administrator

Anna McCullough

T: +44 (0) 28 2563 2342

E: annamccullough@suffolksheep.org

In work role:

• General enquiries

(Monday – Friday)

• Accounts

• Grassroots administration

• Purchase ledgers

• Debt management

• Council support

Out of work:

My main hobbies are reading, writing children’s stories (still aiming to get published soon – see last year’s Yearbook), and walking, I moved house to the countryside in the last year so still adjusting to change in lifestyle.

Office Administrator

Margo Fenton

T: +44 (0) 28 2563 2342

E: margofenton@suffolksheep.org

In work role:

• General enquiries (Monday – Wednesday)

• New members

• Ram registrations

Out of work:

I am a busy mum of two young children so when I’m not at work I am usually at the park or tidying toys! I enjoy eating out, shopping, and trips to the beach.

Office Administrator

Gill Farmer

T: +44 (0) 28 2563 2342

E: gillfarmer@suffolksheep.org

In work role:

• General enquiries (Wednesday – Friday)

• Publications: Yearbook, Summer Suffolks and Flock Book

• Social media and advertising

Out of work:

I’m a farmer by name and by nature since marrying Jonny so I’m kept busy being a farmer’s wife and mum to Ruby. I love spending time with my family and friends, don’t mind what we do, as long as it’s together. I enjoy baking, cooking and drinking a good strong cup of tea.

Meet the new CEO

CEO and Breed Secretary

T: +44 (0) 28 2563 2342 E: barrieturner@suffolksheep.org

For those of you whom I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting, it feels appropriate to just offer a brief introduction to myself as I’ve taken over the role of CEO from Robin McIlrath as Chief Executive and Breed Secretary of the Society.

I come from a farming background on my mother’s side of the family who were generally based in the Borders of Scotland. As a child I frequently visited the Borders of Scotland, a change from the city life in Glasgow where I was brought up. I stayed with relatives and

this instilled in me from an early age that farming was where I wanted to be. A move to Leeds in Yorkshire didn’t deter me and after schooling I went to Askham Bryan College of Agriculture to complete an OND in Agriculture. I then set off on my farming career, starting with a four year spell on farms gaining practical experience in dairy, broilers and pigs which led me to take up an appointment with an animal feed company as a trainee representative. This was a career that led me into various facets of the agricultural service industry including livestock marketing, breeding stock and genetics and a return to the feed industry as Sales Director working for an East Yorkshire farmer-owned feed business. Changes in feed industry legislation at the time meant we had to make some changes in our multi species activities, and we specialised in pig feed as that was our biggest tonnage.

The pig industry took a turn for the worst in the lead up to the millennium that prompted me to head in a different direction and I entered the food industry, still related to agriculture but once removed as it were. I began two separate stints at a bakery, one on business-to-business food service and the second to launch a branded product into retail and then as International Sales Manager for a snack company. We as a family started a catering business and developed a three-site business consisting of a restaurant, a bar and restaurant on a golf course and a gastro pub.

Following an 18-year stint in the food industry, I decided that it was a young person’s game and looked for a return to agriculture. After due process I was

appointed CEO of the Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society. Following a four-and-ahalf-year tenure and a good grounding on how Breed Societies work, I was appointed in August 2022, again after due process, to work through a handover period as CEO designate of the Suffolk Sheep Society with my predecessor Robin McIlrath, who had stated his intentions to retire at the end of 2022. This handover period was invaluable as it gave me the space to look at where we currently are as a Society and also develop and present some new thinking to Council as to how we could perhaps look at the future differently.

With my previous experience of working for a Breed Society, the mechanics of taking over from Robin and the fiscal and financial side was already known to me, so it let us focus on the knowledge exchange of the Suffolk world, and the intricacies of the Society.

I must thank Robin for his time and patience in introducing me to the Suffolk world and for the very warm welcome that the staff, Anna, Margo, and Gill have afforded me. The assistance that their combined experience gives to the Society, me and the Membership again is invaluable and would be very hard to replace.

Over the latter part of 2022, in conjunction with Council, we have developed and accepted the framework of a ten-year plan with more detail of the actions and outcomes in the first five years that will develop into a very robust and sustainable future for the Society and putting the breed back to first choice for commercial producers.

We are already going in the right direction and we need to keep that momentum going. Giving the marketing a boost in a slightly different direction and leaving no stone unturned will ensure that the advantage of using Suffolk Genetics leaves no one in any doubt that it is the right choice!

I look forward to meeting more of you at the various Shows, Sales and events throughout 2023 and communicating the progress of the new initiatives held within our ten-year plan.

Office team

Chief Executive

Barrie Turner

T: +44 (0) 28 2563 2342

E: barrieturner@suffolksheep.org

Office Administrator

Anna McCullough

T: +44 (0) 28 2563 2342

E: annamccullough@suffolksheep.org

Office Administrator

Margo Fenton (Mon, Tues & Wed)

T: +44 (0) 28 2563 2342

E: margofenton@suffolksheep.org

Office Administrator

Gill Farmer

T: +44 (0) 28 2563 2342

E:gillfarmer@suffolksheep.org

Accountant Dafferns LLP

One Eastwood, Harry Weston Road, Binley Business Park, Coventry, CV3 2UB

Please send all written correspondence to:

The Suffolk Sheep Society

62 Fenaghy Road

Ballymena, Co. Antrim

Northern Ireland BT42 1FL

In desperate need of new lines

artificial breeding services

In January 2020 the UK including Northern Ireland left the EU and had the impact of this been really understood and communicated by the political figures who were pro and against it, perhaps it should not have happened. The impact on trade in the UK in general has been huge but to agricultural trade effectively a whole market, on our doorstep was lost. The complexities added to by the situation in Ireland effectively making Northern Ireland part of the EU, but not really part of the EU!

All as it stands now, we are unable to trade pedigree livestock into the EU because of the lack of Border Control Points (BCP) despite several attempts by private individuals and organisations it seems that we are unable to progress this matter. This has unfortunately led to the breakdown of a great deal of long-standing relationships with Suffolk breeders in the EU who regularly came to sales and bought privately from the UK. Two years have passed and the message from the breeders in the EU is that they are now in desperate need of new sire and dam lines and their favoured shopping ground is the UK.

There is a route that is long convoluted and very expensive through Ireland, but it does put pressure on the commerciality of doing so. Please be assured that continual pressure is still being maintained by breed societies and their respective representative bodies to keep the process moving along to fruition but it’s a slow process with little light at the end of the tunnel.

Despite Great Britain leaving the EU and single market altering the dynamics in agriculture on both sides of the wire, both sides of that wire are aligned with their ambitions for the next five to seven years to make agriculture, more sustainable, eco friendly, and resilient. The British Agricultu Plan is geared to reward farmers who adopt environmental practices as we move away from the direct payments that the industry has been used to, to artificially keep food prices low. We are a flock book that is recognised and approved with the EU so as a Society we have done all we can and need to do to keep the EU market for Suffolk sheep open. This has not been an easy task but we will keep the pressure on and keep you posted with updates as to progress made to reopen the commercial trading with our many breeders in the EU.

Back to basics

Iam long enough in the tooth to see that many industries change over time, management changes, new directions and products are introduced, many of which are get rich quick items that have a limited place in the market before they disappear to be replaced with other products bigger and better than the last. The principles of agriculture and agricultural resource management don’t change much and in general it comes back to the soil in some way shape or form.

I have had the privilege of living in Lincolnshire and working on the east coast of Yorkshire for the greatest part of my life. I have worked with many aspects of industry and even outside of agriculture; the bakery business depended on good wheat to make bread, the pasta and snacks business relied on potatoes as well as wheat all with a connection back to the soil.

In Lincolnshire there are huge swathes of cropping large acreages of flat land which have seen livestock disappear

over time, but now the wheel is turning again, and we are seeing sheep return to the flat lands. The benefits of the golden hoof are being re-evaluated and grazing sheep are helping to beat the scourge of blackgrass, a weed that cannot be controlled by chemicals, but only by grazing it out.

Many moons ago, when I went through Agricultural College at Askham Bryan in York, I remember vividly the crop rotations that were recommended then and with many mixed farms two years grass in a six-year rotation gave untold and in the main unmeasured benefits to the subsequent cropping. On a visit to Uruguay in 2019, where research funding is centralised by government, I visited a research station where a project had been running for 53 years investigating how to look after the soil and maximise production from that resource.

The visit to the trial plots of crop rotation was first on the list and a fascinating trial to show the effects of long-term

cropping as opposed to strict crop rotation that had been running for 53 years was very interesting to say the least.

There were, as demonstrated by the board on the photograph, seven main trials. The top two plots are continual cropping, plots 3 and 5 have three year cropping and three year pasture, while plot 4 has an extra pasture in the six year rotation. Plot 6, is again, continual cropping and the final plot 7 has one-year grass followed by two years cropping.

The results from this showed that continuous cropping drained the soil and destroyed the structure and balance of nutrients, the introduction of pasture as a break crop showed extra benefits. The one drawback with the experiment was that the pastures as a break crop were all cut and preserved and not grazed but this was for measurement and consistency of yields under each regime.

The results of this trial over time have been that the Uruguayan government have made it compulsory to have a rotation of cropping and grass to preserve the values of the soil and the soil structure. This maximises output from the very low inputs that are adopted and keeps the need to spray and manage cropping to a minimum. The cropping in no particular order were, red and white clover, maize, sorghum, wheat, barley, rice, soya bean and a pasture mix including clovers.

This was a basic requirement when I was at college, and the back-to-basics cycle has now restarted as I am seeing in Lincolnshire. The basic problem is that humans cannot

process and survive on grass, you need to be a ruminant to do that, so cattle and sheep are the main options producing a very high-quality, healthy protein that humans as natural omnivores can eat, coming from an energy protein and carbon store that humans can’t eat! They also have a massive part to play in the preservation of the soil and soil structure that can help to maximise outputs from any crop that you can think of.

The same principle can be applied to the sheep industry in some respects, all our traditional British breeds are selected and bred to produce meat from grass. They don’t need hard feed to finish, which utilises land that can grow food for us humans and let’s not forget that 70% of the land available to agriculture in the UK cannot be cultivated and is only suited to grazing. Growing cereals to feed livestock is not great use of the remaining 30% available land.

You may be asking what is the point of all the above? Our membership produce Suffolk sheep, the best terminal sire on so many counts that there is for converting grass into meat. We will prove that beyond any doubt in the next couple of years, with figures and data to demonstrate unequivocally that Suffolk sheep are the number one. We will develop the “Suffolk Advantage” into such a compelling story at every level of the supply chain, from producer to consumer, that not only is it good to eat, it’s environmentally friendly and it’s good for you. Grass fed lamb and Suffolk sired lamb has a huge place in the sheep industry in the next period as we get back to basics.

The voice for the UK sheep sector

The National Sheep Association (NSA) represents the views and interests of all sheep producers throughout the UK and strives for a sustainable and prosperous sheep industry. Through its work the association helps to support the sector in maintaining its reputation as a world leader in terms of agricultural standards and high flock health. NSA welcomes the many reports and studies that highlight this and works extensively to promote the standards that are upheld by UK sheep farmers to the wider society.

NSA welcomes flock health planning as an essential method on farm for improved animal health and welfare and would encourage all sheep farmers to actively engage in communication with vets and advisors as a positive step towards a more sustainable sheep sector.

Agricultural support is shifting away from direct payments for the amount of land individual farmers manage, towards environment and sustainability focused payments. Supporting farmers to improve and increase their environmental work, while remaining prosperous and productive, is therefore a strong focus for NSA. The association is working hard in this area encouraging governments to support sustainable farming and also

through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway and other aspects of the Agricultural Transition Plan. NSA is also highly active in informing policy decisions through consultation and by working with DEFRA and the devolved nations, other Government departments, nongovernmental organisations and industry bodies. The association takes an active role in cross-industry groups covering, but not limited to, trade, production, health and welfare, traceability, and disease control and it’s response as being the voice of the sheep sector.

NSA promotes the importance of the health of the national flock and would encourage farmers across the country to look at strategies to implement preventative measures to ensure a healthy, productive flock leading to a profitable business.

NSA’s voice is only as strong as its members, and NSA would like to thank every member for their continued support. NSA is pleased to continue its relationship working with the Suffolk Sheep society and would encourage any non members to support NSA’s activity by becoming a member today. As an NSA member you would be kept up to date with technical information and good practice techniques to improve the health of your flock as well as receiving a whole host of additional benefits that includes free entry to NSA regional events taking place this year such as NSA Welsh Sheep, NSA North Sheep and NSA Sheep South West.

To find out more about NSA membership and its extensive membership benefits please visit www.nationalsheep.org.uk/membership

Easy check for line breeding

Asimple way of monitoring breeding activity within your flock and a tool to help with new sire investments.

Line breeding can have positive or negative effects on your flock and it is important that this is managed carefully to get the best from your flock. Our Grassroots software has now a function which we have added to our suite of software called “Checkmate” This is now available to all members as a visual guide to pedigrees rather than a complex coefficient figure. The programme is quick and easy to use and we have added this tool to help with sire selection and avoid any dangers that may arise through inbreeding between families in the flock.

Check Mate

Check Mate is a simple system developed in conjunction with the British Pig Association to help members avoid mating closely related animals. If your breed society has enabled this tool, the option will appear in the Manage My Animals Menu (top right of the Online Registry screens)

• Click on the box to select the male

• Type in part of the name or number and click on the correct male in the list offered.

• Click on the box to select one of your females Type in part of the name or number and click on the correct female in the list offered.

A ‘what if’ pedigree will be displayed for the prospective offspring. Any common ancestors will appear in colour with the simple instructions:

• If the common ancestor first appears as a parent or grandparent, it will be in orange

• If the common ancestor first appears as a great grandparent, it will be in yellow

• If the common ancestor first appears as a great great grandparent, it will be in green.

The more colour in the pedigree the more common ancestors and the higher the risk. This is an example showing that the two animals selected had the same sire. For more detailed advice or a full kinship analysis please contact your breed registry.

Kinship

Grassroots have provided tools to enable Breed Societies to do full Kinship Analysis for many years. This is done in the Office System and creates a standard report helping members to understand when animals are too closely related to be used for breeding. The kinship analysis is a probability calculation and can be skewed where pedigrees are incomplete or of different lengths. There is also no absolute number above or below which it is safe to breed. The standard Grassroots Kinship report explains this and makes comparison with the mean inbreeding coefficient for the current live population. However, this can also be skewed in breeds who do or do not record all deaths. These are the reasons Grassroots have never made Kinship analysis an Online Option, but rather encouraged members to ask for an analysis via their breed registry, who are familiar with their own breed data.

Rowntree Ivan Z1588 (UK723254/40)

Stickler Garth Z1412 (UK133133/322)

Rose Hill Z1372 (UK283214/76)

Stickler Eric Z1338 (UK133133/197)

The Lenches Molly Z1197

Windy Hill Brennen Z1298 (UK100111/15)

Tipping Evanton Z1303 (UK263110/56)

Hazelwood Alan Z1673 (UK0286442/00030)

Rowntree Kim Z1638 (UK0723254/00005)

No data available

Upper Grey Poppy Z1530 (UK513823/68)

Stickler Garth Z1412 (UK133133/322)

Waltz Z1214

Added by Check data routine Z1567

Rowntree Ivy Z1556 (UK723254/38)

Stickler Eric Z1338 (UK133133/197)

The Lenches Molly Z1197

Waltz Z1200

Waltz Z1184

No data available

Upper Grey Hamish Z1466 (UK513823/13)

Rose Hill Z1370 (UK283214/74)

Tipping Adam Z1218

Waltz Z1201

Bannoch Z1141 (UK343434/1282)

Bannoch Z1161 (UK343434/1372)

Waltz Z1192

Waltz Z1182

JKL RAM

JKL EWE

AI in a remote location

From a simple enquiry to the office, a wonderful story emerged.

Aike Norte. In addition, John wrote a book cataloguing the history of the family journey in Patagonia – which is available on Amazon – and received an OBE for services to the British community in Patagonia.

Estancia Killik-Aike Norte, is situated on the Rio Gallegos in Santa Cruz province and possibly unless anyone can let us know any different the most southerly flock of pedigree Suffolk sheep in the world! This area is a long way away from the Pampas in both size of enterprise and distance to travel across this vast territory.

In this region the family see themselves as a small family enterprise shearing 10,000 sheep! Which is considered a “standard” family farm in Argentine terms. The main flock is the dual-purpose wool and meat breed, Cormo Argentino breed developed to perform well in the terrain and to produce both apparel-quality wool and meat for the local lamb market.

The Society was contacted recently with an enquiry about Suffolk sheep AI availability for export to Argentina so as always, we responded and put the links in the chain together to see if this could be facilitated. It prompted us to make further enquiries as to the purpose of the need for AI in a remote location as Patagonia and the story below unfolded.

There is a huge AI scene in the Pampas region of Argentina, with Hereford, Aberdeen Angus and several other cattle breeds involved at large scale. AI is also significant in horse breeding, and the Polo industry is unparalleled in applying both AI and cloning technology, although it is usually kept well under wraps. However, this enquiry from remote southern Patagonia prompted us to look into the origin of the farm there, and a wonderful story unfolded. Robert Blake senior was born in Somerset, and in 1873 went to the Falklands where he learned about Patagonian sheep farming. He established a farm at Hill Cove on East Falkland and then expanded the business to the continent, landing on the coast with 300 sheep and founding, in partnership, Estancia

Coronel which grew to 175,000 hectares and 110,000 shearing sheep.

The running of the Estancia was taken over by his son Robert junior who modernised it introducing mechanical shears, hydraulic wool press and improved the infrastructure and passed the management of the farm onto his brother Arthur Locke Blake in 1928. Arthur’s son John, who had grown up on Estancia Coronel,

spent a lifetime sheep-farming on the Falklands, on Coronel, and for 35 years managed Estancia Condor, a 200,000 hectare farm at the very southern tip of mainland Patagonia, shearing 110,000 sheep. There, he developed the Cormo Argentino breed, a dual-purpose breed for meat and wool. Estancia Coronel was subsequently sold, and John retired to the current holding which remains in the family, Estancia Killik

Also within the enterprise is a small flock of 150 Suffolks purely kept for the early lamb trade, that is a premium market with premium prices for the first new season lamb of the year.

The Suffolk flock lamb in early October, so the target is to get lambs ready and finished to meat the local Christmas and New Year BBQ market. In January prices fall away drastically and the Suffolks do the job for this market extremely well and without too much difficulty.

Its good to know that the Suffolk advantage of fast growth into a topquality finished carcass is recognised and are selected to meet early lamb markets as the race for the most favourable prices of the year gets underway in other parts of the world.

Sheep farmers around the world face different and interesting challenges; ones faced in this region are predatory foxes and feral dogs; to overcome this the services of Maremma sheepdogs are employed to protect the flock from attack.

The sheepdog is effectively part of the flock and lives with them out in the fields seeing off any likely threat.

Rio Gallegos, Santa Cruz, Argentina

This may well be the world’s southern-most flock of Suffolks but please contact us if you know different.

Developing the Suffolk storyboard

The industry often gets a bad press and there are things that we can do to make our industry more climate change friendly. Research is all about Carbon Footprints, and Green House Gas emissions calculators using complex algorithms and computer programmes that are being developed. But are we making a very complex process out of something that is really very simple?

The Suffolk breed, whether pure or used as a terminal sire, has been bred to thrive on low input systems producing very good quality meat from grass, quickly and very efficiently. As a traditional British breed, it was bred to do that in a farming system, management and climate that suits the UK and no need to hard feed lambs to give a very useable carcass with well distributed flesh.

As proven by the Ulster University Sensory Tasting Exercise from 2018 it provides enhanced taste flavour and tenderness over our competitors. The Suffolk Cross Lamb was chosen as the preferred choice by 70% of the sample (See Figure 1).

This is one of the most important factors and possibly the most important piece of research that the Society has embarked on in recent years, the graph speaks volumes and is a huge advantage that the Suffolk breed has over their continental cousins!

Given this, what restrains us from developing further and becoming first choice terminal sire? The answer is the EUROP grading system, introduced to standardise the sheep and beef industry on shape weight and fat cover. Having been the preferred method of grading now in the UK meat industry for some 40 years there is a

whole generation that know nothing else. EUROP grading does not consider the key factor in repeat purchase of meat – that it must taste good – a bad experience eating lamb and that person will not “risk” it again for 12 weeks. I use the word “risk” carefully as that is exactly what a meat purchase is. With 95 breeds of sheep being registered as pedigree in the UK as well as the latest trend in cross bred sires how can we possibly have a product that is consistent and tastes good every purchase.

How can we produce a product that is consistent through the supply chain with such a variable product behind the farm gate? When compared with poultry and pig meat, consistency has been their aim which promotes repeat purchase.

The cattle industry in the form of dairy beef is now heading in the same direction, so we as a sheep industry need to learn from the experience

of other sectors and look to make the product more consistent. The less breeds there are offering lamb to the market the more consistent the product will be, and we need to ensure that Suffolk has a place in that consolidation.

If, as the story goes, the consumers are looking to cut down on their meat consumption but eat better meat, then we need to change the way that carcasses are graded with more of a consideration on eating quality. We have a golden nugget in the research that we have done that says Suffolk Sired lamb stands out in a blind taste test and that coupled with other industry data and research, this will enable us to create a “Suffolk Advantage” that we can use in our marketing as we move through 2023 to encourage more commercial sheep farmers to use the Suffolk genetics, that you are producing, in their systems.

AHDB are very much focussed on consumer needs and wants, they translate their research into areas that each sector needs to listen to and then respond to the key points of their findings.

Building a story behind the Suffolk breed that ticks as many of the boxes that will draw consumers to invest in this product, will be the key to a sound future for our breed. Creating that story and backing any

claims we make with data, will be the focus of the next 12 months. This work started in earnest in January this year and we look forward to keeping you updated on progress throughout the year.

Strathbogie Simba Much admired

Strathbogie Simba Much admired

2,300gns purchase National Sale 2022

2,300gns purchase National Sale 2022

Sires Used 20

Redbrae Lynx lambs to 5,000gn

lambs 5,

Harpercroft Bullion la mbs to 2,400gn

Highdrum Cannon purchased Carlisle 2 02

Westcarse TVR V purchased Carlisle 202 0

Bridgeview Capri sired by Salopian Scuder

Howgillfoot (pending) joint purchase Carlisle

1,400gns

The Suffolk advantage

In the UK we have a huge number of pedigree and recognised sheep breeds, at the last count there were over 100 recognised by the National Sheep Association, but if we look back a little prior to the Europe grid system of grading there were not as many.

All the traditional sheep breeds that were indigenous to the UK had names allocated to them based on the region that they were bred in, so Welsh mountain, Wensleydale, Hampshire, Dorset horn and the Suffolk. Traditional British breeds for centuries have been bred and selected for the environment and resistance to all challenges that they were faced with. Those shepherds that looked after those breeds selected the strongest, best performing sheep that were resistant to the environment management and nutrition available to them.

The Suffolk is no different to this, with the exception being that the Suffolk Breed spread countrywide and was selected in the same manner for decades as the breed proliferated in the UK. The sheep thrived in the differing conditions and management systems around the country.

The Suffolk sheep were formerly the first choice for delivery of good quality tasty lamb finished under a multitude of conditions and that principle still stands today.

As a resource we thought that it would be a good idea to pool all the thoughts and comments from the current producers using Suffolk genetics and bring together all the benefits that a Suffolk lamb can bring to the table.

Growth rate

Without exception everyone reports fast growing sheep from milk and grass and very quick to onward sale, this attribute can be put down to several things that breeders have selected for over the years. Speed of growth

minimises risk of things going wrong and exposure to any risk impacts efficient growth and ultimately is good for the planet!

The less time an animal spends growing, the lower the greenhouse gas emissions are as well as costing less to get to sale weight. As no hard feed is required and the meat is being produced from grass, the CO2 and Greenhouse Gas Emissions footprint per kilo of meat produced is as low as it can possibly be. Grass in the early season is high in nutrient value, and unlike later in the grazing season, it contains lower fibre levels reducing the need for extra rumen activity which heightens emissions of greenhouse gasses.

Premium early season markets

Suffolk sired progeny reach sale weight first of any, we feature greatly in the early season premium market with

essential to this natural need. Resistance to foot problems and a sound skeletal structure assist greatly with this function. The fact that Suffolk sired sheep grow fast on clean spring pasture, regenerating and growing quickly helps prevent veterinary intervention for foot problems.

Body capacity and frame

The large body capacity means that Suffolk sheep can take in large amounts of low-quality feed (grass) and convert it into protein as well as energy to live. This appetite is a key factor giving the Suffolk and their progeny a huge advantage over many other sheep breeds.

Meat quality

We can say all of the above and it’s all good news but the proof of the pudding is in the hands of the end consumer. We can do all we can to promote healthy sheep that grow efficiently but if the consumer does not like what we are

producing then we are not in a good place. In a taste test conducted by Ulster University professional taste panel, 7 out of 10 people chose Suffolk cross as their first choice for taste and tenderness against our major competitors, that’s very significant. The results speak volumes!

Following on the professional taste panel were asked to score each attribute that contributed to their overall view and Suffolk Cross lamb response came out top across the sensory attributes confirming with statistically significant difference their choice of the best.

Carcass quality

When crossed with any of the traditional maternal breeds the carcass quality that is produced using Suffolk sires yields a very consistent size and shape of sheep, every time. That consistency is very much in demand by the retailers to be able to have a consistent product in pack and

therefore consistent weight and price of pack to present to their customers.

Grass fed lamb

The ability for the Suffolk sired lamb to finish off early spring grass delivers benefits, from the types of fats that are deposited in the meat it produces, also amino acids, vitamins and minerals that the meat produced contains in high levels.

To sum up as we are seeing in other red meat sectors Traditional British breeds are reasserting themselves in the hunt for efficient animals who can turn grass, which humans can’t eat into a protein that is very healthy as part of an omnivores diet. That efficiency is also very good for the planet but fast growing off carbon sequestering grass must be the best that you can get, not only that but it tastes good and is good for health and wellbeing, as part of a balanced diet. British Suffolk lamb, no matter how you look at it is the way ahead.

none available to feature the traditional end of year shows.

Health challenges

As the Suffolk sheep has evolved it has been selected for natural resistance to health challenges that affect sheep in the UK, this contributes to the phenomenal growth rate achieved by both pedigree and commercially sired lambs. This “Hardiness” makes them less likely to become ill. The need for treatment of health challenges is reduced with less need for antibiotic use, veterinary intervention and unnecessary handling making management of the flock less challenging.

Feet and legs

The basic requirement of a grazing animal is that it must move around easily to select the best grass that is available, strong legs and feet are

Premier Export Show & Sale, Ballymena

15th - 16th July 2022

Sponsor: Danske Bank | Judge: G Killilea,

TOP PRICES: 10,000gns

Carragh Flock

Premier Export Sale ram lamb averages were £1,458 with a 72% clearance

TOP PRICES

Lot No Flock Price (gns) Purchaser

105 BLACKBRAE 10,000 S O’Keeffe (Co. Cork)

160 LIMESTONE 10,000 B Dickson (Co. Down)

203 CLYDA 10,000 P Lynch (Co. Louth)

Black Label LOT 105 E35:22:00885

102 BESSIEBELL 9,500 Elliot (Kelso)

169 BURNVIEW 9,000 DS & D McKay (Co. Antrim)

204 CLYDA 6,800 Molloy

158 LIMESTONE 5,500 S Lowry

164 DONBRAID 5,000 B Doyle

117 ISLANDMOYLE 4,600 McKay

Class 1 Ewe lamb

1st S & J McCloskey

LOT 14 WFF:22:00721 by Shannagh Top Gun II

2nd C & J Campbell

LOT 6 8B:22:02442 by Garvan Cracker

3rd I Donald

LOT 9 KSX:22:00550 by Strathbogie Joel

Class 2 Shearling ewe

1st RC & JC Watson

LOT 16 8B:21:02215 by Middlemuir commander

2nd P McVerry

LOT 17 PDH:21:00603 by Mullinvale Munro

3rd P Kennedy

LOT 24 NLP:21:00610 by Limestone Legacy

UTZ:21:00130

Howgillfoot Batman LOT 160 KPC:22:01955 GRAND DAM BYD:16:01831 DAM BYD:19:02151

Supreme Champion and Male Champion

M Priestley

LOT 160 KPC:22:01955 by Howgillfoot Batman

Reserve Champion and Reserve Male Champion

R A S Barclay

LOT 105 E35:22:00885 by Blackbrae Black Label

SIRE

TDL:21:03078

Ballinatone BT Buddy LOT 203 BYD:22:02672

Female Champion

RC & JC Watson LOT 16 8B:21:02215 by Middlemuir commander

Reserve Female Champion

S&J McCloskey LOT 14 WFF:22:00721 by Shannagh Top Gun II

Class 3 Shearling Ram

1st A Moses

LOT 29 UJL:21:00815 by Ballyboe Buster

2nd M Priestley

LOT 30 KPC:21:01767 by Birness Warrior

3rd N Robinson

LOT 32 73A:21:01727 by Cairness Cyclone

Class 4 Commercial Gigot Ram Lamb

1st D Taylor

LOT 136 KKW:22:01847 by Crewelands Red Bull

2nd S & W Tait

LOT 179 T86:22:01603 by Bridgeview Boots

3rd P McVerry

LOT 189 PDH:22:00757 by Duncan’s Double O Seven

Class 5 Novice Cup

1st S O’Keeffe

LOT 203 BYD:22:02672 by Ballinatone BT Buddy

2nd R Thompson

LOT 79 TDL:22:03160 by Ballinatone Showstopper

3rd A Wilson

LOT 155 DDX:22:01304 by Forkins McCoy

Class 6 Ram Lamb

1st M Priestley

LOT 160 KPC:22:01955 by Howgillfoot Batman

2nd R A S Barclay

LOT 105 E35:22:00885 by Blackbrae Black Label

3rd I Donald

LOT 164 KSX:22:00555 by Strathbogie Joel

Class 7 Group of Three

1st S&W Tait

LOT 170 T86:22:01598 by Strathbogie Joel,

LOT 172 T86:22:01625 by Bridgeview Boots

LOT 176 T86:22:01632 by Lakeview Rodney

2nd RC&JC Watson

LOT 225 8B:22:02414 by Blackbrae Barbarian X

LOT 225 8B:22:02424 by Blackbrae Barbarian X

LOT 228 8B:22:02419 by Garvan Cracker

3rd M Priestley

LOT 158 KPC:22:01928 by Stockton Sniper’s Son

LOT 161 KPC:22:01938 by Howgillfoot Batman

LOT 163 KPC:22:01957 by Stocton Sniper’s Son

Young Handlers U14

1st Noah Taylor

2nd Isabella Taylor

3rd Caoimhe Dickson

Young Handlers U18

1st Joseph Trimble

2nd Beth Cousins

3rd Neale Fleming

BLACKBRAE SUFFOLKS

BLACKBRAE SUFFOLKS

*** Established 1980 ***

*** Established 1980 ***

Top Price Ram 2022 @ Blessington Premier Show & Export Sale

Top Price Ram 2022 @ Blessington Premier Show & Export Sale

Lot No. 86

Lot No. 86

Purchased from Colin Watchorn

‘Beechbrook Sexton’

‘Beechbrook Sexton’

‘Beechbrook Sexton’

Reserve Champion 2022

Reserve Champion 2022

@ Ballymena Export Show & Sale

@ Ballymena Export Show & Sale

Lot No. 105

Lot No. 105

‘Blackbrae A B President’

‘Blackbrae A B President’

E35:22:00885

E35:22:00885

10,000 gns sold to Arthur & Patrick

10,000 gns sold to Arthur & Patrick

O’Keeffe

O’Keeffe

Sire: Blackbrae Black Label

Sire: Blackbrae Black Label

Dam: Blackbrae E35:15:00314

Dam: Blackbrae E35:15:00314

Stock Rams Used 2022: Beechbrook Sexton. PXL2200605

Stock Rams Used 2022: Beechbrook Sexton. PXL2200605

Drimmie Doddie. 583:22:01355

Stock Rams Used 2022: Beechbrook Sexton. PXL2200605

Drimmie Doddie. 583:22:01355

Drimmie Doddie. 583:22:01355

For 5,200 gns

Purchased from Colin Watchorn For 5,200 gns

gns

‘Beechbrook Sexton’

‘Beechbrook Sexton’

‘Beechbrook Sexton’

PXL:22:00605

PXL:22:00605

PXL:22:00605

Sire: Limestone Goldrush

Sire: Limestone Goldrush

Dam: Errigal

Sire: Limestone Goldrush

Dam: Errigal

Dam: Errigal

* Flock no. E35 *

‘Blackbrae A B President’

Stock & Semen Forsale - Enquires Welcome

Stock & Semen Forsale - Enquires Welcome

* Wishing all our customers and friends a good 2023 *

* Wishing all our customers and friends a good 2023 *

* Flock no. E35 * Alastair

Alastair Barkley

‘Blackbrae Farm’ 98 Lisboy Road, Dunloy, Ballymena. Co. Antrim BT449AY

robbiebarkley@gmail.com Tel: 07743 403 486

Scottish Area, Lanark Sale

21st – 22nd July 2022 | Sponsor: J C Environmental Solutions

Judge: Paul Delves, Bridgeview & Mr John Barclay, Mid Brockloch Farm

TOP PRICE: 75,000gns

SIRE

BLN:21:01107

Bridgeview Belvennie

GRAND DAM PLF:13:011

By Rhaeadr Rossi DAM KLR:16:00281

By Baileys Rock Solid

KLR:22:01444

Scottish Area Lanark Sale averages were £3,370 with 82% clearance

TOP PRICES

Lot No Flock Price (gns) Purchaser

142 Cairnton 75,000 S Sufferin

151 Sportsmans 60,000 P Poole

233 Strathbogie 40,000 S Craft

61 Pyeston 38,000 I Barbour

64 Pyeston 32,000 Hutchinson, Christie, Lorimer

155 Sportsmans 30,000 J Sharp

131 Solwaybank 20,000 S Sufferin

243 Birness 20,000 Boden

152 Sportsmans 15,000 S Buckley

156 Sportsmans 13,000 GL Stuart

Overall Champion

Boden & Davies

LOT 151 WWZ:22:01144 by Salopian Solid Gold

Reserve Overall Champion

S Craft LOT 199 JFF:22:01896 by Mullinvale Munro

Male Champion

Boden & Davies

LOT 151 WWZ:22:01144 by Salopian Solid Gold

Reserve Male Champion

S Craft LOT 199 JFF:22:01896 by Mullinvale Munro

Female Champion

B Nicholson LOT 12 SUP:21:17127 by Howgillfoot Sniper

Reserve Female Champion

JA Lorimer LOT 32 414:22:00795 by Pyeston Fury

Scottish Breed Champion

S Craft

LOT 199 JFF:22:01896 by Mullinvale Munro

Reserve Scottish Breed Champion

M Stuart

LOT 242 1W:22:03369 by Mogford Major

Class 1 Young Handlers U16

1st Noah Taylor

2nd Faith Miskelly

3rd Lara Taylor

Class 2 Young Handlers 16-26

1st Hannah Lorimer

2nd Murray Stuart

3rd Gemma Stuart

Class 3 Elite Commercial Ram Lamb

1st M Stuart

Lot 242 1W:22:03369 by Mogford Major

2nd A Wilson

Lot 137 DDX:22:01312 by Shannagh Resolve

3rd S & W Tait

Lot 48 T86:22:01635 by Birness Warrior

Class 4 Gimmer Class

1st B Nicholson

Lot 12 SUP:21:17127 by Howgillfoot Sniper

2nd J Innes

Lot 5 SUT:21:05843 by Strathbogie Twenty Twenty

3rd P Reid

Lot 4 JDX:21:01420 by Irongray Impact

Class 5 Ewe Lamb Class

1st J A Lorimer

Lot 32 414:22:00795 by Pyeston Fury

2nd J Innes

Lot 28 SUT:22:06876 by Salopian Scuderia

3rd J A Lorimer

Lot 33 414:22:00830 by Redbrae HRH

Society Sales Averages 2022

(Averages over 2,000gns)

Class 6 Novice Ram Lamb Class

1st S Craft

Lot 199 JFF:22:01896 by Mullinvale Munro

2nd D Jones

Lot 70 NAT:22:09479 by Strathbogie Rock On Tommy

3rd Boden & Davies

Lot 155 WWZ:22:01103 by Salopian Solid Gold

Class 7 Open Ram Lamb Class

1st Boden & Davies

Lot 151 WWZ:22:01144 by Salopian Solid Gold

2nd M Priestley

Lot 148 KPC:22:01964 by Forkins McCoy

3rd J Gibb

Lot 142 KLR:22:01444 by Bridgeview Belvennie

Class 8 Pen of Three

1st Poole

2nd Tait

3rd Innes

National Show and Sale, Shrewsbury

29th-30th July 2022

Sponsor: Norbrook | Judge: Mr Viv Samuel, Monkton Flock

Breed

M Stuart, Birness Flock LOT 174 1W:22:03396 by Limestone Marksman

Reserve

TJ & CR Boden, Sportsmans Flock LOT 76 WWZ:22:01147 by Salopian Solid Gold

Female Champion

R Lawrence, Roundacre Flock LOT 35

by Strathbogie Magic Mike

Reserve Female Champion

A Glaves, Brompton Flock

LOT 1 M17:21:05677 by Sitlow Social Media

Class 1 Shearling Ewe

1st A Glaves

LOT 1 M17:21:05677 by Sitlow Social Media

2nd DP & RA Delves

LOT 7 BLN:21:01034 by Benedyglen Boomerang

3rd P Lupton

LOT 21 KXL:21:00650 by Rhaeadr Welsh Wizard

Class 2 Ewe Lamb

1st R Lawrence

LOT 35 NHL:22:00502 by Strathbogie Magic Mike

2nd S Bolland

LOT 28 KXL:22:00683 by Hawshill Highwayman

3rd JJ Tooze

LOT 33 DYX:22:00023 by Redbrae The Rock

Class 3 Shearling Ram

1st P Lupton

LOT 42 KXL:21:00635 by Rhaeadr Welsh Wizard

2nd A Glaves

LOT 40 M17:21:05638 by Sitlow Social Media

3rd S Bolland

LOT41 LVX:21:03774 by Solwaybank Cracker

Class 5 Ram Lamb

1st TJ & CR Boden

LOT 76 WWZ:22:01147 by Salopian Solid Gold

2nd R Lawrence

LOT 164 NHL:22:00196 by Strathbogie Magic Mike

3rd J Gibb

LOT 136 KLR:22:01432 by Bridgeview Belvennie

Class 6 Pen of Three Ram lambs

1st Birness

LOT 174 1W:22:03396 by Limestone Marksman

LOT 175 1W:22:03374 by Annakisha Helluvagood

LOT 177 1W:22:03303 by Mogford Major

2nd Strathbogie

LOT 115 SUT:22:06856 by Crewelands Kingpin

LOT 117 SUT:22:06889 by Crewelands Kingpin

LOT 118 SUT:22:06877 by Salopian Scuderia

3rd Frongoy

LOT 131 NAT:22:09451 by Strathbogie Rock on Tommy

LOT 133 NAT:22:09504 by Strathbogie Rock on Tommy

LOT 134 NAT:22:09506 by Strathbogie Rock on Tommy

Class 7 Elite Commercial Ram Lamb

1st G Christie

LOT 125 PDN:22:01320 by Howgillfoot Sniper

2nd RK Denby

LOT 43A58:22:00960 by Harpercroft Honky Tonk

3rd JC Innes

LOT 119 SUT:22:06874 by Crewelands Kingpin

Young Handlers Juniors

1st Grace Mogford

2nd Harriet Elsie Moffet

3rd Matthew Shelley

Young Handlers Seniors

1st Lily Mogford

=2nd Noah Taylor

=2nd Lara Taylor

DARK DIAMONDS

Kings ewe lamb sold for 16,000 gns

Birness gimmer sold for 6,000 gns

Forkins gimmer sold for 6,000gns

Female Sale

FRIDAY, 1ST DECEMBER 2023

2:00 PM

BORDERWAY MART, ROSEHILL, CARLISLE CA1 2RS

Entries include the top genetics from the following ocks: BALLYNACANNON

Northern Counties, Carlisle

5th August 2022

Judge: Mr Mark Priestley, Limestone Flock

Class 1 Shearling Ewe

1st S Bolland

LOT 306 LVX:21:03755 by Solwaybank Cracker

2nd P Lupton

LOT 308 KXL:21:00621 by Rhaeadr Welsh Wizard

3rd A Hambleton

LOT 311 STZ:21:17840 by Forkins Figaro

Class 2 Ewe Lamb

1st A Hambleton

LOT 327 STZ:22:19671 by Salopian Scuderia

2nd RK Denby

LOT 336 A58:22:00953 by Harpercroft Honky Tonk

3rd Messrs Kirkbride

LOT 337 XFD:22:00224 by Ballynacannon Major Impact

Class 3 Shearling Ram

1st Stephen Boland

LOT 342 LVX:21:03773

2nd Andrew Reed

LOT 351 KRZ:21:01336 by Birness Granite

3rd Pamela Lupton

LOT 343 KXL:21:00624 by Rhaeadr Welsh Wizard

Class 4 Single Ram Lamb

1st J Cannon

LOT 488 JKA:22:01914 by Forkins Samson

2nd C Boden

LOT 398 WWZ:22:01149 by Salopian Solid Gold

3rd J Wallace

LOT 435 NCX:22:08941 by Burnview Bombay Sapphire

Class 5 Best Pair of Ram lambs

1st M Evans

LOT 463 A12:22:02540 by Ardlea Arbennig

LOT 464 A12:22:02550 by Ardlea Arbennig

2nd Black

3rd J Wallace

Female Champion

Lot 327 Ewe Lamb from Andrew Hambleton (Dovedale)

STZ:22:19671 by Salopian Scuderia

Reserve Female Champion

Lot 306 Shearling Gimmer from Stephen J Bowland (Wharfe)

LVX:21:03755 by Solwaybank Cracker

Male Champion

M Evans

LOT 463 A12:22:02540 by Ardlea Arbennig

Reserve Male Champion

J Cannon LOT 488 JKA:22:01914 by Forkins Samson

Overall Champion

Lot 463 Ram Lamb from Myfyr A Evans (Rhaeadr)

A12:22:02540 by Ardlea Arbennig

Reserve Champion

Lot

JKA:22:01914 by Forkins Samson

Kelso Show and Sale

8th- 9th September 2022

Judge: D Moir, Aberdeenshire

Areturn to a semblance of normality came to Kelso Ram sales in 2022 with the return of a covered sale, and it was a good job too as “monsoon” type rainfall was experienced on several occasions over the two-days of the sale.

Suffolk sheep were well represented with three rings covering the entries ring 8 for shearling rams, sold by Harrison and Hetherington, ring 10 for Ram lambs sold by United Auctions for all Society registered entries. A large show of unregistered Suffolk sheep went through ring 14

There was a big presence around the sheep pens before 8.00am and a buzz of anticipation and a feeling that the day may go well for sellers and buyers alike. The sale started promptly at 10am and for those who have not been, two things, it’s worth a visit if you can as it is a sales experience not to be missed, and plenty of opportunity to meet up with sheep people from the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland.

Ring 8

Shearling Rams at Kelso had a good day with strong

demand from the buyers, taking the joint top honours were lots 2211 from the flock of G B Ingram (Logie Durno) at £9,000 purchased by Messrs Pate and Sons, topping the pen of 12, and leading the sale pen average of £2,383.33.

Lot no 2350 reaching the same figure, £9,000 leading the way for J Watson & Co (Brijon) for their large consignment of 33 tups being presented for sale the lead price was taken home by Messrs Campbell, Glenrath. The Watsons sold well with their pen averaging £1,289.39 on the day including a fourth highest price of £3,500.00 for lot number 2355 finding a new home with Messrs Reed.

Lot no 2324 the champion at the show changing hands at £5,000 from Messrs Alexander Gray & Son (Langside) and purchased by Ingrams. Jalex Livestock took the next top price of the day with their lot number 2419 going to a new post code at the Barclay’s at £3,800.

In total the Suffolk Shearling trade was up on last year with firm bidding throughout the sale seeing an average for 215 lambs sold reaching £1,178.84 and increase of £179.73 on the year for 25 more shearlings finding new addresses.

Ring 10

> Selling for 9,000gns was this Brijon shearling selling to Glenrath

Ram Lambs sold to a top price of £3,600 for lot number 2912 consigned by R. H. Goldie,( Harpercroft) , Dundonald, Ayrshire being purchased by Bryden Nicholson, Garth Farm, Mossbank. Harpercroft going on from there to take the lead in pen average of £1,837.50 a very respectable days business for Mrs Goldie!

Taking the next two highest prices were part of the pen consigned by SJ Buckley Sittinglow Farm, Dove Holes, Derbyshire (Sitlow)for lot no 2888 £3,200 heading for EA &L Jacksons, Rudgley Farm, Alnwick, Northumberland and next up lot number 2883 at £2,800 from the pen staying local to the sale being purchased by RG Laing, Oxmuir, Greenlaw. Along with the rest of the pen the average for all the consignment of 18 sold by Sitlow was a very respectable £928.88.

RH Black from Newton of Collessie realised £2,000 for their lot number 2790 heading over the Irish sea and to the home of RAS Barkley, Blackbrae Farm Ballymena. A further group of ram lambs realising for figures ranging from £1,100 to £1,600 were from, Goldie, (Harpercroft), Christie, (Balquhain), Mackie, (Drimmie), who saw three of their pen

RING 8

Consignee Flock Name No sold Pen avarage

G& B Ingram Logie Durno 12 £2,383.33

Alexander Gray and Son Langside 7 £1,814.00

Jalex Livestock Jalex 12 £1,766.66

R&N Barclay Harestone 8 £1,356.25

J Watson & Co Brijon 33 £1,289.89

> Lot 2888 from Sitlow making £3,200 at the fall of the gavel

> Lot 2912 ram lamb 3,000gns from Harpercroft

realise £1,200, and Irving (Glenreiver)

Ram Lambs sold were 165 in total yielding an average for the sale handled by United Auctions of £666.79 with that being an increase on the year of £67.72 for 19 more lambs sold on the day

Ring 14

448 unregistered Shearling rams went for an average of £908.42 a slight dip on the average price for the year of (£33.78) but 85 more sheep going to new farms which tells a great story!

It was a good day for Barrie Turner, new chief executive of the Suffolk Sheep Society on his first official day out of the office, too.

"Suffolk sheep breeders saw a great trade for their sheep, but then the breed has always been the No 1 for growth rates and ease of fleshing. Farmers realise these issues are more important now more than ever which is reflected in the increased numbers sold in all sections and the higher averages for registered sheep," said Mr Turner who was most impressed by the quality and quantity of Suffolk rams sold.

RING 10

Consignee Flock Name No sold Pen avarage

Mrs H Goldie Harpercroft 4 £1,837.50

S.J. Buckley Sitlow 18 £928.88

Mr G Mackie Drimmie 7 £871.42

George L Stuart Birness 12 £837.50

GJ Christie Balquhain 7 £835.71

> Logie Durno's shearling went for the joint top price of 9,000gns

Royal Ulster Show, Balmoral

11th May 2022

Judge: Andrew Wilson, Castleisle Flock

SUPREME CHAMPION

PEDIGREE

SIRE

1W:20:02711

Birness Freedom

GRAND DAM

KKW:12:039

By Limestone To-tal DAM

KKW:16:00758

KKW:21:01531

Ram, two shear and upwards

1st L Liggett

2nd W Tait

SUT:20:04653 by Crewelands Kingpin

3rd J Smyth

6X:19:14931 by Brijon Black Magic

Shearling Ram

1st D Taylor

TDL:21:03062 by Solwaybank Sapphire 2

2nd J & C Watson

E35:21:00772 by Cloontagh Chieftain

3rd W Tait

JRZ:21:01519 by Burnview Sir William

Ram Lamb

1st M Priestley

2nd W Tait

T86:22:01635 by Birness Warrior

3rd A Barkley

Ewe 2 Shear and Upwards

1st S Johnston

2nd A Barkley

Shearling Ewe

1st D Taylor

KKW:21:01531 by Birness Freedom

2nd M Priestley

3rd D Taylor

KKW:21:01550 by Tolgus Pretty Boy

Ewe Lamb

1st M Priestley

2nd D Ford

UJX:22:00209 by Forkins McCoy

3rd S Sufferin

Group of Three

1st M Priestley

2nd J & C Watson

8B:21:02224 & 8B:21:02215 & E35:21:00772

3rd W Tait

SUT:20:04653 & T86:21:01525 & T86:22:01635

Pair of Lambs

1st M Priestley

2nd W Tait

T86:22:01635 by Birness Warrior & T86:22:01598 by Strathbogie Joel

3rd D Ford

UJX:22:00223 & UJX:22:00209 by Forkins McCoy

Male Champion

D Taylor, Shearling Ram

TDL:21:03062 by Solwaybank Sapphire 2

Reserve Male Champion

M Priestley, Ram Lamb

Female Champion

D Taylor, Shearling Ewe

KKW:21:01531 by Birness Freedom

Reserve Female Champion

M Priestley, Shearling Ewe

Supreme Champion

D Taylor, Shearling Ewe

KKW:21:01531 by Birness Freedom

Reserve Supreme Champion

D Taylor, Shearling Ram

TDL:21:03062 by Solwaybank Sapphire 2

Three Counties

17th June 2022

Judge: Stewart Lathangie

SUPREME

CHAMPION

PEDIGREE

SIRE

T31:19:00488 Morris Assassin

NAT:16:02699

Supreme Champion

DG Jones Yearling Ewe

NAT:21:08007 by Morris Assassin

Reserve Supreme Champion

DG Jones Ram Lamb

NAT:21:08007

NAT:19:05668

NAT:22:09423 by Strathbogie Rock On Tommy

Male Champion

DG Jones

NAT:22:09423 by Strathbogie Rock On Tommy

Reserve Male Champion

O Sparks

Ram, two shear and upwards

Yearling Ram

1st Oliver Sparks

2nd T&A Mogford

Ram Lamb

1st DG Jones

NAT:22:09423 by Strathbogie Rock On Tommy

2nd C Holmes

DND:22:00955 by Maidenstone Master Class

3rd T&A Mogford

Senior Ewe

1st T&A Mogford

2nd D Holtom

Yearling Ewe

1st DG Jones

NAT:21:08007 by Morris Assassin

2nd DG Jones

3rd C Holmes

DND:21:00886 by Castleisle Golden Balls

Ewe Lamb

1st DG Jones

NAT:22:09443 by Strathbogie Rock On Tommy

2nd C Holmes

DND:22:00966 by Maidenstone Master Class

3rd C Holmes

DND:22:00969 by Maidenstone Master Class

Group of Three

1st DG Jones

2nd C Holmes

DND:22:00969 & DND:22:00966 & DND:22:00955

Pair of Lambs

1st C Holmes

DND:22:00966 & DND:22:00955

2nd O Sparks

Royal Highland Show

23rd June 2022

Sponsor: Norbrook | Judge: Gordon Mackie, Drimmie Flock

BREED

CHAMPION

PEDIGREE

SIRE

UTZ:20:00076

Howgillfoot Sniper

GRAND DAM

1W:16:01675 DAM

1W:18:02203

Breed Champion

F Christie WHU:21:01273 by Howgillfoot Sniper

Reserve Breed Champion

S Craft

Male Champion

S Craft with a Ram Lamb

Reserve Male Champion

G Troup with a Ram Lamb –

L25:22:02625 by Cairness Mike Tyson

WHU:21:01273

Female Champion

F Christie with a Gimmer WHU:21:01273 by Howgillfoot Sniper

Reserve Female Champion

S Lathangie with an Aged Ewe

Aged Ram Class 1st Hiddleston 2nd G Troup

Shearling Ram Class

Class

by Cairness Mike Tyson

Shearling Ewe Class

1st F Christie

WHU:21:01273 by Howgillfoot Sniper

2nd JC Innes

3rd N&C Pitman

Ewe Lamb Class

1st JJ Tooze

2nd S Craft

3rd JC Innes

Group of Three – 1 male and 2 females

1st Hiddleston family

2nd G Christie

Aged Ewe Class

Great Yorkshire Show

13th July 2022

Judge: Gordon Troup, Sauchen

OVERALL

CHAMPION

PEDIGREE

SIRE

TDU:20:00211

by Mullaghboy Goliath

GRAND DAM

A12:13:039

By Ardlea Arbennig DAM A12:18:01888

By Rheaedr Raring To Go

A12:21:02521

Overall Champion

Mr & Mrs N Pitman (Gimmer) A12:21:02521 by Kinbally Start

Reserve Overall Champion

R K Denby (Ram Lamb) A58:22:00975 by Monkton Mentalist

Male Champion

R K Denby (Ram Lamb) A58:22:00975 by Monkton Mentalist

Reserve Male Champion

J Howard (Shearling) DBB:21:01219 Carony Highwayman by Birness Bees Knees

Female Champion

Mr & Mrs N Pitman (Gimmer) A12:21:02521 by Kinbally Start

Reserve Female Champion

Lilburn Estates (Ewe) G34:19:87986 by Birness All Star

Class 741 - Shearling

1st J Howard DBB:21:01219

Carony Highwayman by Birness Bees Knees

2nd P J Lupton

3rd S J Ryder

Class 742 Ram Lamb (born in current year) Trimmed

1st R K Denby A58:22:00975 by Monkton Mentalist

2nd S A Woodend SDX:22:00232 by Rookery Justified

3rd S Read

Class 743 Ram Lamb (born in current year) Untrimmed

1st G I Richmond FPT:22:00696 by Frongoy Rocket

2nd S J Ryder

3rd R K Denby A58:22:00988 by Rookery Real Deal

Class 744 Ewe, two shear or over (must have raised a lamb in the current year)

1st Lilburn Estates G34:19:87986 by Birness All Star

2nd D Reid

3rd R K Denby SUP:19:12068 by Lakeview Bob

Class 745 Gimmer Shearling

1st Mr & Mrs N Pitman A12:21:02521 by Kinbally Start

2nd A V Bailey

3rd Hiddleston Family

Class 746 Ewe Lamb (born in current year)

1st D Reid

2nd J J Tooze

3rd P J Lupton

Class 747 Ewe (must have had a lamb born in current year) Untrimmed

1st P J Lupton

2nd - R K Denby A58:22:00980 by Monkton Mentalist

3rd - J E Wilkinson UXX:22:02071 by Knockem King Kong

Class 748 Pairs

1st J E Wilkinson UXX:22:02080 & UXX:22:02075 both by Forkins McCoy

2nd R K Denby A58:21:00853 & A58:22:00970 both by Monkton Mentalist

3rd S A Woodend SDX:22:00232 by Rookery Justified and SDX:22:00224 by Lakeview No Limits

> RESERVE FEMALE CHAMPION and FIRST PLACE EWE TWO SHEAR OR OVER

Royal Welsh Show

18th July 2022

Judge: Mr William Flemming, Lanarkshire

SUPREME

CHAMPION

PEDIGREE

SIRE

T31:19:00488

Morris Assassin

GRAND DAM

NAT:16:02699

By Limestone Saracen DAM

NAT:19:05668

By Ballynacannon Black Diamond

NAT:21:08007

Overall Champion

Lot 6245 Shearling Ewe from Dafydd Jones

NAT:21:08007 by Morris Assassin

Reserve Overall Champion

Lot 6256 Ewe Lamb from Dafydd Jones

NAT:22:09443 by Strathbogie Rock On Tommy

Male Champion

Lot 6222 - First prize shearling ram or over from Oliver Sparks

Reserve Male Champion

Lot 6233 - First prize ram lamb from J & L Griffiths

Female Champion

Lot 6245 - First prize shearling ewe from Dafydd Jones

NAT:21:08007 by Morris Assassin

Reserve Female Champion

Lot 6256 - 1st prize ewe lamb from Dafydd Jones

NAT:22:09443 by Strathbogie Rock On Tommy

Class 1130 Ram, Shearling or Over trimmed

1st 6222 Oliver Sparks

2nd 6226 W & C Ingram

HCT:21:38023 by Logiedurno Black Diamond

3rd 6221 Harley Turner

PSF:22:01359 by Morris Cazoo

Class 1131 Ram Lamb, born in 2022 trimmed or untrimmed

1st 6233 J & L Griffiths

2nd 6238 Oliver Sparks

3rd 6240 Rb & Gm Morgan

K52:22:02155 by Llangeview Lucky Star

Class 1132 Ewe, Shearling

1st 6245 Dafydd Jones

NAT:21:08007 by Morris Assassin

2nd 6246 Dafydd Jones

NAT:21:08035 by Ballynacannon Billionaire

3rd 6247 Frenni Livestock Ltd

Class 1133 Ewe Lamb, born in 2022

1st 6256 Dafydd Jones

NAT:22:09443 by Strathbogie Rock On Tommy

2nd 6258 Frenni Livestock Ltd

3rd 6255 Dafydd Jones

NAT:22:09454 by Strathbogie Rock On Tommy

Class 1134 Group of Three

1st 6272 Harley Turner

PSF:21:01318 & PSF:22:01310 & PSF:22:01359

2022 Sire of the Year

Salopian Solid Gold

Congratulations to Philip Poole and family who farm at Upper Battlefield, near Shrewsbury for breeding the 2022 Suffolk Sheep Society Sire of the Year, Salopian Solid Gold. A son of Solwaybank Rock Solid the Sire of the Year for 2021, Solid Gold is now under joint ownership between TJ and CR Boden of Sportsman’s from Mellor near Stockport, and Robert Jenkinson’s Dunfell Flock at Cliburn near Penrith. Purchased at Lanark in 2021 for the breed record breaking 200,000gns which smashed the previous breed record of 90,000gns by some margin. His progeny, and pen consigned by the Sportsman’s flock of Charlie Boden taking top honours for the three single ET consignments stood out at the Society Scottish sale in Lanark commanding serious bidding with all three of Salopian Solid Golds top price progeny being sold there for 60,000gns for Lot 151, 30,000gns for Lot 155 and 15,000gns for Lot 152 respectively totalling 105,000 for the three and an average sale price of 35,000gns taking the title of

Sire of the Year 2022. A further two lambs in the Boden pen at Lanark by the Sire of the Year, totalled a further 24,000gns delivering a successful sale and a sound return on investment for Sportsman’s.

Runner up in this year’s competition, was Bridgeview

Belvenie bred by DP & RA Delves from Churchstoke in Powys whose sire is Bridgeview The Joker out of a 6,500gns Ballynacannon ewe, congratulations to them for their choice of stock.

Belvenie’s qualifying lots were all consigned at Lanark, in the 2022 87th Scottish area show and sale, two Lots 143 and 144 John Gibb’s (Cairnton Flock) with 143 leading the sale at 75,000gns, where the growing demand for the easy fleshing Suffolk breed ensured a buoyant trade, and a further one sired by Belvenie Lot number 126 entered by Stuart Duncan’s (Pennan Flock) taking the runner up Sire of the Year for 2022 sale average to 25,553gns for the top three priced progeny.

Congratulations go to the breeders of the two sires.

2022 National Flock Competition

30th October 2022 | Sponsor: Norbrook

Judge: A Gault, Forkins Flock

BRISTOL GOLD CUP

Overall Winner: Philip Poole, Shropshire, (Salopian Flock)

Overall Reserve: James T Cannon, Wigtownshire (Redbrae Flock)

John Long Cup (16 - 30 Ewes)

Winner: James T Cannon, Wigtownshire (Redbrae Flock)

= Reserve: S Cobbald, Suffolk (Lavenham Flock)

= Reserve: T&A Mogford, Devon (Mogford Flock)

W E Lloyd Cup (31 - 60 Ewes)

Winner: Dennis Taylor, N Ireland, (Ballynacannon Flock)

Reserve: R H Goldie, Ayreshire (Harpercroft Flock)

Certificates of Merit:

S Lorimer (Cadgerford) Glynis Morgan (Llangeview)

Keeble Cup (61 – 100 Ewes)

Winner: Philip Poole, Shropshire, (Salopian Flock)

Reserve: R K Denby, Cumbria (Carnforth Flock)

Brook Perpetual Challenge Cup (101+ Ewes)

Winner: James Alexander, N Ireland (Jalex Flock)

Reserve: Hallam & Eggleston, Leicestershire (Seagrave Flock)

The Howard Peel Cup (Best Stud Rams)

Winner: P Poole (Salopian Flock)

Reserve: J A Lorimer (Cadgerford Flock)

SITLOW CLEAN BANDIT

A well-proven sire of rams selling to £2,800 at Kelso this year

Shearling Ram and Older

Winner: “Redbrae HRH” Owner J A Lorimer (Cadgerford Flock)

Reserve: “Redbrae Kenny” Owner G Morgan ( Llangeview Flock)

Ram Lamb

Winner: “Sportsman Golden Moments” Owner P Poole (Salopian Flock)

Reserve: “Mullaghboy Magee” Owner Jim Cannon (Redbrae Flock)

The Sainsbury Cup (Best Ewe Lambs)

Winner: Philip Poole, Shropshire, (Salopian Flock)

Reserve: James T Cannon, Wigtownshire (Redbrae Flock)

The Bonnington Cup (Best Flock of Ewes)

Winner: Philip Poole, Shropshire, (Salopian Flock)

Reserve: James Alexander, N Ireland (Jalex Flock)

Progeny Group

Winner: R H Goldie – ‘Strathbogie 24 Carat’

Reserve: T&A Mogford – ‘Stockton Last Chance’

The Open Day will be hosted by the overall winner, Philip Poole (Salopian Flock) at his farm in Shropshire, see details below.

National Flock

Competition Open Day

When: 21 May 2023 from 10:30am

Where: Beaconsfield Farm, Upper Battlefield, Shrewsbury (enter via SY4 4BE)

Refreshments will be served. Please RSVP to mail@beaconsfieldholidaypark.co.uk

Shared with J Elliot, Roxburgh Mains.

SPORTSMANS BLACK LABEL

15000gns Lanark

Sired by the 200,000gns Salopian Solid Gold. Purchased for his star quality and silky black hair.

Shared with the Midhope Flock

CCM Skipton

5th November 2022 | Auctioneers: Skipton Auction Mart

Welsh breeder claims supreme champion and top price coup with only two entries. A November 5th coup was successfully plotted by Welsh sheep farmer Myfyr Evans when of the only two ewe lambs he consigned at Skipton Auction Mart’s annual show and sale of pedigree Suffolk females one took

top price honours at 3,200gns, the other standing supreme champion and selling for second top call of 1,800gns.

Mr Evans, who runs the Rhaeadr flock at Llanrhaeadr in Denbighshire, headed the selling prices with his January-born single lamb sired by Millhouse Magic Touch, acquired at the National Sale last year for 3,200gns

and himself by the 20,000gns Clyda Rightmove. The dam has particularly solid credentials, said to be the best ewe in the flock by Stockton Sniper’s Son, a 15,500gns buy by Rhaedar in 2018, again at the National Sale. Sniper’s Son, also responsible for Mr Evans’ ewe lamb champion at the 2019 Skipton Suffolk females showcase, has bred sons to 40,000gns and daughters

to 6,500gns. The 2022 top price performer returned to North Wales and just 16 miles north of her place of origin with A Oare, of Hollywell in Flintshire.

Mr Evans, who established his Rhaeadr flock in 1979 at the 125-acre Tan-Yr-Accar, clinched the supreme championship with his first prize ewe lamb, a December 2021, single embryo daughter of the Irish-bred ram Ardlea Arbennig, purchased in 2011 by Rhaedar for a then breed record price of 90,000gns. He has since produced a succession of high-value progeny, sons selling up to 21,000gns and daughters to 7,000gns.

The victor’s dam, a Strathbogie Stradivarius daughter, was acquired as a ewe lamb two years ago from Fifebased Stewart Craft’s Lakeview flock. The Skipton title winner, whose full sister stood champion at Carlisle the previous day, joined show judge Kate Crossley, who runs the Cobclough flock in Barkisland, Halifax. The adjudicator said it had been extremely difficult to choose from a “fantastic standard” of ewe lambs, a salient point later reflected in the sale ring when her other two prize winners sold well into four figures.

Standing runner-up was Alan Blair’s Thornfleet flock in Thornton Cleveleys, Blackpool, with a December, 2021, twin by Benrafton Barney Boy, out of a home-bred Irongay Black Magicsired dam that was this year’s show ewe. She went to North Craven with Ingleton’s R Gill.

Local fixture regular, Stephen Bolland, who runs the Wharfe flock at The Arches in Bolton Abbey, finished third in class with a December, 2021, single by Solwaybank Cracker, purchased privately two years ago

from Iain Barber in Annan, which has bred ewe lambs to 8,000gns. Out of a home-bred Stathbogie Supershot daughter, she, too, caught the eye when selling for 1,500gns to JM Robinson & Son in Grimsby. Two more gimmer lambs from the same home each made 1,000gns.

Mr Bolland also won the other two show classes, his first prize in-lamb shearling ewe tapped out as overall reserve champion. She is another December, 2021, twin by the Crewelands Champion son, Solwaybank Cracker, again coming from a Strathbogie Supershot ewe. Scanned carrying a single to Bridgeview Maximus, acquired at the Shropshire National Sale, she found a new home north of the border in Shawhead, Dumfries, with the Fitzsimon family for a section-topping 1,750gns.

A second December, 2020, in-lamb shearling from the Bolland holding, again by Cracker, out of a Rhaeadr Rastafari-sired ewe and carrying twins to Maximus, made 1,500gns when selling locally to Silsden’s Simon Bennett. The Wharfe flock’s second red rosette winner in the in-lamb ewe show class was a December, 2017, single by the 25,000gns Rhaeadr Rolex 1, out of a Cairness dam, sold carrying triplets to Maximus for 1,250gns to LJ Berry, of Haslingden in Rossendale. Again arriving with a solid consignment from his Sitlow flock, which lies at the northern edge of the Derbyshire Peak District in Dove Holes, Buxton, was Steve Buckley, topping his run at 1,600gns with the third prize ewe, a January, 2020, daughter of Logiedurno Sonny Bill, whose multiple show successes include male champion and reserve breed champion at the 2019 Royal Welsh

and Royal Highland Show reserve male champion – his sons have sold to 4,400gns.

Out of a home-bred dam and scanned carrying triplets to the 15,000gns Sportsmans Black Label, himself by the 200,000gns breed record price Salopian Solid Gold – the 2022 Suffolk Sheep Society Sire of the Year – the ewe also went north of the border to Denny in Stirlingshire with A Morton. Sitlow also sold shearling ewes at 1,300gns, 1,200gns, 1,100gns and 900gns, a further ewe at the same price, another at 800gns. Glynis and Jane Soulsby, of the Williamsgill flock in Temple Sowerby, Penrith, returned to pick up two show tickets, finishing runners-up with a January, 2020, twin by Middlemuir Hendricks, out of a home-bred Roseden Endeavour-sired dam inlamb to Strathbogie Invictus and sold for 1,000gns to Holmfirth’s Paul Sykes, also achieving 900gns with their third prize shearling ewe, an Invictus daughter in-lamb to Hendricks.

Red Rose breeder Geoffrey Richmond, of the Sullom flock in Goosnargh, Preston, stood runner-up in the shearling ewe show class with a January, 2020-born ewe by Strathisla Speilburg, out of a home-bred Rookery Jagerbomb dam. Scanned carrying twins to Sullom Simply The Best, she too hit four figures with a 1,000gns selling price. The local buyer was Glusburn’s David Towell.

In fact, 16 of the 80 Suffolk females forward made four-figure prices, a packed ringside eager to secure all classes. Sale averages were also solid, levelling overall at £715 per head, with 17 ewes averaging £673. 29 (2021 £989), shearling ewes £742 (2021 £1,210) and 34 ewe lambs £714 (2021 £697).

BALLYNACANNON

Pedigree Suffolks

Semen and stock for sale privately | Enquiries and Visitors Always Welcome

Wishing all breeders and purchasers the best of luck in 2023 Dennis and family.

We are excited to be taking part in the following female sales in 2023: Big Bang Export Sale, Dark Diamonds, Black Beauties, and Black Magic Summer Sale

West Country SSA in lamb Sale

4th November 2022 | Auctioneers: Kivells market

Just 16 MV & Pedigree Suffolk females for the annual sale on behalf of the West Country Suffolk Sheep Association but the quality was abundant and trade was strong.

The Champion rosette was awarded to a ewe lamb from Robin and Emma Irwin of Kingsnympton who duly went on to top the sale at 1,100gns, the ewe lamb that stood second to her from the same home rose to 700gns and another

stable mate made 400gns as Emma's parents Steve and Marion Elsworthy of Chumleigh sold their ewe lamb well at 500gns. In-lamb shearlings sold to 700gns for Andrew and Wendy Reed of Blackborough as Brandon Roth of Redruth sold the first prize shearling at 600gns as well as older ewes scanned in-lamb at 580, 550 and 500gns. A few others selling around the 400gns mark but all Suffolk females sold averaged a very pleasing £576.

Western Wonders

12th November 2022 | Auctioneers: J Straker, Chadwick & Sons

Suffolk Sheep sold to a top of 3,000gns at the Monmouthshire Livestock Centre with J Straker, Chadwick & Sons.

A fabulous entry of 144 Suffolk

Females sold to a solid trade with 134 sold – a 93% clearance rate, with buyers and sellers from across the United Kingdom.

The top seller, a Shearling ewe from Stephen W Cobbald, Sudbury, Suffolk sold at 3,000gns to H Lyons, Congleton, Cheshire. By Drimmie Mackie, she was inlamb to a Cairnton ram, purchased at this years’ National Sale.

MA Evans, Rhaeadr, Denbigh sold his second prize ewe lamb by Ardlea Arbennig at 2,100gns to OTW Jones, Llandovery.

Dafydd Jones, Frongoy, Aberystwyth sold a Shearling ewe at 2,000gns by Strathbogie Rock On Tommy, and inlamb to Strathbogie Never Say Never, she sold to P Smithson, Llanfechain,

also selling a ewe lamb at 1,950gns also by Rock On Tommy to P Fletcher, Kidderminster.

The Frongoy Flock sold other ewe lambs at 1,500gns, 1,000gns twice, all taken by SC Walker, Tarporley.

Stephen Buckley, Sittinglow, Buxton making his first visit to the Western Wonders topped at 1,550gns for a Stockton Turbine shearling, inlamb to Sitlow Clean Bandit and taken by J & M Hartwright, Worcester. Others from the Sitlow Flock at 1,300gns, 1,200gns and 1,000gns twice.

Dafydd Jones, Frongoy sold his first prize Shearling & Reserve Champion at 1,500gns to Messrs Putjade, Kidderminster, and another at the same money to C Davies, Crymych, with a further shearling at 1,200gns taken by M Hawkswood, Coventry.

Ross Lawrence, Roundacre, Devon brought a strong entry to Raglan and sold Flock ewes to 1,200gns, by

Lavenham Aven’um and inlamb to Frongoy Cannon to EW Quick & Sons, Crediton, with another at 1,050gns to C Lowry, Monmouth.

His second prize shearling ewe by Salopian Sierra sold at 1,300gns to G Williams, Sennybridge. The first prize Ewe lamb and Overall Champion also came from Roundacre, by Strathbogie Magic Mike she sold at 1,000gns to S Cobbald, Suffolk, who also took another at 700gns.

Messrs Hallam & Eggleston sold their top shearling ewe at 1,000gns to Messrs Jones, Lampeter.

OVERALL AVERAGES

31 Flock ewes Max 1,200gns Ave £602.23

71 Yearling ewes Max 3,000gns Ave £779.96

32 Ewe lambs Max 2,100gns Ave £724.50

Overall 134 head averaged £725.59

2023 SALES

FRI/SAT 28TH & 29TH JULY National Show & Sale, Shrewsbury Livestock Centre (with Halls)

MON 7TH AUG NSA Early Ram Sale – Builth Wells to include - Western Club Show & Sale

MON 18th SEPT NSA Main Ram Sale, Builth Wells

SAT 11TH NOV Western Wonders Show & Sale of in-lamb ewes & ewe lambs – Monmouthshire Livestock Centre, Raglan (All dates may be subject to change) Please

Big Bang

19th November 2022 | Auctioneers: Harrison & Hetherington Limited, Carlisle

ASuffolk gimmer from Dennis Taylor's Ballynacannon flock from Macosquin, Coleraine, sold for the top price of 14,000gns – more than double that of the next best at 7,000gns at the Big Bang Export sale of pedigree sheep staged at Balmoral Park, Northern Ireland.

The sale which included Dutch Spotted entries was topped by a grand-daughter of Ballynacannon Beyonce, the Reserve Champion at Balmoral Show in 2017, which is bred from a ewe by the 20,000gns Rhaeadr

Rolls Royce, and sired by Birness Freedom. She sold carrying a pair of lambs to the 40,000gns Lakeview Fury, to Messrs Williams, Portugal.

Alastair Gault's Forkins flock, Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, also had a great day with gimmer sales at 7,000gns and 6,000gns and ewe lambs at 5,000gns. Top class genetics were again behind these entries, with the former being a maternal sister to the 26,000gns McCoy, a 17,000gns ewe lamb, a 10,000gns ram lamb to name but a few, being bred from a homebred Birness Bacardi daughter and

sired by Birness Freedom. She changed hands due with a pair to Cairness Kanine a son of Cairness Just the Best, to Messrs Kealy, Co Meath, Eire. The same dam bred the 5,500gns ewe lamb, purchased by Messrs Wilkinson, Cookstown, Co Tyrone. The sire was Ballinatone Show Stopper, purchased at Blessington last year for €44,000 which went on to stand male champion at Balmoral in May, 2022. Minutes later, Messrs Short, Co Tyrone, went to 6,000gns for a tripletborn gimmer by Forkins Big Brother – a full brother to McCoy – bred from

a ewe by Forkins Customised that has already bred females to 4,000gns and 3,800gns. She also sold due with a pair to Kanine with her triplet sister making 5,500gns at a previous event.

Glenrothes-based breeder, Stewart Craft of the Lakeview flock from Fife, also forked out 6,000gns for the top priced ewe lamb from Lesley Liggett's Carony flock from Northern Ireland. She is result of a flush from a 5,000gns Lakeview ewe by Strathisla Stoner, that has bred the 25,000gns Mullinval and sired by Ballinatone Show Stopper.

Helping to finance that transaction, Mr Craft sold a gimmer for 5,000gns to James Alexander of the Jalex flock from Randalstown, Co Antrim. Her pedigree features a Birness ewe by Lakeview Gold Rush, with the sire being Mullinvale Munro. The service sire was Ballynacannon Gypsy King and she sold carrying a single.

Dutch Spotted females were also in demand peaking at 12,000gns, 8,000gns and 6,000gns for entries from Emma and Allen Shortt's Diamond flock from Castlederg, Co Tyrone. Dearest was a ewe lamb purchased by Henry Jewitt, Barnard Castle, Co Durham. Living up to her name when selling at this price was Diamond Fairy Tale ET, the result of a flush from Glencoy Chelsie, a Challoch Bearskin daughter, and sired by Carlaustan Extrovert, a tup that has bred progeny to 28,000gns. Full sisters sold to 7,000gns and 6,100gns earlier in the year.

Another ewe lamb from the same home, Diamond Foxtrot ET, the first daughter to be sold from the reserve female champion at Balmoral Show in May and sired by Extrovert, made 6,000gns selling to an undisclosed buyer who also went to 8,000gns for Diamond Eleanor, a gimmer which has been successfully flushed. Champion at the Three Counties Show and another bred from Chelsie, she is by Drumhirk Decider and sold due to Extrovert carrying a single.

AVERAGES

12 ewe lambs, £2,086

8 aged ewes £1,220

55 gimmers £2,041

Dark Diamonds

2nd December 2022 | Auctioneers: Harrison & Hetherington Limited, Carlisle

This year’s instalment hosted the first multi vendor Export sale In the Country, with plenty of interest internationally and a number of sheep going to Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Portugal and Spain.

Topping the sale at 16,000gns was a Kings ewe lamb from TA Irwin & Son, Devon. This lamb was sired by the Irish ram Castlewood Shark. She sold to Mr Evan’s Rhaeadr flock.

Mrs Helen Goldie, Harpercroft, Kilmarnock, bought the first Kings ewe lamb, which goes back to a 13,000gns Cairness gimmer, at 3,500gns. She is a direct daughter of Roundacre Manu and out of a ewe by Birness Bang Tidy.

Melvin Stuart and family, Milltown of Birness, Ellon, sold the equal highest priced gimmer at 6,000gns to Craig Paterson, of the Cranorskie flock, Aberchirder, Huntly. His purchase is by the 2020 Sire of the Year, Salopian Scuderia, a shared tup that has bred sons to 40,000gns, and out of a ewe by Crewelands Megastar. She changed hands carrying a single to this year’s new stock ram, Ballynacannon Bazinga, bought at Lanark.

The family’s sole ewe lamb, by Mogford Major, a tup purchased jointly for 5,500gns at Shrewbury, was another to make the grade, attracting a 3,200gns bid from James Wallace, Claycrop, Stranraer. Her dam is by

Ballynacannon Noah. Alastair Gault of the Forkins flock from Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland, was in fine form producing the lead flock average at £3,255 for six, when selling the second gimmer at 6,000gns and a ewe lamb at 5,500gns. The former, a daughter of the €32,000 Cloontagh Chieftain, is bred from a ewe by Broomknowes Touch of Class, that has bred sons to 4,000gns. Harry Lyons of Cloudside Suffolks, Congleton, Cheshire, was the last man in on this entry which sold due with twin lambs to Forkins Masterplan, a son of Birness Freedom that has produced progeny to 10,000gns. Selling back across the Irish Sea,

the 5,500gns Forkins ewe lamb was purchased by Richard Henderson, Magherafelt. Bred from the same family as the 26,000gns Forkins McCoy, she is the result of a flush from a ewe by Forkins Black Gold that has bred lambs to 6,000gns and sired by the €44,000 Ballinatone Show Stopper that stood male champion at Balmoral in May.

On the debit side, Mr Gault went to 4,000gns for a gimmer carrying triplets to Forkins Samson, from Jim Cannon, Redbrae, Wigtown. This year’s show gimmer, she is maternal sister to the 4,000gns Redbrae female sold last year here to Harpercroft, being bred from a ewe by Strathbogie Samurai and sired by Benedyglen Black Caviar.

Top price for Jimmy Douglas’ Cairness flock, Fraserburgh, was 5,000gns paid by Arthur O’Keefe, Mallow, Co Cork, for a gimmer by Cairnton Prince, a tup that has bred sons to 30,000gns for John Gibb’s Cairnton flock. Bred from a ewe by Cavanagrove Catalyst daughter, she changed hands carrying a pair to Frongoy Fire Power.

Dennis Taylor’s Ballynacannon flock from Macosquin, Coleraine, was another in the money with two gimmer daughters of the 26,000gns Birness Freedom, selling for 4,000gns each. The first, bred from a ewe by Lakeview Innuendo, and scanned carrying triplets to the 40,000gns Lakeview Fury, was purchased by Messrs Graca, Portugal.

The second, which is a maternal sister a 15,000gns gimmer sold to Sportmans, being out of a ewe by Mountford Mustang, also sold with a pair to Fury, to Islay breeder, S Woodrow, Port Charlotte.

Other ewe lambs reached 3400gns and 3200gns, with the former, from Lesley and Mervyn Liggett of the Carony flock from Drumquin, Co Tyrone, selling back across the Irish Sea with Norman Robinson of the Benrafton flock from Downpatrick. An ET sister to a 2,000gns female at the Big Bang sale, she is the result of a flush from a 2,800gns Rhaeadr ewe lamb by Limestone Lightning and sired by Ballinatone Show Stopper.

The 3,200gns entry, from John

Gibb and his daughter Sophia’s Cairnton flock from Fraserburgh, was purchased by Jimmy Douglas, Cairness. Her pedigree features the Creagislay Cracker-sired, Cairnton Prince that was retained for breeding, and a ewe by Millhouse Remarkable. Her grand-dam bred this year’s top priced Suffolk, Cairnton Chaos which made 75,000gns.

FLOCK AVERAGES

Kings Flock – 2 £10,237

Forkins Flock – 6 £3,255

Birness Flock – 11 £2,701

Cairness Flock – 5 £2,163

Ballynacannon Flock – 8 £2,008

Redbrae Flock – 4 £1,942

SALE AVERAGES

17 Ewe Lambs £2,776.32

77 Gimmers £1,628.86

Three Nations

18th November 2022 | Auctioneers: Harrison & Hetherington Limited, Carlisle

Females from the Howgillfoot and Strathbogie flocks proved the star attraction at the Three Nations Suffolk sale at Carlisle, securing the majority of the lead prices to include the top two at 18,000gns and 15,000gns.

The entry of 98 registered females from 18 flocks saw prices peak at 18,000gns for the pre-sale champion, an ET-bred gimmer from Lilia Hutchinson and her father Richard's Howgillfoot flock from Kirkby Stephen. Backed by the best of breeding she is the result of a flush from a homebred ewe by Forkins Dizzee Rascal out of a Strathisla ewe, that is a sister to Limestone Action Martin. The sire is the Solwaybank Major son, Howgillfoot Major Mark.

A maternal sister to the 2,500gns female sold to Paul Delves at the Black Magic online sale, the sale leader sold due in January carrying a pair of lambs to the Shrewsbury purchase, Rookery Mean Machine, to Charlie Boden of the Sportsmans flock from Stockport. Howgillfoot had a flying trade, selling five to average just shy of £9,000, with others selling at 8,000gns and 7,000gns twice.

Selling at 8,000gns to Chris Holmes and his daughter Sally, of the Rookery flock from Worcester was a sister to Lakeview Innuendo, Armani, Heart of Gold and I'll be Back. Bred from the same family as Harbinger and Hith the Diff, this natural-born gimmer which made up the first prize pair at the presale show, is by Howgillfoot Sniper, a son of Limestone Limited Edition, and out of a Lakeview ewe by Lakeview Lyphard. She sold due with a pair of

Bonanza

5th November 2022 | Auctioneers: Harrison & Hetherington Limited, Carlisle

lambs to Rookery Mean Machine. The other half of the winning duo from the Hutchinsons, made 7,000gns to Rory and Pat Machray of the Middlemuir flock from Inverurie. Another backed by Mark Priestley's Lakeview genetics, this natural-born gimmer is bred from a Lakeview ewe by Rookery Rodeo that is a full sister to the pre-sale Shrewsbury champion, Lakeview Bob, and sired by Crewelands Captain Crusader. She also sold in lamb to Mean Machine carrying a single.

Matching that 7,000gns sale was the last lot from the Howgillfoot consignment, another gimmer by Captain Crusader but bred from a home-bred ewe by Birness Buckshot and due with a pair of lambs to Mean Machine. She headed home with Robin Irwin of the Kings flock from Umberleigh, Devon.

On the debit side, Howgillfoot bought the lead priced ewe lamb at 5,000gns from Mark Priestley's Limestone flock from Seaforde, Downpatrick, Northern Ireland. This was an ET entry bred from a ewe by Limestone Aston Martin which is an ET sister to the 5,000gns Trex that bred the 25,000gns Kells Blessington champion and sired by Forkins McCoy. Aberdeenshire breeder, Jim Innes and shepherd Michael Leggat, Dunscroft, Huntly, also had a great day with sales at 15,000gns and 5,500gns from the Strathbogie flock. Their best, an ET gimmer that stood second in her class at the pre-sale show, is the result of a flush from a Strathisla ewe by Strathisla Stiffler that bred AK Magic and Twenty Twenty. A daughter

of Forkins McCoy, she sold scanned with a single lamb to Muirton the Joker, to Stephen Cobbald, Acton, Suffolk.

Charlie Boden bought the 5,500gns Strathbogie gimmer, an ET from a home-bred daughter of the Strathisla ewe and sired by Crewelands Kingpin. She changed hands carrying two lambs to Frongoy Explosion. Heading up to Dumfriesshire with Messrs Austin, New Abbey, at 4,200gns was the lead gimmer from Dafydd Jones' flock from Wales. Bred from the best female line in the flock from Pennant, Llanon, her dam, a home-bred ewe by Ballynacannon Black Diamond, was overall champion at the Royal Welsh in 2019, while the sire is Morris Assassin. The service sire of the two lambs she is carrying is Strathbogie Never Say Never.

Just behind, on 4,000gns, the first prize ewe lamb and reserve overall champion from Myfyr Evans' Rhaeadr flock from Denbighshire, was knocked down to Messrs Oare, Brynford, Holywell. Her pedigree features the 30,000gns 2020 Sire of the Year, Salopian Scuderia onto a Lakeview ewe by Limestone Limited Edition

LEADING FLOCK AVERAGES

Howgillfoot Flock – 5 £8,988

Strathbogie Flock – 3 £8,050

Frongoy Flock – 4 £2,730

Limestone Flock – 4 £2,677

Solwaybank Flock – 3 £2,455

Rhaeadr Flock – 6 £2,275

AVERAGES

5 Aged Ewes £1,134

44 Shearling ewes £2,880

24 Ewe Lambs £1,631

Suffolk Sired Lamb

Harrison and Hetherington’s Great Bonanza Suffolk female sale took place at the new venue of Jalex Farm, Randalstown, with 126 females coming under the hammer having reached a top of 8,500gns.

The top price lot didn't have to travel far when James Alexander, Randalstown, Co Antrim, bought her from Jack Smyth and Emma McElhill, Newtonstewart, Co Tyrone, of the Bessiebell flock. This gimmer is sired by Theviews V6, out of a home-bred ewe which goes back to Scottish genetics being sired by Scrogton Jack The Lad. She is scanned a pair to Scrogton Snapchat.

The next lot in the ring made 3,500gns for the same home when the hammer fell to Messrs Lynch, Clougherhaed, Louth. A Landale Step Ahead daughter, she is out of a Stonebridge Master sired-dam and is due twins to Landale Ya Beauty.

To finance buying the top price lot, James Alexander sold his best for 4,000gns to Messrs Leonard, Co Donegal. This daughter of Scrogton

Snapchat – which was a tup bought at Carlisle in 2020 for £3,600 – is out of a Strathbogie ewe that goes back to Lakeview No Limits. This gimmer is scanned for triplets to Theviews V6.

The Jalex flock sold 20 gimmers to cash in at £1,690.50, helping achieve that average was a Theviews V6 daughter out of a Smiddiehill bred ewe.

Adding to her future potential she is due two lambs to Landale Ya Beauty.

Final bidders here were Stephanie and Willie Tait of the Burnview flock, Lisnaharney, Eskradooey, Co Tyrone.

Financing that transaction the Burnview flock also sold to a top of 4,000gns for a gimmer by Strathbogie Joel, which was purchased at Lanark for 13,000gns. Bred from a home-bred ewe that goes back to Strathbogie Im Invincible, she is due triplets to Forkins Ferrari II, and found a new home with Messrs Screen, Co Tyrone.

Messrs Williamson, Enniskillen, went to 3,500gns for the next best gimmer from the same home. A Clyda President daughter she is out of a Solwaybank Gent sired-dam and is scanned a pair to Strathbogie Joel.

Another two from the same home made 3,000gns when both found a new home with O Gorman, Blanchardstown, Dublin. Firstly was another gimmer, sired by Strathbogie Joel she is out of a dam that goes back to Shannagh Resolve. She is in lamb to Forkins Ferrari II, due three lambs. The second was by the same sire, this time bred from a Strathbogie Im Invincible sired-dam. She is scanned a pair to Mullinvale Assassin. Another to achieve that same price tag was the best from Philip Gurney, Aghadowey, Colraine, Northern Ireland, of the Oakbridge flock. Their gimmer is a daughter of Convoy Pablo Escobar, and the dam was purchased from the Benedyglen flock for 2,200gns going back to Pyeston Phantom. Stephanie and Willie Tait of the Burnview flock, took this one home which is scanned a pair to Castelisle Kingsman.

AVERAGES

85 gimmers £1,592

27 aged ewes £1,403

25 ewe lambs £1,174

Ballymena

7th November 2022 | Auctioneers: JA McClelland & Sons Ltd

Suffolk Females were in strong demand at the annual show and sale organised by the Northern Ireland Branch of the Suffolk Sheep Society at Ballymena Livestock Mart.

134 ewes and ewe lambs were catalogued for the evening and met with a clearance rate of 86% with 22 buyers from Mainland Europe with eight from the South of Ireland. With many new breeders in attendance keen to start a Suffolk flock this is a testament to the strong interest in Suffolk sheep.

The judge for the evening was Stephen Sufferin of the acclaimed Crewelands Flock who awarded Michael & Caolan McNally of the Benedyglen flock first prize in the gimmer class, the Co. Derry breeder also went on to take the overall champion honours with his Lakeview Crafty sired ewe in lamb to Castleisle Kingsman which went on to sell for 1,100gns to David McKeeman, Co. Antrim.

The Craigdoo Flock of the Grant Brothers also stood well in the gimmer

Suffolk Sired Lamb

class taking second place with their Castleisle Casanvoa sired ewe in lamb to Limestone Dark Knight being knocked down to Steven Caldwell, Moneymore for 1,000gns. Nicky Lowry stood third and fourth in the gimmer class selling to 1,050gns and 800gns respectively to Jonathan Moon, Ballymena and Sean McKendry, Kilrea.

The Fourscore breeder also topped the sale with his Fourscore First One sired ewe in lamb to Limestone Tyson selling to 2,100gns to fellow Suffolk breeders Kimi and Lewis Chambers of the Knockahorn Flock.

The aged ewe class saw Martin and Eoin Butler of the Castlewood flock take the winning rosette while going on to take the Reserve Champion title with their Crewelands Captain Morgan sired ewe in lamb to Causeway Ranger this was quickly snapped up by Christine Maybin of the Loughloughan flock for 1,300gns. Ben Lamb stood second with Patrick McVerry taking third and Philip Kennedy taking the fourth rosette selling to 650gns, 800gns and 500gns respectively.

In the ewe lamb class Sean and Jane McCloskey stood first and third selling to Jan Van Ginderachter, Belgium for 800gns and Martin Brown, Co. Fermanagh for 900gns. Lesley Liggett stood second and fourth.

Many thanks to the staff at Ballymena Livestock Mart and Michael Smyth who scanned all the sheep in lamb on the evening of the sale.

Many thanks to the continued support of Uniblock who were the sponsors of the show and sale.

LEADING PRICES AT THE SALE

INCLUDED:

Gimmer Class

N Lowry 2,100gns, 1,300gns 1,050gns, 800gns

M McNally 1100gns, 900gns, 850gns, 800gns

P McVerry 1100gns, 950gns

P Kennedy 1,000gns

Grant Bros 1,000gns

M Butler 900gns

J Trimble 850gns

A McNeilly 850gns

Aged Ewe Class

M Butler 1,300gns, 500gns

P McVerry 800gns, 450gns

B Lamb 650gns, 450gns

P Kennedy 450gns

Ewe Lamb Class

D Andersen 1,000gns

S McCloskey 900gns, 800gns, 550gns

L&M Liggett 700gns

RESULTS

Gimmers

1st M McNally

2nd Grant Brothers

3rd N Lowry

Aged Ewes

1st M&E Butler

2nd B Lamb

3rd P McVerry

Ewe Lamb

1st S&J McCloskey

2nd L&M Liggett

3rd S&J McCloskey

Champion

M McNally

Reserve Champion

M&E Butler

Midland and Eastern

The Midland and Eastern Branch were very excited to start the year off with our long awaited biannual branch trip. The trip was held on the 20th-22nd May, where the committee arranged for the members to tour the Shropshire and Powys area, we were also joined by some members from The Northern Counties Branch.

Whilst I was awaiting the imminent arrival of my baby, Gail Jefferies very kindly stepped in and did a great job of organising the tour. I was told that the hospitality shown by all the flocks was superb, the sheep were top class and

the weather was very kind to the members. Staying at The Wynnstay Hotel in Oswestry, day one took them to Holly Bowdler (Tombridge) flock and then on to George Powells flock (Myddle) in the afternoon they travelled over to Churchstoke to Paul Delves Flock (Bridgeview). The next morning saw them head off to Phil Poole (Salopian Flock) and in the afternoon they arrived at Jack Pryce’s (Horton Flock), where Helen provided a fantastic spread to see them on their way home. Thank you, to all the flocks for preparing for our visit.

June saw the Queen’s Jubilee weekend where Ray

Woolway, (Woolways Flock) got into the spirit of the Royal Jubilee.

The branch show, as always, proved very popular, being held during the Queen’s Jubilee Weekend with great support from our Suffolk Breeders. Our Judge Janice Broughton had her work cut out judging some of the bigger classes. In the end, Janice found her champion in Gordon Beedie’s (Breckland Flock) very correct Ram Lamb. At the end of judging we were ready for the communal picnic which was enjoyed by all. The 2023 Branch show will be held at Rutland County Show on Sunday 4th June and all are welcome.

The show season

Branch members young and old have been flying the flag for the breed at many of the major County shows.

Suffolk Show went to Gorden Beedie’s Ram Lamb and reserve to Merrick Pinny an untrimmed ewe lamb.

Royal Cheshire Show went to Geoff Biddulph’s Ram Lamb followed in a very close reserve with Harry Lyons very showy ewe lamb. Geoff then did us the honours and went on to win Interbreed Champion with his Ram lamb and also his group of three.

Lincolnshire Show supreme champion went to D & J Inman with their Ram (two shear or over) also winning reserve with their untrimmed ram lamb and going on to win a special prize with best pair of ewe lambs.

Kelso Ram Sale saw another very good year for Steve and Louise Buckley, with 18 sold and averaging £928.88. The top price at the Western Wonders sale was 3,000gns, which went to Stephen Cobbald with an in lamb shearling ewe. Congratulations to all members who have sold well this year.

October saw our flock competition which soon came around. We had a great number of flocks enter, including some new members which was brilliant and gave our lovely judge Helen Goldie, some thinking to do. We were very kindly sponsored by Bimeda, Global excellence in animal health. The full results of our flock competition have been posted on our Facebook page. Champion flock went to Stephen Cobbald, (Lavenham Flock). We arranged our Champion flock view day for the beginning of November where we saw a lot of members attend to see the fantastic stock on show. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t in our favour and so the sheep were penned up and brought inside. The catering was top quality and Stephen requested the money given towards the catering was kindly donated to Mind Charity in his daughter’s name Charlotte Cobbald, the branch was delighted to be able to donate this money to such a worthy cause.

In November our AGM was held and it was announced that Bruce Cook was standing down from his position as Chairman, we would like to thank Bruce for his contribution to the branch and we welcome our new chairman Kevin O’Donoghue. One of our much-admired committee members, Charles Harding also stood down and allowed a new face to join the committee, Harry Lyons. Thank you, Charles, for all of your support and contribution over the

years. Samantha Thomas has also stood down as Secretary and we would like to take this opportunity to thank Samantha and wish her and her family all the best for the future.

Supported by the Suffolk Sheep Society at Melton Mowbray Market Winter Warmers pedigree in lamb sheep sale, Suffolk’s were in demand. Judge Charles Harding gave Overall Suffolk Champion to Thomas Blunt (Milton Flock) with a very tidy aged ewe in lamb. We hope all our members and other Suffolk sheep breeders will support this sale next year. Judging from prices made this year we feel it would be very beneficial to join onto this sale. More information will be provided on our social media and also on the Suffolk Sheep website.

Champion Flock

Stephen Cobbald

Reserve Champion Flock

Ray Woolway

Small Flocks

1st Stephen Cobbald

2nd Ellie Fudge

3rd Abi Howl

4th Jim Hammond

Medium Flocks

1st Jim Wolton

2nd Harry Lyons

3rd Steve and Christie Walker

4th Norman Howl

Large Flocks

1st Ray Woolway

2nd David Inman

3rd Sam Oakes and Jill Davies

4th Mark Fenemore

Best Ram Lamb

1st Sam Oakes and Jill Davies with Groes Gladiator

2nd Steven Cobbald

3rd Ray Woolway

Best Shearling

1st David Inman with Kexbeck Kingpin

2nd Ray Woolway

3rd Mark Fenemoore

Best Ewe Lambs

1st Stephen Cobbald

2nd Harry Lyons

3rd David Inman

Best Novice

1st Sam Oakes and Jill Davies

2nd Mark Fenemore

3rd Ellie Fudge

South East

Each year it’s tempting to write about how the challenges we face differ from the previous year. In fact, I think we can accept that every year is different and the challenges we face make us all more resilient and better equipped to move forward. The dry summer of 2022 had many feeding winter stocks in August and many of the shows were having to focus on keeping the stock, and stock keepers, cooled off and out of the heat.

The branch was again well represented at shows and we continue to see a great turnout at these key events. The South of England remains our focal show and it was a fantastic ewe, from Diana Lindon’s Wymbleton Flock, that won the breed championship, before going on to pick up the interbreed. Allan Kings

ram lamb picked up the reserve breed champion title before going on to join another local breeder, as their new stock ram, later in the season.

Kevin and Sally Ann Hasemore won the any other breed section, at the Kent County show. Whilst some members struggle to take three days off farm, during July, it’s great that our breed is still being represented so well. The Hampshire and New Forest continues as a member's favourite, with large numbers giving the judge, Philip Brooks a challenging time of deliberation. Matt Legge’s shearling ram picked up the honours there, with Diana Lindon taking the reserve.

The branch continued to hold our annual show and sale at the Dolphin sheep fair, Ardingly, with Malcolm Stevens picking out Diana Lindon's ram as his champion. Trade was very much up on the previous year and a

full clearance was achieved.

The new NSA South East sale was also supported, by our members, who were rewarded for their entries with a flying trade. With all shearlings sold and all except one lamb sold, this was a great start to a new event. Chris and Chrissy Russo took the top price, with one of the first in the through the sale pens, ringing the bell at £950.

Out of area, Tom Blunt represented us in both the National and also the Melton Mowbray sales, turning the heads of breeders, with some flashy females, and getting amongst the top prices as just reward.

We were unable to hold the flock competition this year, as we were unable to find a stand in when the arranged judge had to pull out. Phil Brooks has kindly agreed to now judge this in April so I hope many of you will be able to take part.

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HANDLING

Northern counties

It has been a year of turmoil for the country, however Suffolk sheep have been wanted in our region with primestock, cast ewes, commercial and pedigree tups and latterly females all a good trade. Some notable prices have been achieved by our members at both pedigree and commercial sales. In the show ring members have been flying the flag for the breed, not only at major shows but also at the smaller agricultural shows in our region, with several interbreed titles coming the way of the Suffolk. Many thanks to all for helping to promote the breed in this way.

The Great Yorkshire Show

A strong show of sheep were once again this year put forward for judge Gordon Troup (Whitestone Flock) to assess. His champion was a cracking Rheaedr gimmer from new breeders the Pitmans from Devon, with reserve champion a stylish tup lamb by Monkton Mentalist from the Denby family. Congratulations to all Branch members who presented great sheep right down the line, and were rewarded with some good placings, class winners included James Wilkinson, Lilburn estates, Pamela Lupton, John

Howard and Geoff Richmond with top three placings going to Steph Ryder, Sandra Woodend, Andrew Bailey and Steven Read.

The hospitality in the sheep lines after judging is renowned here, and a large crowd was present to see the annual trophies presented by the branch:

The Jack Bulmer trophy for the Best Group of Sheep presented in their pens was won by Steph Ryder (Ryden flock) and the Richard Bulmer trophy for the Best Group of Three went to the Lilburn Estates Roseden flock.

The Branch Sale

The Branch Sale held as usual at Borderway mart Carlisle attracted a good show of quality tups and females with buyers coming from far afield. There was a good clearance rate of 77% for tup lambs which averaged £921. Mark Priestley judged the pre sale show, finding his champion from Myfyr Evans Rhaeaedr flock, a ram lamb by Ardlea Arbennig. Branch members were well to the fore in both the show classes & the sale, with Stephen Bolland winning with both his shearling tup (950gns) and gimmer (1,700gns) Other noted prices from our area included Anthony Glaves’

shearling tup 1,600gns, and Pamela Luptons tup lamb 1,800gns (thus winning the Dennis Midgley Memorial trophy for the Branch member achieving the highest price at our sale).

Flock competition

A bumper entry meant that our judge Mike Black had many miles to cover. It was very encouraging to see several newer breeders taking part and many thanks to both Mike and his son Jack for their time, hopefully they enjoyed it!

RESULTS

Champion Flock

Crusoe Tim Robinson

Reserve Champion Flock

Moorsley Katie Brannen

Large Flock

1st Carnforth RK Denby

2nd Castlegrove HC Dowson

Medium Flock

1st Crusoe JM Robinson & Son

2nd Moorsley Katie Brannen

3rd Aldby Hannah Pickthall

Small Flock

1st Glenreiver JR &JA Irving

2nd Hyton Sandra Woodend

3rd Sneaton James Wilkinson

Novice

1st Aldby Hannah Pickthall

2nd Cobclough Kate Crossley

3rd Redacre Claire Kenyon

Best Stock Ram

1st Monkton Mentalist RK Denby

2nd Crusoe Tyson JM Robinson

3rd Castlegrove Gurkha HC Dowson

Best Ewe Lambs

1st Wharfe Stephen Bolland

2nd Moorsley Katie Brannen

3rd Kexbeck Pamela Lupton

Best Flock of Ewes

JM Robinson

Best Individual Ewe

JM Robinson 2020:36

At the Champion flock view day members and friends were treated to a hot lunch, the sheep, particularly the flock ewes, were in great form and were worthy winners.

The Branch AGM followed the presentation of prizes, this saw Keith Denby stand down as Chairman after several years at the helm. Many thanks are due to both him and Marion for all their hard work which they will hopefully continue! Clive Dowson took over as Branch Chairman with Graham Denby elected as vice chair.

A presentation was made to Michael Armstrong who has finally managed to retire as Branch Secretary, he has done a grand job and will be a hard act to follow.

Western area

Following the recent Branch Flock Competition, the awards from the Judge, Mr Viv Samuel were as follows:

Small Flock

1st Jack Pryce, Meifod, Powys

2nd P Dadswell, Rookham, Wells, Somerset

3rd Steve Pierce, Almondsbury, Bristol

Medium Flock

1st Tom & Aimee Mogford, Nomansland, Tiverton

2nd B Roth, Redruth, Cornwall

3rd Andrew Fletcher, Clowstop, Kidderminster

Large Flock

1st Phil Poole, Battlefield, Shrewsbury

2nd RB & GM Morgan, Usk, Monmouthshire

3rd Andrew Reed, Blackborough, Cullompton, Devon

New Flock

1st Holly Bowdler, Ellesmere, Shrewsbury

2nd C Davies, Crymych, Pembs

3rd B Haines, Beaminster, Dorset

Best Shearling Ewes

1st Jack Pryce, Meifod, Powys

‘Judges Prize’ - Best Single Ewe

C Davies, Crymych, Pembs

The ‘Vedw’ Perpetual Challenge Cup

For The Best Ewe Lambs

1st Jack Pryce, Meifod, Powys

2nd Phil Poole, Battlefield, Shrewsbury

Certificate Of Merit

RB & GM Morgan, Usk, Monmouthshire Brandon Roth, Redruth, Cornwall

The ‘ J. Straker, Chadwick & Sons’ Perpetual Challenge Cup For The Best Stock Ram (With progeny on the ground)

1st Andrew Reed – ‘Monkton Ballistic’

Best Ram Lamb

1st Tom & Aimee Mogford – ‘Mogford Ronnie’

The ‘O.P. Williams’ Perpetual Challenge Cup For The Champion Flock

Champion Flock

Tom & Aimee Mogford (Mogford Flock)

Reserve Champion Flock

Jack Pryce (Horton Flock)

Viv Samuel would like to thank all competitors for sparing their time and for their hospitality.

Northern Ireland

2022 welcomed a full return of Shows & Sales for the Northern Ireland Branch.

First up in the Suffolk calendar was the Spring Lamb competition. Andrew McNeilly presented the winning rosette in the pedigree category going on to take Overall Champion.

Ballynacannon flock owner Dennis Taylor took the Supreme Champion title at the Royal Ulster Agricultural Show with his impressive Birness Freedom sired shearling ewe whilst also taking the Reserve Champion accolade with his Ballinatone Showstopper shearling ram. All in all a fantastic few days for the Suffolk breed to showcase Northern Ireland's premier livestock.

The return of the NI Branch Championships at Armagh Show swiftly followed The RUAS show and was Judged by Jan De Roock of the Raspoet Flock, Belgium. Jan chose the exceptional Convoy Pablo Escobar sired shearling ewe from the Limestone flock of Mark Priestley as his Champion on the day with Dennis Taylor claiming the Reserve Champion prize with his ram lamb a Crewelands Red Bull son. Jack Watson and Neale Fleming took 1st prize in the

Young Handler competition in their relevant age sections. Stock Judging was highly successful with Anna Taylor taking the David Duncan Perpetual Shield and Claire Young taking the William Montgomery Perpetual Shield.

The Premier Show & Export Sale had record entries and was judged by Gerry Killilea of the Carragh Flock, Co. Galway. Mark Priestley took the Supreme Champion title with a son of Howgillfoot Batman and sold in a two way split to Co. Down breeders Patrick Grant, Craigdoo Flock and Brian Dickson Islandmoyle Flock for 10,000gns. Blackbrae Flock owner Alastair Barkley took Reserve Champion with his Blackbrae Black Label sired lamb selling for 10,000gns to Annakisha flock owners Arthur and Patrick O’Keeffe, Co. Cork.

Jason and Campbell Watson took the Overall Female Champion award selling for 3,000gns to D Dijuizzen, Netherlands and Sean and Jane McCloskey took Reserve Female Champion with their ewe lamb selling to the Castlewood Flock of Martin and Eoin Butler for 2,000gns. The sale saw a 76% clearance with 152 sheep sold.

The Young Handler classes saw Noah Taylor taking the

winning rosette in the U14 class and Joseph Trimble first in the U18 class.

From late August through to early October the NI Suffolk Branch held many successful provincial ram sales.

Ballymena second sale saw sale prices peaking at 2,050gns with Crewelands flock owner Stephen Sufferin topping the sale with his Frongoy Firenze bred ram selling to Bruno Thevenoux, France.

We held a very successful Dinner and Presentation of Awards night in the Killymoon Golf Club, Dungannon in late October. It was great to see so many Suffolk breeders young and old attend the event. A great night was had by everyone.

The year ended on a high with our In Lamb ewe sale seeing a strong trade with 134 ewes and ewe lambs catalogued on the evening meeting with a clearance rate of 86% with 22 buyers from mainland Europe and eight from

South of Ireland. With many new breeders there keen to start a Suffolk flock is a testament to the strong interest in Suffolk sheep.

Judge for the evening was Crewelands flock owner Stephen Sufferin who awarded Michael & Caolan McNally of the Benedyglen flock overall champion with their Lakeview Crafty sired gimmer in lamb to Castleisle Kingsman which went on to sell for 1,100gns to David McKeeman. Martin and Eoin Butler of the Castlewood Flock took Reserve Champion with their Crewelands Captain Morgan sired ewe in lamb to Causeway Ranger selling to Christine Maybin of the Loughloughan Flock for 1,300gns. The Northern Ireland Branch would like to extend a sincere thank you to all our sponsors and advertisers who supported us in 2022.

Looking ahead to 2023 in anticipation of another exciting and eventful year for the Suffolk Breed.

Scottish Area

Last year saw the Suffolk breed feature strongly through the many shows and sales again throughout Scotland and the UK. It was tremendous to be able to attend and hold a normal event after the two year Covid-19 period which we have all battled through. Early in our calendar year the Area Branch had a change of secretary and welcomed Heather Pritchard to the team.

The first outing in the year for the Branch was Scotsheep held at Over Finlarg Farm, Tealing, by Dundee, Angus. The event was a huge success and the display of both pedigree and commercial Suffolks generated great interest to the stand. The selling of raffle tickets commenced this day and was concluded at the Royal Highland Show when the draw was made.

During the event, the Scottish Branch said a huge thank you to Natalie Cormack for all her work carried out during her time as branch secretary and presented her with a token of appreciation.

Attending the Royal Highland Show brought Suffolks to the fore as entries were outstanding under the watchful eye of judge Mr Gordon Mackie of the Drimmie flock. Lifting the breed championship rosette with his gimmer was young breeder Finn Christie (Maidenstone Flock). Taking the reserve championship position was Stewart Craft (Lakeview Flock) with his lamb ram. The prize draw for the raffle concluded and the winning ticket for the sheep dressing stand was won by Gerwyn Jones of Llanrwst, Conwy.

The Scottish National Area Branch

Annual Show & Sale in July at Lanark market, courtesy of Lawrie & Symington, saw 22% increase on the number of ram lambs sold from the previous year, 173 head, with an average of £3,370 (82% clearance). The growing demand for the superior growth rates of the cross lambs ensured a bumper trade and with 35% of the lamb rams were sold to commercial buyers.

Securing the top price of the sale at 75,000gns was a lamb ram from John Gibb (Cairnton Flock). This tremendous lamb is a son of Bridgeview Belvenie and out of a Baileys Rock Solid sired ewe. He sold to Stephen Sufferin (Crewelands flock). Lifting the championship silverware was a lamb ram from TJ & CR Boden (Sportsman flock) which

sold for 60,000gns. This entry is a son of Salopian Solid Gold and out of a Birness Muzza sired Ballynacannon ewe, and was purchased by Phil Poole (Salopian Flock).

LEADING SALE AVERAGES:

TJ & CR Boden

Sportsman Top Price 60,000gns

Average £25,800

J Gibb

Cairnton Top Price 75,000gns

Average £15,650

JC Innes

Strathbogie Top Price 40,000gns

Average £14,400

S Lathangie

Pyeston Top Price 38,000gns

Average £12,717

The Kelso Ram Sales saw trade in both rings 8 and 10 continue their upward popularity at sales with the clearance again exceeding all expectations. Summary of results:

Ring 8 (shearling rams) saw a joint top price of £9,000 for an entry shown by G&B Ingram (Logie Durno flock) and the second joint leading price from J Watson & Co (Brijon Flock).

215 shearling rams averaged £1,178.84 – increase of £179.73 for 25 more shearlings sold.

Ring 10 (lamb rams) leading price was £3,600 for entry consigned by RH

Goldie (Harpercroft Flock).

165 lamb rams averaged £666.79, increase of £67.72 for 19 more lambs sold.

Overall Champion in the pre-sale show was awarded to a shearling ram exhibited by A Gray (Langside Flock).

The Scottish Branch were able to revert to holding a face to face AGM again which took place at end of October. The office bearers remained the same, Ron Grieg as Chairman and Helen Goldie as Vice Chairman. Two new committee members were duly

elected to join the Branch, namely James Scott (Strathview Flock) and Jim Cannon (Redbrae Flock) and stepping down from committee was J Henderson. Also elected from the Area Branch was Pat Machray (Middlemuir Flock) to stand as President Elect on behalf of the Scottish Branch Area. Looking forward to events in 2023, the Scottish Area Branch are delighted to announce they will be holding their National Show which will take place on Saturday 20th May which will take place at Fife Show.

West Country

The year started with sponsorship of fat lamb classes at the local livestock markets.

Our show season started with the Bath and West show with Dafydd Jones (Frongoy Flock) judging and he found his Champion with Mr and Mrs N Pitman's shearling ewe and in reserve was Brandon Roth with his ewe lamb, following on next to the Royal Cornwall Show with Myfyr Evans Rhaeadr Flock coming down from north wales and Champion on the day was Mr and Mrs Pitman's shearling ewe and reserve was Matthew Fear's aged ram and the final three day show was at Devon County where Denis Taylor (Ballynacannon Flock) found his champion with Mr and Mrs Pitman's shearling ewe giving them a clean

sweep in the West Country three day shows and in reserve was Graham Reddaway's ram lamb.

We then move onto our first sale of the year at Exeter Livestock Centre where David Rossiter (Huish Flock) judged and found his Champion with a shearling ram from AJ and WJ Reed's Beaconhill flock which went go on and sell at 900gns and in reserve was Darren Stephen's ram lamb.

We then move on to NSA Ram sale at Exeter livestock centre in the middle of August, where in the Suffolk ring trade was back on the year before, but sold to a solid trade with good clearance rates achieved where Robert Hopper and family topped at 2,000gns and Robin and Emma Irwin's ram lamb topped the lambs at 900gns. Our final sale this year was our

inlamb show and sale at Exeter where Rob Holmes was our judge and his champion was Robin and Emma Irwin's ewe lamb which went on to sell for 1,100gns to David Bourne, reserve was Brandon Roth's shearling ewe selling to 600gns, congratulations to Robin and Emma Irwin for topping the Dark Diamonds sale with their ewe lamb.

It was with great sadness we lost Jenny Grout in December after a short illness she was our club secretary from 1996 to 2004 and then came back to help from 2017 to present day. Our annual flock competition was held early October with seven flocks for Matt Legge (Duxmore Flock) and Alan King (Alljohn Flock) from the Isle of Wight with the prize giving dinner at the White Horse near Exeter.

Novice Flock

Michaela Ann Elliot “Summer Hill”

Small Flock

1st Graham Reddaway “Barwick”

2nd Mary Julia Cornish “Mardle”

3rd Marcus Tucker “Marcol”

Large Flock

1st Aimee Mogford “Mogford”

2nd Brandon Roth “Tolgus”

3rd Peter Derryman “Yarcombe

Single Ram Lam

1st P Derryman “Balquhain lamb”

2nd B Roth “Tolgus lamb”

3rd G Golding “ Marcol lamb”

Ram Shearling and over

1st G Reddaway

“Millhouse Final Command”

2nd G Golding “Longridge Centurion

3rd B Roth “Ballynacannon Trilogy”

Home Bred Ram

1st G Golding

“Longridge Centurion Son”

2nd G Golding

“Longridge Son Of Stiffler”

3rd P Derryman

“Yarcombe Stig Of The Dump”

Ewe Lambs

1st A MA Mogford ogford

2nd B Roth

3rd Mary Julia Cornish

Best Group of Stock Rams

1st B Roth

2nd P Derryman

3rd G Golding

Best Group of Ram Lambs to run on as Shearlings

1st B Roth

2nd P Derryman

3rd G Golding

Champion Ram

G Reddaway “Millhouse Final Command”

Reserve Champion Ram

G Golding “Longridge Final Comand”

Champion Flock

A Mogford “Mogford”

Reserve Champion Flock

B Roth “Tolgus”

East Anglia

Because of the Pandemic times have been challenging for the Club but thanks to our Secretary Chris Partridge we all mastered the art of Zoom and have continued to use Zoom during the year for our Committee Meetings and Talks I applaud all the members who mastered the challenge.

In the spring we unfortunately had to cancel our Carcase Competition

because of the lack of entries. The logistics of the distances within our area do not help us to organise events. May saw members out in force at the Suffolk Show to see Gordon Beddie and Merrick Pinny fight for the top prizes amidst stiff competition from all areas. We held our AGM after the day of judging and I saw myself remaining in the Chair till next year. A great honour that the club feel they still

need me but now is the time for the younger members to take the banner forward. Tom Stocking will take over as Chairman in 2023.

In June we were invited to Acton, Sudbury to the home of Stephen Cobbald to view his flocks. This was a superb visit where we saw Suffolk, Texel and Polled Dorset sheep. Stephen organised a sheep dog demonstration by Ed Hawkins and a

Guided tour of the beautiful Lavenham Church. Our grateful thanks go to Stephen for his generous hospitality. In the autumn we again were invited to Stephen Cobbald’s to view his Champion Flock of Suffolk Sheep having won the Midland and Eastern Flock Competition which was judged by Helen Goldie. We must congratulate Stephen, Ray Woolway, Jim Walton, Jim Hammond and Ellie Fudge for their Flock Competition successes. A great boost for our members. Stephen again

hosted an enjoyable Open Day where many Breeders from the Midlands and East gathered on one of the wettest days we have had in the East for a long time.

At the end of November we had a Zoom meeting where the Society’s new CEO Barrie Turner talked through his aims for the Society in his new role and that he hoped to visit our area in the future to meet members in person. We wish Barrie every success in his new role.

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I close by saying I would personally like to thank Chris and Sarah for all their hard work and dedication in keeping the Club together and organising so many of our events. They work very hard on behalf of the Club, its members and the Suffolk breed.

Congratulations must go to all our Members who had success in the East and look forward to seeing Club and Branch members at the Shows and Sales in 2023.

Gloucestershire and Adjacent Counties

Our club year began in April with a ten pin bowling evening in Worcester. At this Andrew Fletcher proved once again to be the master and was a comfortable winner. We also held our AGM that night, Phil Smith carried on as chairman and treasurer with Jane Whitehouse remaining as Secretary.

In May, the Midland Branch invited us to join them on their tour of Shropshire and surrounding areas which took place over two days. On day one we visited Holly Bowdler's Tombridge Flock, George Powell's Myddle flock and Paul Delve’s Bridgeview. On the second day it was the turn of Phil Poole, Salopian and Jack Pryce, Horton. We saw outstanding sheep at all the flocks and received wonderful hospitality.

At the end of June we held our club viewing day at Jed Sharp's Hawshill Flock, relatively new to the breed, they have already made a big impact and this was reflected in the large crowd that turned up. The weather was not ideal in a short space of time we had thunder, lightning, heavy rain showers, wind and sunshine, but this did not deter people and everyone was very impressed with the sheep on view. The majority of lambs were sired by Sportsmans Safari a 40,000gns purchase from the previous year. Afterwards Jed and Benni laid on a wonderful spread of food including delicious Thai curry. The club wish them success for hopefully many years to come.

In July our members helped run the Society stand at the NSA Sheep Event at Malvern, this was hugely successful with a large crowd, great atmosphere and a lot of interest in the Suffolk breed. Our club show took place at Tenbury show at beginning of August. Charles

Harding was judge and Andrew Fletcher won the trophy for the best exhibit from a club member with a ram lamb sired by Strathisla Stoner. Phil Smith had great success at Burwarton taking the championship with a ewe lamb sired by Llwyn Dominator, also taking reserve champion with his two year old ram Llwyn Dominator. At Moreton-in-Marsh, Sally Holmes was champion with a super ram lamb sired by Rookery The Real McCoy, which went on to be reserve interbreed out of 26 breeds. Phil Smith was reserve champion with a ewe lamb. In October Viv Samuel judged our Flock competition.

RESULTS

Champion Flock

Andrew Fletcher

Reserve Champion Flock

Phil Smith

Best Yearling Ewes

Andrew Fletcher

Best Ewe lambs

Steve Pierce

Best Stock Ram

Phil Smith

PREMIUM SHEEP & GOAT HEALTH SCHEMES

Andrew Fletcher

In October we had another ten pin bowling social again won by Andrew and we ended the year in early December with a very enjoyable Christmas meal at The Rose and Crown, Severnstoke, Worcester. A great venue, great food and company. I would like to thank all our members for their support at events over the past year and I hope everyone has a successful lambing.

Shropshire & Montgomery

This year has been a busy one and started early in the year with the AGM. George Powell was re-elected chair and Holly Bowdler became Vice chair; other committee members stayed in place with the edition of Christie Walker. The meeting was followed by a very informative talk from Ben Wixey from Germinal on the importance of grass within our feeding regimes. Something we will all have to take on board with other input costs set to rise as we live in an uncertain global market for commodities.

Welshpool Auction held a Spring Lamb competition and vouchers were awarded to P & G Jones, Llansantffraid. Rikki Lloyd, a local Welshpool butcher kindly sponsored this competition.

In May the Midlands area came to visit several Club

Members, all gave a warm welcome and there were plenty of encouraging comments about the stock that was on show. In early June, the Members also had a flock visit to J E D Sharpe’s flock where again the sheep and the hospitality were good.

The show season then began in May right through to early September with Members representing the breed within the local area and beyond. It would be good to see a few more members taking to the show circuit, it is a good shop window to promote your sheep and I always enjoy meeting the public who are interested to know where and how their food is produced, something which again is particularly important in this ever-changing world we live in.

Early in September Steve and Christie Walker hosted our annual stock judging competition, there was a good turnout. Members must have known we were in for a treat, not just seeing the sheep but the cakes produced by Sylvia Houghton were fabulous. Kevin O’Donoghue kindly acted as master judge. Graeme Hardman won the Ensdon Salver. It was a great afternoon, thank you to everyone involved.

Ram Show & Sale

The Annual Show and Sale was held in Welshpool on the 30th September with an 81% clearance. Averages were £399 for aged, £589.80 for yearlings and £415.29 for lambs. Top price was 1000gns twice for ram lambs from P Delves Bridgeview Flock with Bridgeview also taking champion with one of these lambs. The top price yearling was from GV & J A Hardman Masbury flock selling to 900gns which was reserve champion. Other notable prices for yearlings were 800gns, 780gns twice from J Pryce, 750gns GV & JA

Hardman & S C Walker, 725gns SC Walker, 720gns J Pryce, 700gns P Smithson, TH Nicholas, GA & AW Wood. Lambs Holly Bowdler 525gns, 480gns A Farmer, 450gns P Delves. The show was judged by Alan Blair ‘Thornfleet’.

RESULTS

Aged Ram

1st Jones-Evans family Islyn Flock selling to 380gns

Yearling Ram

1st G Hardman Masbury - Champion selling to 900gns

2nd J Pryce Horton

3rd P Smithson Hawkhill

Ram Lamb

1st P Delves Bridgeview selling to 1,000gns

2nd Holly Bowdler Tombridge

3rd P Delves Bridgeview

Many thanks to our sponsors Farmers Guardian for the Breakfast Vouchers, Bibby’s, Maelor Feeds, KLF Insurance and J G Animal Health.

We also ran a flock competition which was judged by Jim Irving (Glenreiver Flock). Jim placed the flocks as follows on the next page. A view day will be held next Spring and so the prizes were presented at the annual dinner.

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England

Continued from previous page

Large Flock

1st Phil Poole – Salopian Flock

2nd George Powell – Myddle Flock

Small Flock

1st Claire Whitticase – Glanmartin Flock

2nd John Pryce – Horton Flock

3rd Holly Bowdler – Tombridge flock

New Flock

1st Jill Davies & Sam Oakes- Albea Flock

Stock Ram

1st Phil Poole – Sportsmans Golden Moments

2nd George Powell – Strathbogie Joel

3rd S C Walker – Glenreiver Apache

Ewe Lambs

1st Phil Poole – Salopian Flock

2nd George Powell – Myddle Flock

3rd Claire Whitticase – Glanmartin Flock

Champion

Phil Poole Salopian

Reserve Champion

George Powell Myddle

Club Members have also done well outside of Club Events with Salopian taking the Bristol Gold Cup and sire of the year with Salopian Solid Gold, runner up in this year’s sire of the year competition, was Bridgeview Belvenie, bred by DP & RA Delves. Paul Delves had the honour of judging Lanark and then achieved top price gimmer selling for 6,200gns, the Bridgeview Flock also took top price gimmer at the National Sale selling for 3,000gns, George Powell Myddle sold a ram lamb for 2,600gns and at Carlisle

C Whitticase & Son’s Glanmarton flock pen averaged 1,100gns for four sheep sold with a top of 2,100gns.

Congratulations also go to Jack Pryce for taking reserve flock in the Western Area Flock Competition along with best yearling ewes and best ewe lambs. The Horton Flock has also taken many championships and Interbreed prizes at shows this season and is the winner of the Malcolm Gatt Trophy for gaining the most points during the year. I would like to thank everyone who has supported the Club over the year and wish you all a successful 2023.

For further information please contact Helen Roberts 07976 803066 or email helen@arddleensuffolks.co.uk

The club also has a Facebook page so please take a look and see what we are up to.

Tayside

After a couple of years of disruption, it was fantastic to start the year with our AGM in March. Members had an enjoyable evening at the Glencarse Hotel and we were treated to an informative talk from speaker Iain Wilkinson, farm manager at Balgay Farm. This year also saw the return of competitions and shows, starting with our annual prime lamb competition which was held in May at United Auctions, Stirling judged by W. Shearer, Burnbrae. Champion pair, sponsored by East Coast Viners from T.A Sands made £160 and 355.56ppk. Champion single lamb sponsored by the Horn Milk Bar also from T.A. Sands made £161 and 309.62ppk.

PRIZE LIST

Single

1st T.A. Sands, Kingston £161

2nd R H Black, Collesie £146

Pairs

1st TA Sands, Kingston £160

2nd J. Scott, Strathview £134

3rd TA Sands, Kingston £136

Stock judging also returned this Summer with an evening for all the family hosted by the Sands family at Southfield Farm. A lovely summers evening made for a great turn out, with James Scott coming out on top after seven classes kindly judged by Hilary Brown. The evening was rounded off by tea and cakes and a tour of the cut flower patch. This years’ activities rounded off with the annual flock competition judged over two days by Mr David Middleton, Mid Mains of Balfour. The overall champion flock was awarded to Tom Sands, Kingston flock, having won both the ewe lamb class and stock tup class with the tup Bentley Blitz. Reserve overall was shared between Leslie Learmonth, Orcades and Donald Meldrum, Greenscapes. Other winners were Jim Farquharson, the Horn who had the champion flock of ewes and James Scott, Strathview who won the new tup class with the tup lamb Forkins

Faultless. Members enjoyed a prize giving dinner and talk from Martin Beard of Parkhill House, Angus and Hon Vice President Scotland of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.

Small Flock Ewes

1st Jim Farquharson, The Horn

2nd Lorna Ward and Kenny McKeague, Baldoukie

3rd Callum Anderson, Standsure

Small flock ewe lambs

1st James Scott, Strathview

2nd Donald Meldrum, Greenscapes

3rd Colin Whitton, Finhaven

Large flock ewes

1st Tom Sands, Kingston

2nd Leslie Learmonth, Orcades

Large flock ewe lambs

1st Tom Sands, Kingston

2nd Leslie Learmonth, Orcades

Overall ewes:

Champion: Jim Farquharson, The Horn Reserve: Lorna Ward and Kenny McKeague, Baldoukie

Overall ewe lambs

Champion: Tom Sands, Kingston Reserve: Leslie Learmonth, Orcades

Stock tups

1st Bentley Blitz owned by Tom Sands, Kingston

2nd Cairness Glenmorangie owned by Donald Meldrum, Greenscapes

3rd Hollycroft Titan owned by Andrew Mackie, Ouilkoe

New tup class

1st Forkins Faultless owned by James Scott, Strathview

2nd Glenrock Rocky owned by Tom Sands, Kingston

3rd Mogford Darknight owned by Colin Whitton, Finhaven

Scottish Borders & Northumberland

In the interests of fuel economy no separate Club show was held, so Club prizes were awarded within the judging at Northumberland County, where Roseden & Lilburn

had a field day. Chairman, Mickey Walton’s trailer-load scooped the bulk of the spoils, lifting both Show and Club Championships with a stunning ewe described by

Dumfriesshire judge Tom Fitzsimon as being “almost perfect”.

Jim Irving broke the Roseden stranglehold when winning a strong ewe lamb class and taking class

placings, as did the Denby family’s Carnforth Flock. The latter enjoyed a super season, taking Reserve Overall Champion and the Male Championship at the Great Yorkshire with a super tup lamb sired by their successful Monkton Mentalist from a homebred ewe. Subsequently retained, he has been named Carnforth King Charles!

The Denby’s run of fortune continued. In the National Flock competition, they stood Reserve to (eventual Bristol Gold Cup winner)

Phil Poole’s Salopian Flock for the Keeble Cup (flocks of 61-100 ewes) and in the Northern Counties Branch equivalent took first Large Flock and, for the second year, Monkton Mentalist secured Best Stock Ram. Rounding off this amazing season, Carnforth achieved top price Aged Ewe at Carlisle and, sold well at Lanark, Carlisle and Longtown‘s registered sales.

Roseden & Lilburn fared well at the unbelievably hot Great Yorkshire, including winning the Group of Three and, collected local Championships at both Border Union, Kelso and Glendale, Wooler.

Berwickshire’s Lawrence & Doug Laing’s 88-year-old Oxmuir flock saw local successes with a strong homebred shearling tup shown in partnership with the Millars from Westfoulden and Gavin Brown (Capielaw).

Although concentrating on Texels, Brydon and Johanna Nicholson (Knock’em) dipped into the Suffolks, successfully selling a run of super gimmers at the Scottish Branch Sale, Lanark and, helping Club Secretary Caroline Nelson’s Rosepark flock,

as young Charlotte was happily and successfully reunited with her Young Handler partner Rosepark Katie (Cairnton the Cracker x homebred ‘Babe’ [Middlemuir Messi]).

Speaking of youth, it was great to see Malcom Stewart (Sandyknowe) hard at work assisting RHET in the ever-popular Livestock marquee at the Border Union’s massive School’s educational day.

Which takes us to ‘Kelso’ – the Solantel® Sale. Congratulations to Jonathan Watson, who topped the registered shearlings at £9,000, averaging £1,289 for 33 head and, to Ali Warden (Skelfhill, Hawick), making £5500 to top the busy ‘unregistered’ ring where trade was sharp all day for the best, with good averages. Here, a family ‘personal best’ at £4,000 was achieved by the Hyslops from Berwick-upon-Tweed, a shearling sired by a Northhouse tup from Ian Hepburn & Co.

The Society’s new CEO, Barrie Turner made his inaugural Kelso visit and was impressed with ‘the quality and quantity’ offered for sale both in the registered and unregistered rings.

Mention must be made of the successful bid of £3,400 for the top-price lamb from Harpercroft, by eight-yearold Charlotte Nicholson, Duns, who is proving a real chip off the old block!

The Border Club again sponsored Harrison & Hetherington’s autumn presale show; 28 pens of 50 ewe lambs sired by a Suffolk; this year judged by Yorkshireman Andrew Russell. James Pate, Marvingston, put out his usual top-quality x Scotch Half-Breds, selling

the winners to £200.00/head. Top price here was a pen of 52 from Blackhill, achieving £12 more p/h, whilst in the x Mule ewes, the best came from the Telfords, Branton Eastside at £200/ head with third placed Blegbie reaching £192, £22 p/h up on last year.

West and Central

We held our AGM at the Thornhill Inn. Members enjoyed a hot supper and a good catch up. David Gilmour remained as Chairman and Roy Hiddleston as Vice Chairman.

Club Show

Our Club Show was judged by Melvin Stuart (Birness). He placed the first prize gimmer from Mrs Helen Goldie (Harpercroft) as his Champion and the first prize ewe lamb from Paula and David Reid (Conchar) Reserve. Best opposite sex was awarded to lambs from Ryan Arthur (High Muir) and best gigot to Ian Fitzsimons (Burnside).

Prime Lamb Competition

Stirling – United Auctions

Champion

J More, Townhead

Ayr – Craig Wilson Champion

C & A Smith, Northboig Farm, New Cumnock

Stirling – Caledonian Mart Champion

N Lucey, Longriggs, Coalsnaughton

Lanark – Lawrie and Symington Champion

A Mitchell and Co, Newton of Wiston

Royal Highland Show

The Hiddleston family (Irongray) were placed first in both the Aged Ram and Shearling Ram class and were Champion Group of Three.

Great Yorkshire

Paula and David Reid’s (Conchar) ewe lamb was placed first in her class and their ewe was placed second. The Hiddleston family (Irongray) were third with their Gimmer.

Scottish Area Lanark Sale

Club members Iain and Judith Barbour attained 20,000gns for their best ram lamb ’Solwaybank McCoist’ which sold to Stephen Sufferin (Crewelands).

Carlisle Sale

J Cannon (Redbrae) was placed first and reserve champion in the show with his single ram lamb going on to attain 1,200gns.

James Wallace’s (Claycrop) ram lamb was third in the single ram lamb class and he was also third in the best pair of ram lambs.

Iain and Judith Barbour (Solwaybank) had a top price of 1,750gns and Mrs Helen Goldie (Harpercroft) sold her best ram lambs to 1,550gns and 1,200gns.

Kelso Ram Sales

A Gray (Langside) attained Breed Champion and went on to attain £5,000 for his best Shearling whilst P Gray (Scrogton) achieved £2,000 for his best. Helen Goldie (Harpercroft) achieved £3,600 for her best ram lamb.

Club Show and Sale – Dumfries Market

Judge Ben Radley placed the first prize ram lamb from the Hiddleston Family (Irongray) as champion.

The Hamish Stoddart Shield for the highest average for three lambs or more was awarded to J Buchanan (Prettsmill).

Carlisle Female Sale

J Cannon (Redbrae) achieved a top price of 1,300gns for his best gimmer and Paula and David Reid attained 720gns for their best gimmer.

Three Nations Sale

Iain and Judith Barbour (Solwaybank) had a top of 3,000gns for their best ewe and 2,000gns for their best gimmer.

James Wallace (Claycrop) and Helen Goldie (Harpercroft) both had a top price of 1,600gns for their best gimmers.

Suffolk Supremes

A new sale took place at Lanark Market and club members P and D Reid (Conchar) attained a top price of 1,500gns for the best ewe and 1,100gns for their best gimmer.

Dark Diamonds

J Cannon (Redbrae) achieved 4,000gns for his best gimmer.

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Continued from previous page

Flock Competition

We were delighted that this years Flock competition could go ahead and the judges were Peter Wilson (Spoutwells) and Bill Heron. Awards were presented at the Lochside Hotel and Spa, New Cumnock.

Small Flock

1st J Lundy (Lundazi)

2nd Arthur (Highmuir)

3rd S Bourman (Middlehouse)

Medium Flock

1st A Currie (Blackbog)

2nd P Gray (Scrogton)

3rd E Dowie (Islay)

Large Flock

1st H Goldie (Harpercroft

2nd A Gray (Langside)

3rd P and D Reid (Conchar)

Best Female (excluding ewe lambs)

A Gray UK560693 02181

Best Progeny Group

1st Helen Goldie - Strathbogie 24 Carat

2nd A Gray - Rowandale Reality

3rd P and D Reid - Solwaybank Spudulike

Evandale Trophy - Best 5 ewe lambs

1st H Goldie (Harpercroft)

2nd J Cannon (Redbrae)

3rd P & D Reid (Conchar)

Best Stud Ram

Mullaghboy Magee

J Cannon (Redbrae)

Champion Flock

H Goldie (Harpercroft)

Reserve Champion Flock

A Gray (Langside)

> Lot 131 lanark – FHT2202231 –Solwaybank 20000

Scottish Area Branch Show & Sale of Suffolk Sheep

(16 Gimmers averaged £1,822.03,

We had very sad news in the Club this year with the passing of Mrs Annie Hutchon (Evandale). An honorary President of the Club and a great friend to many.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all members and sponsors for their continued support during 2022.

North East Scotland

Sadly, our year was once again disrupted by Covid-19, but we were able to hold more events this year.

Our prime lamb competition held at Thainstone Centre Inverurie sponsored by Towns & Carnie and judged by Stewart Mackie Butcher, Aberlour made the following placings:

Lightweight

1st G L Stuart, Birness

2nd Alex Shand, Greenbrae

3rd G L Stuart

Heavy

1st P & R Machray, Middlemuir

2nd G L Stuart

3rd A Stuart, Davishill

Light Cross

1st Colin Scott, Biffie

2nd B Begg Stonehaven

3rd B Begg Stonehaven

Heavy Cross

1st C & I Birse, Midmar

2nd Mesrs Smith, King Edwards

3rd G L Stuart

Champion

P & R Machray £190

Reserve Champion

C & I Birse £155

The Carcase Competition this year at Scotbeef Inverurie was sponsored and judged by Scotbeef. Light weight winner and Reserve Champion was Jimmy Young, Muirton. Heavy winner

and Champion was A Stuart, Davishill. Cross Suffolk Champion and Reserve was Ronnie Wilkie, Tillyboy.

During the show season Finn Christie came out on top at the Highland Show while our local shows were won by Judith Lorimer, Cadgerford at Echt; John Gibb, Cairnton at New Deer; Gordon Troup, Whitestone at Banchory; Finn Christie, Maidenstone at Turriff and finally Finlay Hunter, Sunset at Keith. The pairs points trophy was won by Judith Lorimer.

Northern Area Sale was next on the agenda where leading prices for Club Members were John Gibb, Cairnton

75,000gns; JC Innes, Strathbogie

40,000, 22,000, 15,000gns; G L Stuart, Birness 20,000 and Jimmy Young, Muirton 10,000. There was also

success for Hannah Lorimer, Faith Miskelly, Gemma, and Murray Stuart in the young handlers.

National Sale Champion was G L Stuart with leading club prices for G Christie, Balquhain 4,200gns, and G L Stuart 2,600gns.

In July 38 members travelled to Fife where we visited R Black, Collessie, S Craft, Lakeview and finally S Lathangie, Pyeston to see their lambs for the forthcoming sales.

Our Club sale was held in conjunction with the Thainstone Centre, sponsored by Harbro and judged by David Middleton, Balfour. Champion was a shearling from J C Innes, Strathbogie 1,260gns and reserve the ram Lamb from Finlay Hunter, Sunset 950gns. Other leading prices J Douglas 2,000gns J C Innes 1,250gns and G L Stuart 1,100gns. Our Flock Competition was held in October sponsored by Elanco and judged by James Wallace, Claycrop

Small Flocks

1st Alison Dalgarno, Cairnorrie

2nd Pamela Duncan, Sordal

3rd Louise McAuley, Speyburn

Med Flocks

1st P & R Machray, Middlemuir

2nd Arran Donald, Glenisle

3rd Scott Wilson, Glenisla

Large Flocks

1st Craig Paterson, Cranorskie

2nd Judith Lorimer, Cadgerford

Best Flock of Ewes

Craig Paterson

Best Ewe Lambs

P & R Machray

Best Stock Tup

Redbrae HRH, Cadgerford

Best Ram Lamb

J C Innes and P & R Machray, Frongoy Explosion Champion

P & R Machray

Reserve Champion

Craig Paterson

The speakers for our November meeting were Billy Kyle from Elanco and fellow club member David Miskelly, Woodside Vets Practise. Fluke and all sorts of sheep related problems were discussed with a lively question and answer session.

Christmas Classic Female Sale was sponsored by Murray Duguid Seeds and judged by Helen Goldie, Harpercroft.

Ewes

1st David Delday

2nd David Delday

3rd Arran Donald Glenisle

Gimmers

1st G Christie, Balquhain

2nd G L Stuart, Birness

3rd G L Stuart, Birness

Ewe Lambs

1st Craig Paterson, Cranorskie

2nd G L Stuart, Birness

3rd G L Stuart, Birness

Champion

G Christie.

Reserve Champion

Craig Paterson

Finally, congratulations to George Stuart, Birness on becoming a honorary member of the Suffolk Sheep Society.

North Antrim and East Londonderry East Down

We commenced the year in May with our annual charity BBQ and show to raise funds for the clubs chosen charity, The Olive Branch which supports mental health.

The event was held by our chairman Martin Butler and family at his farm in Rathkenny and the evening brought great weather with lots of people and a great show of sheep. Stephen Sufferin kindly judged the show and picked his champion in Martin and Eoin Butler’s ram lamb, with Campbell and Jason Watson taking reserve champion with their gimmer. Martin kicked off the fundraising by donating £800 from the proceeds of a gimmer he sold. The club were proud to have raised a total of £3,500 which was presented to Alan Mulholland of The Olive Branch at our recent AGM. Our dedicated show team members attended our 1st local show since Covid-19 at Ballymoney Show on the 4th June. Campbell and Jason Watson (Bannview flock) took overall champion with their gimmer and coming out top in the clubs show team points. Martin and Eoin Butler (Castlewood) took reserve champion with their shearling ram and came second with the clubs show team points. Ballymena show was next on 18th June where Campbell and Jason Watson came out top in the show team points with Martin and Eoin Butler coming second. The show team winner for the year went to the Bannview Flock and the Castlewood Flock took reserve. We would like to thank Thompsons Feeding Innovation for their continued sponsorship for the clubs show team.

Our annual show and sale was held in Armoy Livestock Market on 16th September and as in previous years there were some excellent shearling rams and ram lambs on offer. The show was kindly judged by Arnold McClure and was sponsored by James Delargy Farm Supplies. Arnold picked John McKay as Champion and Alastair Barkley as reserve champion both with their ram lambs. Trade on the night peaked at £1,200 for the Conagher flock owners Craig and David McKeeman’s ram lamb. Other top prices were for John McKay’s Kirkview flock at £950 and John Hegarty’s Benhead flock at £720. Shearlings topped at £740 for Brian McVicker’s Causeway flock.

Our year ended with our annual dinner and presentation of awards with a bit of craic and good attendance from members, family and friends at the Bushown Town Hotel. On the night Michael McNally, Benedyglen flock who kindly agreed to judge the flock competition for us announced John McKay’s Kirkview flock as the winner. The reserve was scooped by Martin and Eoin Butler’s Castlewood Flock. The club would like to extend a sincere thanks to all our sponsors and to everyone who helped and supported us in 2022. We would also like to wish member Alastair Barkley all the best as he steps into the roll of president in the coming year.

As a new season starts we wish all our fellow Suffolk breeders a successful lambing and look forward to seeing you all in 2023.

2022 was a slow year to begin with and our first meeting of the year was a committee meeting to discuss the agenda for the year ahead. The first event that was held was the club championships. This year the championships were held in conjunction with Saintfield Agricultural show Suffolk sheep classes.

The Club Champion this year was a gimmer from the Seaforde flock belonging to Joe and Molly Maginnes and the Reserve ribbons awarded by Judge Sam Wilson (Shannagh) went to a Ewe Lamb from the Limestone flock of Mark Priestley. The Male of the Year award went to the Curley Hill Flock of Jason Trimble and the Show Team of

the Year award also went to the same home.

Unfortunately we did not have a BBQ this year this being due to the lack of venue. If you would be interested in hosting our BBQ in the future please speak to a committee member.

The Annual Show and Sale in Hilltown Mart was the next event during 2022.

Anthony Patton (Carrowmoney) kindly agreed to judge the event. He found his champion in the Tullywinney Flock belonging to Patrick McVerry. This lamb later sold in the ring to a top price

of 960gns. The Reserve Champion from the Benrafton flock of Norman Robinson secured the third highest price of the night at 780gns. The sale saw a 100% clearance and a sale average of 507gns.

Our third and final event of the year was the Annual Dinner and Awards night. We had a great attendance this year and an enjoyable night’s craic was had by all. We had no BBQ, no flock competition and no trip this year but hopefully we will be back to a full diary in 2023.

Flanders – Belgium

With the Covid-19 years behind us, shows and sales returned to normal. We met friends and breeders again, were able to catch up, had a drink ; in short: enjoying Suffolksheep together.

One of the eyecatchers this year was the purchase of the 75,000gns Cairnton Chaos, bought by Stephen Sufferin for his Crewelands flock. The Crewelands dispersal, later in the year, was one of the big events in the Suffolk year. A super flock of Suffolks sold by a fantastic family.

In Flanders, Belgium, five big shows restarted in 2022. The first show was in Tongeren, judged by the Belgian Judge Lionel Goossens. His breed champion was a ewe lamb from Bert Laeremans. She is a homebred Williams Rolls Royce daughter out of a Jango van Boetelaere ewe.

At Herne, still the biggest Suffolk show in Belgium, the Spanish judge Nacho Acebal, Lavandera Suffolks, made an aged ram from Claude Henricot breed champion. The ram is a Limestone Gold Rush son out of a Rhaeadr Raring to Go daughter, bred by Claude Van Wijnsberghe.

At the third show in Strijtem, Aaron Kealy, Ivybrooks Suffolks, was the judge. His breed champion was a ewelamb from Franky Van Sterthem. The ewe lamb is a Nelson vh hof ter Haeghen daughter out of a Kolonel vd Meierie ewe. The next show took place in Waregem where Martin

Butler, Castlewood Suffolks, was the judge. He made a ewe lamb from Bert Laeremans breed champion. The Williams Rolls Royce daughter out of a Jango van Boetelaere ewe was already champion in Tongeren and she did it again at the last show in Beerse, Belgium. This show was a new organisation and Mrs Liz Needham did a great job as judge. She also made the ewe lamb from Bert Laeremans breed champion.

I'd like to take the opportunity to thank the judges for their competent judging. Also a big thank you for the organisers of the shows for their efforts: Pieter Michotte, Alain and Yves Nerinckx, Sven Roels, Jan Van Ginderachter and the new team in Beerse.

Thanks to the efforts of the breeders , the transporters, breeders that kept sheep in quarantine in Ireland and Northern Ireland, people who did the paperwork; we were able to import Suffolk sheep. Thank you all for making this possible. I hope we can continue to work together successfully.

Wish the Suffolk Sheep Society and the breeders the very best for 2023.

Congratulations to the following flocks who are celebrating major milestones

Youth focus

Name: Emily Boby Flock: Debdalehill

I was first drawn to the Suffolk breed when I was gifted a purebred Suffolk cade lamb for my 14th birthday in 2017. After finishing school, I fulfilled a lifetime dream of purchasing my first 12 Suffolk ewes and a tup lamb. After lambing my new ewes for the first time I was absolutely hooked on the breed, I registered all my Suffolk’s with the society and set off to the society sales to expand the flock.

Over the past four years of owning my Suffolks I have particularly enjoyed showing and promoting the breed. My purebred lambs grow quickly, and the mothering skills of the ewes never fail to impress me. Working with commercial ewes alongside my purebred flock also gives me an insight to using Suffolk tups on crossbred ewes. The Suffolk lambs are thrifty and weigh really well, they

Name: Hannah

Pickthall

Flock Code: XNF

Flock: Aldby

are also the first to go to market out of the other breeds!

This year, I hope to further expand my flock and get out to as many shows as possible! I would also like to enter the Midland & Eastern Branch flock competition and sell my tups at a society sale. I have really enjoyed learning the ins and outs of the Suffolk breed, there is really no competition for the breed in my eyes!

Name: Lauren McWhirter

Flock Code: XZH

Flock: Valleyview

We farm our small flock of Suffolk sheep in the heart of Cumbria. We first started with Suffolks in February 2021 when we purchased our first two hoggs. Later in August that year we purchased our first tup (Williamsgill Ambassador) from the Carlisle society sale along with another gimmer lamb.

We then became fully registered with the Society and have purchased two more in-lamb ewes since then. The reason we like the Suffolk sheep so much and decided to get some of our own was because we love the way they look (who doesn’t love a Suffolk’s ears!) and the how fast their growth rate is. Ours have added so much to our original flock of Texels and Mules, helping to produce

both breeding gimmers and lambs for the market.

Going into 2023 we would love to continue breeding up our numbers as we hope to now run a closed flock retaining our own homebred gimmers. We would also love to get back out to all the local shows showing off this amazing breed. We love going around as many shows as we can, meeting loads of other Suffolk breeders and getting to know more people from the Suffolk community.

We also find it very helpful to get feedback from different breeders and the judges on how we can further improve our Suffolk’s. In 2022 we won a total of 14 rosettes and hope to have another successful year in 2023.

My family has been breeding pedigree sheep, mainly Charollais, as long as I’ve known. I always felt attending sales with my parents that there was always a demand for a good Suffolk Tup. So after a bit of research and pestering, Dad took me to Shrewsbury and we came home with two Gimmer Shearlings and a Ram Lamb. Along with two Ewes, which had been bought at Junction 36 as Ewe lambs a few years earlier, these were the foundation of my flock.

They all reared lambs and either matched or bettered any of the other lambs on the farm that year. I realised that Suffolk’s had a place here, so more research and not as much pestering (I’m sure Dad was coming round to my ideas). The next port of call was Sandyknowe, Mam allowed a visit to buy two nice Gimmers, luckily, we came home in the dark and managed to unload seven without being caught, at least

until the following morning and finally I treated myself to a Harpercroft ewe lamb. They have slotted right into our system and have never been any bother, rearing lambs for fun and being a joy to keep.

As both my parents work off farm and I am now training to be a Paediatric Nurse, we really do need a simple system, the Suffolk’s are more than I could ever have expected. Last year I sold more Ram Lambs than the rest of the family and this year am hoping to sell some females and ram lambs at a pedigree sale, as I don’t want the flock to get any bigger than 30 breeding ewes, at least until I’m finished my training. The family hadn’t shown for several years, but with the help mainly of Mum, I entered the three main local shows and was very pleased with the results. This gave me the confidence to enter the Northern Counties flock competition. It was very enjoyable to meet Mike and Jack, and as I’ve found with other breeders, everyone is friendly and willing to help young breeders like myself. I was delighted with the results and felt it gave me further desire to improve on what I already have.

Looking ahead I feel the Suffolk is ideal for our system of being grass feed and I’m just wanting to breed correct sheep, that easy flesh and perform in all environments. I already have a few repeat commercial Ram buyers and hope that this year I’ll be able to sell some Aldby breeding to other pedigree breeders.

Investment in education is vital

As with any industry without the younger generation feeding into it there is little or no change in the direction of travel and it stagnates. The other vital factor is that the essential skills required to work in the sheep industry will be lost if not handed down through the generations.

The investment in education is a vital part of what we do as a charity and therefore we need to ensure that we make that investment every year and encourage young people to get involved with our industry and breed to ensure that we carry on in the future.

We have had a couple of years owing to Covid-19 and also last year not quite seeing enough people subscribe to the Youth event and Myerscough College that was proposed just fell short of being viable.

As you can see, in 2023 we are proposing to hold the event this year at the National Show and Sale at Shrewsbury, and thanks to Andrea Gardner, Jane Soulsby and Liz Needham, this is being mapped out as we go to print. Further details of the format and timings will be forthcoming and please don’t hesitate to sign up.

As we look forward into 2024, I have held and will be holding further meetings with the Branch Chairs and Secretaries, and I would like very much if each branch could form a Suffolk Youth Committee to organise some events more regionally to help cut down the travel distance and hopefully attract a few more people to take part. I would also like if one member of the Branch Committee could commit to being part of the Society committee and contribute to the overall format and further development of the Suffolk Youth as we move forward over the next few years and help to make it a happy and vibrant organisation.

Please add this to the branch agendas for your next meetings and see where we can get to and if you have an interest in securing the future and are prepared to host a Branch event in your region, please ensure you put your name in the hat.

How far can we go? With extra legs on the ground and regional engagement I think we can take the activities offered to the younger members of the Society as far as we want to!

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

Chair or Vice Chair plus five, one from each Branch. In conjunction with the CEO.

• The Committee would formalise and develop a structure to the Youth Programme.

• Stratify the age groups Junior, Intermediate and Senior and tailor workshops to age.

• This would take the form of ring craft and preparation for sale show sheep – all ages.

• Stock judging commercial lambs.

• Become an educational platform with production and flock management essentials.

• Invite industry professionals to give presentations on health, nutrition, grassland management etc.

• Make the participants more aware of the supply chain.

• Invite retailers and processors to present.

• Finals weekend from the Branch events – first place and second place to represent their regions.

• Have a senior's weekend for those aged 18-24.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

• Not breed specific.

• Each Branch to organise an area youth day.

• Keep traditional showing and preparation skills at workshops/finals.

• Regional heats and the best go forward to final weekends.

• Grassland management and nutrition.

• Add butchery demonstrations.

• Visit processors and retailers.

• Engage with the principles of 1886 Heritage Suffolk Lamb.

• Offer links to training courses – Lantra, City & Guilds qualifications.

• Discounted membership of the Society to encourage attendance at events.

• Seek support from 1886 Heritage Suffolk network.

Remembering Sandy

A tribute to Alexander ‘Sandy’ Fraser: Santon and Hazeltree Flocks 1958-2014 by Caroline Nelson

Born in February 1933 into a farming family in Abernethy, Perthshire, Sandy naturally possessed a keen eye for a good sheep and passion for the game of Rugby, in which he excelled.

The renowned Santon Flock was established in Scotland in 1959, with the then statuary number of five ewes. Seeking more, an intrepid and permanent move was made in 1961 to Low Santon Farm, north-east Lincolnshire.

Here, thriving on Sandy’s meticulous stockmanship and the excellent sand & loam soils, the flock flourished. Besides barley and wheat, Low Santon grew sugar beet, carrots, potatoes and, the obligatory cabbages!

With excellent grassland, son Andrew joined his father in the family’s expanding enterprise, “County Turf” whilst Russell and Campbell pursued other agricultural occupations.

Showing, not only the promotion of stock and the competitiveness but the craic and comraderie was high on Sandy’s agenda. The then “Royal of England” at Stoneleigh was one of his favourites and where he realised many achievements, including taking the Pairs Interbreed four times.

Sandy contested the National Flock Competition, proudly lifting the Bristol Gold Cup three times, with numerous

Charles Harding – ‘Bentley’

other section wins; the Sainsbury Cup (ewe lambs), the Bonnington Salver (best ewes) and the Chebsey Cup (10 ewes by the same sire).

Many other achievements included lifting the Northern Branch flock competition, the last being with Sandy’s offshoot “Hazeltree” flock in his final season, 2014.

For years, Sandy served his Branch as both committee member and in the Chair.

"Sandy was such a competitor in the judging ring! At the Royal Show we’d always be penned side-by-side, you’d pick up tips. He was such a perfectionist in his preparation. He helped us. He’d help anybody, but at a show, not to the extent that... well, you know! Yet, when we won the Interbreed Pairs at the Royal it was just tremendous to show together with him. After the judging, win or lose it would be - ‘come on, back to the trailer’. That was just him, his hospitality and friendship was second to none. Sandy? We’ll miss him, he was such a great bloke to have around”.

Perhaps inevitably, following two terms on National Council, serving various sub-committees including finance, Sandy was honoured to accede to the Presidency of the Suffolk Sheep Society, year 1997-1998.

Sandy consigned sale sheep annually including the National Show and sale right from its inception at Stoneleigh; Kelso; the autumn female sales (Gorgie Mart, Edinburgh), H&H Carlisle and of course the important Northern (now Scottish) Branch, then at Edinburgh. In 2004 Sandy took the decision to disperse the Santon Flock, topping at 18,000 guineas with the service sire Cairness Destiny. However, still beguiled by the breed, Sandy had canny access to a nucleus previously sold and, the Hazeltree flock was born.

Fittingly, a stunning ewe lamb from this ‘new venture’ gave Sandy his long sought-after Royal Highland Show Championship in 2011, before final retirement in 2014.

Ever the competitor, in his eighties Sandy partook of the Great North Run with son Campbell, raising considerable funds for his local hospice.

“This little tribute would not be complete without word from some of Sandy’s erstwhile contemporaries, fellow Suffolk breeders, his friends. May I thank you most sincerely for your time and especially, for your memories”.

“Sandy was a true gentleman, such a popular breeder. For many years a good friend of my father; we always enjoyed his company and his craik.

Sandy was great at giving proper advice and his wisdom was respected. I recall an incident within the breed where Sandy, on Council at the time, terminated the discussion by simply stating... ‘Rules were made by gentlemen for gentlemen’. That was Sandy.

No-one ever had a bad word to say about him; he will be sorely missed”.

Sheila Eggleston (Hallam) – ‘Seagrave’

“Sandy was the face of Suffolk sheep at that time. He treated everybody the same, it didn’t matter who you were. He gave encouragement, he was very good with the younger generation coming into the breed. On Council, he’d think things through. Sandy had loads of common sense and would speak for everybody, for ‘the breed’, never for himself.

We will always remember him with fondness”.

Roger Weaver – Perrinpit

“I knew Sandy for over 60 years. We were not only great competitors in the show ring but very good friends and, we served on Council together for may years.

At the Royal Show in the livestock parking, the Perrinpit lorry and the Santon trailer always parked side by side; between us we hosted the Tuesday night BBQ, until the demise of the show.

Sandy was always on hand to advise and pass on his knowledge of Suffolk sheep and will be sadly missed by all those who knew him”.

“Sandy was a proper gentleman. Absolutely. He had the interest of the breed at heart and was a great man to represent the commercial side of the Suffolk.

I remember the year at the Royal Highland when he showed the commercial ewe with Suffolk triplets; impeccably turned out and a credit to the breed. Sandy judged many times across here in Ireland and was very well respected. He had time for everybody. They don’t make ‘Sandys’ any more, more’s the pity”.

“Sandy was a great showman. He turned his sheep out to the very best; he had the skill, the ability. The trimming, his attention to detail was everything... He would always help the young ones then and some today could do with his wisdom.

He liked his Rugby, he was always keen. I remember, he’d come up here and stay, go to Murrayfield to watch Scotland play. Sandy was a great friend”.

“ I remember when Sandy first came to the fore, it wasn’t long before he added length to his sheep and length into the breed, for the good.

Sandy always made you feel welcome, he was the same with everyone and he never forgot a face. He was great company”.

Sandy

“Sandy was a good friend, a super breeder and above all a real showman, the best”. And how we miss those real genuine get-togethers at the sales and shows”.

Fred

“Well, Sandy was a gentleman, wasn’t he! Sandy had passion for the breed and he was a purist; he bred sheep true to type. One which springs to mind was Santon Senator 51628 (Garrowby Gold Swell x 80 L4/ Collessie Jester), which did so much good for the breed.

And politically, Sandy did such a lot for the Society, with his many years involvement serving on Council. It can’t be underestimated how much good he did for the breed. It was always a joy to be in his company”.

“I made Sandy’s acquaintance many years ago and found him to be a very friendly and forthright gentleman. The way he bred his sheep was a credit to him.

I’m very sorry to hear of the passing of Sandy, he will be greatly missed. My deepest sympathy to his family”.

Jimmy Douglas ‘Cairness’

“Sandy was a gentleman; he did so much for the breed”.

Obituaries

A great supporter of the Society

A tribute to Bernard Adams by Stephen Cobbald

One of the Suffolk Sheep Societies great supporters, Bernard Adams passed away on 3 February 2023. Bernard was a dyed in the wool Suffolk Farmer farming at Old Felixstowe on the coast of Suffolk and beside the River Deben.

Bernard Adams was one of life’s true gentlemen, a good friend to many, a family man who loved his grandchildren, and during his lifetime a supporter of many organisations.

Bernard Adams was involved with the Suffolk Sheep Society for many years. He was awarded with an Honorary Lifetime Membership for his work for the breed and representing the Eastern Area for many years on Council. He was successful with his Suffolks at many County Shows, including the Royal Show as well as the Society Ram Sales. Bernard was

March 2022

FemalE Sale

a great judge of all livestock, judging Suffolk Punch horses, Simmental Cattle and Suffolk Sheep at all the top shows throughout the country.

Bernard Adams and his late wife Jill were keen and forthcoming with help and advise to anyone who showed an interest in Suffolk Sheep.

Bernard was not a great fan of big heads and bone, and always held the opinion that the Suffolk’s strength was producing Suffolk lambs suitable for the consumer.

Over many years, Bernard was a great supporter of the Suffolk Agricultural Association and the Suffolk County Show. Bernard was one of a small group of men who showed Suffolk Punch horses, Red Poll cattle and Suffolk Sheep at his County Show.

Bernard Adams was a good man, a good friend and will be missed by all who had the privilege to know him.

MR SANDY FRASER Past President (1997-1998) Santon & Hazeltree Flock – Est. 1954

April 2022

MRS ANNIE HUTCHON Honorary Club President Evandale Flock – Est. 1980

October 2022

MR ALASTAIR KERR Lindal Flock – Est. 2020

MR RICHARD GARNER Ortum Flock – Est 1978

November 2022

MR ANDREW HILL Sandyhill Flock – Est. 1933

December 2022

JENNY GROUT Club Secretary West Country Suffolk Sheep Association Blagdon Flock – Est. 1987

Flock Achievements

Information as supplied by breeders to the Society. Some information withheld due to GDPR. New members for 2022 in Bold

UK MEMBERS ENGLAND

Name County Tel Prefix Code Est

Nathan Agar and Leigh-Ann Beckett North Yorkshire 07729 678 495 Liverton ZDN 2021

J&C Airey Cumbria 07881 920 810 Urswick STX 2014

R Akrigg North Yorkshire 07495 826 508 Auldhall WWK 2019

Mr Harry Hugh Annett Northumberland 07850 426 280 Widdrington PHB 2009

Mr & Mrs A F & Michael Armstrong Cumbria 07850 770 921 Lime V20 1984

C & S Armstrong Cumbria 01697 351 628 Studholme JKF 1996

Mr & Mrs Geoff & Nicky Arscott Devon 07765 908 954 Rock NTN 2006

Tom Ashton Shropshire 07973 957 185 Stapleton XHW 2020

Kevin Askham North Yorkshire 07967 677 193 Thomham ZCD 2021

Katie Bachelor Lancashire 07593 879 107 Stoneyraikes XXH 2021

Mr Andrew Bailey Lancashire 07966 937 414 Baileyshill ZKF 2022

Simon Bainbridge Northumberland 07718 740 287 Bainbridge XTH 2021

Kirsten Barningham North Yorkshire 07760 883 787 Greenbarn WSJ 2019

Michael Bartlett Somerset 01935 842 024 Broadmean XKU 2020

Alan Bassett Devon 07764 150 950 Iddesleigh USK 2017

Mr & Mrs Martyn & Helen Bateman Cambridgeshire 07866 607 802 Moat SHF 2013

Stephen Baylis Shropshire 01952 541 452 Steen 99T 1977

Mrs Sally Beale Worcestershire 07738 834 683 Rookery DND 1990

Mrs Gillian C Beckley & Mr Arthur L Brow Somerset 07932 141 026 Rollian JVC 1997

Messrs G & E Beddie Norfolk 07786 782 129 Breckland P11

Amy Bennett Lancashire 07989 898 092 Oaktons ZSL

Laura Jane Berry Lancashire

Name County Tel Prefix Code

Name County Tel Prefix Code Est

Matthew & Hazel Fear North Somerset 07792 149 795 FELTON WJZ 2018

Mr Mark Fenemore Northamptonshire 07545 545 377 Fencoat WTH 2019

James Grant Findlay North Yorkshire 07717 492 839 Westerdale XJS 2020

Eleanor Fisher Cumbria 07714 356 329 Holmeden XHT 2020

Mr Richard Fitton Lancashire 07971 272 764 Maestro SLN 2013

Mr Paul M Fletcher Worcestershire 07966 455 642 Callow 96N 1976

Mr Christopher Foster Lincolnshire 07789 083 501 Turfbury WTU 2019

Mrs C A Freeman Northamptonshire 07802 941 068 Fernave LVH 2003

Freshfields Cheshire 07748 551 990 Albea WNT 2018

Mrs Judy Fry & Oliver Fry West Sussex 07710 659 085 Hansford ZLD 2022

Ellie / Heidi Fudge Suffolk 07515 658 334 Harrowgreen UUL 2017

Ruby Fullman & Macauley Morphet North Yorkshire 0771 345 806 Ashhill ZSC 2022

Mr C D Gabbott Cheshire 01625 573 335 Springwater A65 1979

Kate Galloway West Yorkshire 07850 592 134 Cobclough WZC 2019

Amity Gardner Norfolk 07771 660 437 Compton XHP 2020

Ms Andrea Gardner Lancashire 07921 020 655 Powerline NZS 2007

Messrs Garner & Son Lincolnshire 07767 277 171 Ortum 78X 1978

Mr Mark Gatehouse Worcestershire 07989 430 136 Arley 84N 1976

Messrs G L Gent & Son Northamptonshire 07850 085 413 Stokedoyle A14 1979

Mr Roland J Giddy Worcestershire 07725 049 967 Lotal SJF 2013

Georgina Gillam North Yorkshire 07961 774 645 Calcaria XTC 2021

T P Gilman Lincolnshire 07989 683 222 Tixover ZCK 2021

Mr Antony Glaves North Yorkshire 07788 133 921 Brompton M17 1983

Mr & Mrs Marcus & Stephanie Goat Cambridgeshire 07979 532 082 Willock WNN 2018

Mr Steve Govier Devon 01884 860 179 Pedley DSW 1990

Mrs G Gray Knight Hampshire 01962 736 029 Appledown JCC 1995

Mr Richard Grice Co Durham 07710 187 518 Klondyke USX 2017

Miss H Grummett & Mr R Taberner Lancashire 07545 881 252 Blackstar ZJF 2022

Messrs H Grundy (Farms) Ltd Lincolnshire 07889 684 552 Middlemoor 34J 1974

Mr Barry Haines Dorset 07855 097 359 Hamstones SZT 2014

Matthew and Holly Halls Cornwall 07713 770 027 Trehayeswell ZSD 2022

Mr James Hamilton East Sussex 07789 713 514 Houdshall SUS 2014

Mr Jim Hammond Suffolk 07768 462 492 Hadleigh UWN 2017

Mr David Hancock-Teesdale North Devon 07977 643 194 Clappery XCJ 2020

Mr John Harding Bristol 07966 262 102 Ingst WUU 2019

Messrs T C & C A Harding Warwickshire 07765 777 250 Bentley 239 1960

Mr Grahame Hardman Shropshire 01743 850 965 Masbury G66 1981

MD & R Harper Cumbria 07788 543 424 Lillyhall XUD 2021

Emma Harrington Cumbria 07825 271 163 Mounseybank XUU 2021

WPJ 2018

Joseph Bowness Cumbria 07853 711 732 Cliburnhall XXT 2021

Emma Bradshaw Lancashire 07496 879 953 Swilkin WZU 2019

Mr & Mrs & A Bradshaw-Hird Norfolk 07831 410 492 Jannimesa ZJT 2022

Mr Brain Warwickshire 07772 886 157 Lordswood WZT 2019

Samantha Braines Co Durham 07923 227 041 Holmside XCS 2020

Mrs Katie Brannen Cumbria 07801 868 733 Moorsley NZD 2007

Mrs Nicola Brass Cumbria 07866 877 856 Scandalbeck XAU 2020

Mr F G Brewer & Sons (Farms) Ltd Cornwall 07815 539 767 Ennis 77P 1976

I D & C Briggs West Yorkshire 07806 982 677 Springstone V33 1984

Mr & Mrs Matt & Beth Brimicombe Leicestershire 07887 478 112 Brim ZNF 2022

Mr Phillip Brooks Somerset 07816 052 637 Lyatts NLS 2005

Chloe Brough Cumbria 07923 308 502 Sycamorecroft UHX 2016

Mrs Janice D Broughton Norfolk 07860 101 333 Marwood 13L 1975

Laurence

Messrs

Mr Isaac Eccleston North Yorkshire 07507

Mr John Edwards Devon 07798

Samazing ZFH 2021

WZS 2019

Harry Elsden Hertfordshire 07951 136 930 Tewinbury XWU 2021

Elizabeth Elson Leicestershire 07521 662 465 Osgi WWS 2019

Mr & Mrs Stephen K Elsworthy Devon 07955 986 095 Monkleigh JVN 1997

Jack & Lisa English Lancashire 07749

Julie Evans Herefordshire 07970

PUT 2011

Mr Thomas Jasper Harris Hughes Devon 07951 946 235 Burrow UJD 2016

Mr Rodger Harrison Lincolnshire 07940 910 955 Dalebrook KXF 1999

Mr James Hartwright Worcestershire 07971 111 043 Springfield B39 1979

Mr & Mrs K Hasemore West Sussex 07849 638 530 Chidham WPH 2018

Mark Hawkswood West Midlands 07710 510 598 Hawkswood XZW 2021

Geoff Hay Cumbria 07880 512 342 Beckclose XSA 2021

Mrs JT & LA Heard Devon 07786 066 813 Barton 58A 1966

Harvey Heath Derbyshire 07949 423 946 Woodlands ZHT 2022

Paul Herbert Gloucester 07801 611 999 Wainlode WCD 2017

Mr Andrew Hewson Cumbria 07795 040 647 Vallum AHW 1985

Mrs K A Hill Somerset 07860 608 501 Sampfordel HRH 1994

Messrs Philip Hill & Co Derbyshire 01283 761 445 Sandyhill F5 1933

Mr George Hillson Devon 07931 191 800 Birlanda ZPS 2022

HMP Wymott Lancashire 01772 442 056 Wymott NXX 2007

Mrs Marcia Hogg Somerset 07762 957 884 Cheriton XDT 2020

Mr Richard Holland Devon 07813 781 968 Anstey CST 1989

D & L Holt Lancashire 01200 447 246 Newhurst R90 1983 Dylan Holtom West Midlands 07845 391 101 Dilly's WSW 2019

Mr Derek Farr

Name County Tel Prefix Code Est

Mr Paddy Margham Isle of Wight 01983 296 479 Pallance KSZ 1999

Mr Philip Martindale Lancashire 07973 823 798 Twinshock WPK 2018

Mrs Sarah May Devon 07881 936 070 Horridge CVW 1989

Thomas Mayers Derbyshire 07756 842 323 Rycroft ZDT 2021

Colin McCann Cumbria 07732 851 261 Derward WKN 2018

Lauren McManus Derbyshire 07801 372 160 Stanfree XXP 2021

Mrs Sharon McManus Cumbria 07979 905 4629 Tarnside W28 2020

Suzanne McNicholas & Adrian Morton T/A L Northamptonshire 07854 704 523 Sundance ZSN 2022

Lauren McWhirter Cumbria 07532 449 805 Valleyview XZH 2021

Mr & Mrs Sheila & Graham Mellor Staffordshire 07855 832 565 Cellarhead 7C 1969

Judith Metcalfe Lancashire 07763 187 102 Fencewood XPX 2021

Will Middleton Lancashire 07495 810 848 Turbary XHL 2020

T & E A Midgley North Yorkshire 01759 368 496 Orion CRD 1989

EJ & RJ Mills and Family Somerset 07934 694 055 Batscombe ZDZ 2021

Gemma Minter

T/A Rookery Park LLC Suffolk 07984 864 694 Hambling XZL 2021

Miss Paige Misselbrook Hertfordshire 07772 900 313 Misselbrook WDZ 2017

Mr & Mrs Tom and Aimee Mogford Devon 07506 758 421 Mogford PSJ 2011

Mr Stephen Moore Staffordshire 07510 146 322 Benmoore ZAL 2021

Philip Mosley Sheffield 07973 757 403 Baggerwood XUH 2021

Simon Mota-Stubbs Leicestershire 07807 370 684 Greengage ZCF 2021

Miss C A Johnson & Mr S Gregory Northumberland 07850 881 992 Springberry XPP 2021

Eve Murray Durham 07590 256 215 Appleglebe XSS 2021

Ian F Murray Northumberland 07711 478 813 Glenway ZFA 2021

Andrea Neale Cumbria 07821 868 820 Skiddaw NZX 2007

Liz Needham Cumbria 07779 788 245 Norman HHY 1993

D Nelmes Dorset 07789 956 289 Midnight WNS 2018

T H Nicholas Shropshire 07876 457 376 Sutton Z35 1968

Graham & Jill Nicol Bristol 07977 151 532 Burledge KXR 1999

Micheal Nolan Somerset 07521 786 919 Mountleinster

484 667 Wallop 33W 1978

Mr Samuel Palmer Warwickshire 07837 007 308 Bayern ZPU 2022

Anna & Jake Pamplin Northamptonshire 07595 118 395 Ashfieldview XPC 2021

Emma Parkinson Shropshire 07805 438 940 Redwood XKL 2020

Jake Parkinson North Yorkshire 07892 498 724 Barden ZDJ 2021

Mrs Carol Parry Suffolk 07749 744 400 Orevalley UNF 2016

Greg Owen Parry Lancashire 07779 715 435 Bowness XWA 2021

Messrs R Partridge & Son Ltd Suffolk 07786 192 665 Kersey C41 1927

Veronica Mary Patten Essex 07867 974037 Ettylein XZN 2021

Mr James Pattison Devon 07980 901 860 Pattison WDH 2017

Mr & Mrs L Peel North Yorkshire 01609 883 468 Silton JWC 1997

Mr Steve Penberthy Cornwall 07814 780 758 Trewithick WPF 2018

Tara Penter Devon 07432 552 900 Yellands XWH 2021

Mrs M E Petherbridge Lancashire 07980 926 383 Chipping CFF 1988

Miss T Pettitt Suffolk 07776 210 238 Colony 19 1905

Joshua Isaac Pewsey Cumbria 07793 486 743 Lordseat XNT 2020

Hannah Pickthall Cumbria 07500 677 356 Aldby XNF 2020

Mr S T Pierce Gloucestershire 07920 205 429 Abbotside Z19 1958

Mr Marcus Pieri Cumbria 07741 666 595 Fellside PSZ 2011

Miss Chantal Pinney Essex 07852 328 860 Wickham ZAU 2021

Mr Freddie Pinny Warwickshire 07732 704 931 Narborough UAN 2015

Mr & Mrs M R &

P

G

Mr

624 Avonview USU 2017

Name County Tel Prefix Code Est

Mr Nicholas Charles Stirling Gloucestershire 07799 381 606 Farmington PSN 2011

Messrs F A & Stockdale Cumbria 07900 630 039 Elmdale 70T 1977

Mr Thomas Stocking Suffolk 07967 107 635 Tostock SLW 2013

Messrs F Stott & Sons Northumberland 01669 630 241 Elilaw T6 1954

Dominic Stubbs Staffordshire 07527 525 734 Broadale XTP 2021

Mr William Summers Lincolnshire 07887 294 756 Hallfarm UKN 2016

Mr Jonathan Sumner Cheshire 07815 799 914 Ashcliffe PDD 2008

Paul & Sallyann Swift Shropshire 07740 442 835 Kinton XAL 2020

Mr Paul Sykes West Yorkshire 07775 898 647 Quarryside ZLF 2022

Catherine Tait Northumberland 07711 764 770 Wingates XKJ 2020

David James Taylor Northumberland 07841 760 881 Rothley XHA 2020

Harriette Taylor Worcestershire 07944 647 489 Taylors ZSS 2022

Michael Taylor Berkshire 07976 882 349 Shenfield XNP 2020

Mr Peter Taylor Warwickshire 07764 211 249 Dunnington PBV 2008

Keith Thomas Staffordshire 07950 679 467 Manordale ZHU 2022

Samantha Thomas Staffordshire 07794 195 885 Glenstone USW 2017

Bethany Thompson North Yorkshire 07411 877 711 Mossvalley XTJ 2021

Amelia Threlfall Lancashire 07810 825 777 Sunnylea THW 2015

Mr Robert Tilly Norfolk 07894 556 951 Bunwell UKZ 2016

Mr C D Timm North Yorkshire 07742 553 851 Boothferry 12D 1970

Mr Kenny Aaron Titmus Bedfordshire 07850 427 669 Millside SLS 2013

Jackson Ely Sonny Titterington North Yorkshire 07910 555 366 Jackson WZJ 2019

Mr Marcus Tucker Devon 07779 012 077 Marcole NZB 2007

Miss Katy Turner Devon 07429 641 731 Portmore XHJ 2020

Mr Steven Turner Suffolk 07977 910 501 Hartland WLJ 2018

Andrew Turnock Lincolnshire 07787561228 Stratton ZHC 2021

Mr Edward Venning Cornwall 07974 010 883 Martinsell 91X 1978

Michael Vernon Staffordshire 07890 080 567 Overdale XUX 2021

Adam Vincent Yorkshire 07784 020 797 Ingthorne ZDC 2021

Mr Josh Wainwright Yorkshire 07727 951 634 Wilcopri ZNZ 2022

Mr Gareth Waite & Miss Harriet Nott Suffolk 07917 583 228 Ovington XWD 2021

Mr & Mrs S C Walker Cheshire 07969 521 546 Oxbrukheys PZD 2012

Mr Thomas Clint Walker North Yorkshire 07544 142 581 Hartlington WUA 2019

John Michael Ward Staffordshire 07534 852 253 Slindon XUJ 2021

Mr Mark Waterfall Suffolk 07801 920 740 Waterfall SCA 2012

Joseph Waters Devon 07970 025 047 Pollardscombe WTA 2019

Messrs Jonathan Watson Northumberland 07970 131 425 Brijon X22 1984

Jenny Watts South Yorkshire 07803 536 807 Wellhill XCX 2020

Mr Guy Goldring (Rep of M Waycott) Devon 07530 854 720 Longridge FKX 1991

Mr Andrew John Wearing Cumbria 07549 027 737 Lowshaw WFH 2017

Messrs A E Weaver & Son Gloucestershire 07980 503 997 Perrinpit P50 1951

Charlotte Webber Somerset 07779 112 353 Steadway XJN 2020

Mr Christopher Weedon Lincolnshire 07509 345 652 Amberfield WDK 2017

Sophie & Thomas White North Yorkshire 07775 690 925 Birkwith XAK 2020

Messrs & R Whitehouse Gloucestershire 07887 550 224 Kiftsgate Y12 1985

Messrs S & A Whitehurst Staffordshire 07801 682 855 Bramhurst 326 1960

L & S Whitrow Devon 07815 934 177 Whitwick TJN 2015

Claire Whitticase Shropshire 07895 907 953 Glanmarton UPU 2016

Florence Wilkinson Lincolnshire 07857 610 312 Sandycroft ZSJ 2022

Mr James Wilkinson North Yorkshire 07780 001 367 Sneaton UXX 2017

Mr P R Wilkinson North Yorkshire 07585 967 640 Pennyholme SNH 2013

Mr K R Williams Cornwall 01209 713 367 Magor WPX 2019

M & Williams Cheshire 07759 172 054 Tushingham XTN 2021

SCOTLAND

Mr

Lorraine

602 Sanctuary TCD 2015

Williams & L Hadden Lancashire 07907 407 548 Shams XHC 2020

C W Williamson North Yorkshire 07773 042 441 Murkbeck JWO 1997

Information as supplied by breeders to the Society.

Breeders directory Breeders directory

Some information withheld due to GDPR. New members for 2022 in Bold

Name County Tel Prefix Code Est

Emily Duncan Moray 07771 314 502 Strathspey ZDL 2021

Miss Pamela Duncan Aberdeenshire 07936 470 254 Sordale XDX 2020

Mr Stewart Duncan Moray 01261 851 567 Pennan JYB 1997

Beth Dunnett Caithness 07586 087 398 Southhead WSZ 2019

Mr Stuart Dunnett Sinclair Caithness 07860 783 883 Lowergills UFH 2016

Mr John Elliot Scottish Borders 07795 165 140 Roxburgh Mains 9003 1994

Mr & Mrs Iain & Liz Fitzsimon Dumfries & Galloway 07702 363 929 Burnhead XDP 2020

Ann Fleming Lanarkshire 07796 474 946 Lethame ZCW 2021

Mr Robert Fleming Dumfries & Galloway 07713 095 625 Stairhaven ZDK 2022

Mr William Fleming Lanarkshire 07870 154 756 Hallhill 35N 1976

Mrs Irene Fowlie Aberdeenshire 07721 517 969 Essie H6 1981

Kerren Galloway Dumfries & Galloway 07387 384 342 Moorpark XPS 2021

Mr John A Gibb Aberdeenshire 07973 863 779 Cairnton KLR 1998

Mr David W M Gilmour Ayrshire 07779 536 607 Broomknowes V18 1984

Mrs R H Goldie Ayrshire 07763 918 750 Harpercroft 249 1960

Kinvara Gow Angus 07711 416 786 Pitscandly XLA 2020

Mr Peter Gray Ayrshire 01563 821 105 Scrogton 6X 1978

Messrs A Gray & Son Lanarkshire 07970 958 350 Langside 60L 1975

Murray Greaves Aberdeenshire 07807 179 003 Ardiffery ZCT 2021

Miss Hannah Green Moray 07902 150 532 Corskiefarm ZJC 2022

Katie Gunn Caithness 07789 514 745 Olgrinmore WXD 2019

W & M Haining Dumfries & Galloway 07734 564 115 Highdrum LPH 2002

Mr Andrew Hambleton Dumfries & Galloway 07792 528 753 Dovedale STZ 2014

Lewis Harkness Dumfries & Galloway 07840 702 870 Netherhall LYH 2003

James Heddle Orkney 07818 365 325 Heddle SZH 2014

John A Henderson Aberdeenshire 07876 394 512 Bullers PNJ 2010

R Henderson Perthshire 07885 110 762 Binhill K99 1982

Cathleen Hepburn Scottish Borders 07738 638 486 Klotten WWD 2019

Hepburn & Co Scottish Borders 07703

07849 057 667 Pyeston LVL 2003

Mr Leslie Learmonth Angus 07477 600 889 Orcades CAV 1988

Mr Andrew Leith Perth & Kinross 07792 792 565 Carse XFF 2020

Mr Tommy Linklater Orkney 07788 562 059 Brodgar ZPK 2022

Miss Katherine Locke Dumfries & Galloway 07554 091 690 Pennyburn XDD 2020

Miss Lorraine Logan Aberdeenshire 07884 036 510 Ryeriggs SJJ 2013

Mrs A Lorimer Aberdeenshire 07890 962 682 Cadgerford 414 1961

John Lundy Dumfries & Galloway 01387 870 334

& Galloway 07743 267 484 Conchar JDX 1995

A & K Rhind & Son Moray 07721 386 802 Struthers XWJ 2021

Mrs Lynn Ritch Orkney 07825 337 081 Blutshun ZKH 2022

Mr. A.D & Mrs. A Robertson Shetland Isles 07828 434 861 Solheim PZZ 2012

Mr Graeme Robertson West Lothian 07979 666 807 Mannerston UKA 2016

Mr Scott Robertson Aberdeenshire 07884 315 765 Avonside PSD 2011

Messrs F & Stuart C Ross Highland 07736 800 773 Arr 37X 1978

Gemma Sands Berwickshire 07469 216 328 Greenriggs ZFW 2021 Thomas A Sands Ltd Perthshire 07753 369 532 Kingston M6 1946

Mr James Scott Angus 07813 623 485 Strathview PPZ 2011

Mr Scott & Sons Orkney 07876 353 809 Claymore JLN 1996

Mr Alex Shand Aberdeenshire 07773 056 850 Greenbrae 126 1959

Mr Brodie Smith Aberdeenshire 07948 347 855 Foulzie ZNK 2022

Mr Stephen Smith Aberdeenshire 07880 946 746 Scarhill XAX 2020

B. A. Smith Sheep East Lothian 07714 287 828 Standingstone ZSA 2022

Messrs Malcolm M Stewart Scottish Borders 07850 735 522 Sandyknowe Y13 1957

Name County Tel Prefix Code Est

Angus G Struthers South Lanarkshire 07890 831 467 Millmoor ZDA 2021

Mr Melvin Stuart Aberdeenshire 07803 186 746 Birness 1W 1978

Messrs Henry Stuart & Sons Aberdeenshire 07554 176 116 Davishill 244 1960

Mr D Summers Orkney 07825 128 265 Easthouse HBW 1992

Mr Henry M Sutherland Highland 07909 698 543 Talmine STT 2014

Mr Bruce Swanson Caithness 01847 821 487 Clindrag PUK 2011

Mr David Taylor Perthshire 07771 667 930 Lowberry TAS 2014

Colin Thomson Aberdeenshire 07738 260 356 Tulloch ZHW 2022

G & L Thomson Orkney 07921 362 620 Rumley WJT 2018

Mrs Tooze Lanarkshire 07970 303 428 Spittal DYX 1990

Mr G Troup Aberdeenshire 07850 563 044 Whitestone L25 1982

JC & JW Tulloch East Renfrewshire 07814 402 703 Rigfoot 22K 1974

Mr Brian Vance Dumfries & Galloway 07759 609 261 Mid Skeog UAT 2015

Alan Walker Ayrshire 07858 097 626 Helenslea XKX 2020

Mr David Walker Highland 07774 444 474 Galcantray HJS 1993

Mr James I A Wallace Dumfries & Galloway 07730 564 874 Claycrop NCX 2004

Lorna Ward & Kenny McKeague Angus 07985 328 673 Baldoukie ZHL 2022

Mr W Watson & Son Aberdeenshire 07780 911 032 Tuxford Z65 1958

Mr Colin D Whitton Angus 01307 850 360 Finhaven PKD 2010

Mrs F Wight Lanarkshire 07714 979 971 Wights CDW 1988

Elaine Wilkie Dumfries & Galloway 07717 044 218 Islay KYL 2000

Mr Graeme Williamson Angus 07725 654 658 Eskside XDS 2020

Mr Angus O Wilson Scottish Borders 07547 681 628 Glenhead DHD 1989

L & G Wilson Clackmannanshire 07717 790 583 Myreton ZJW 2022

Messrs P & A Wilson Dumfries & Galloway 07484 262 396 Spoutwells H37 1982

S & S Wilson Moray 07854 619 567 Glenisla J53 1982

Mr James W S Wishart & Son Orkney 07900 641 653 Ronaldsay LZO 2003

Mr Wm Forest Wylie West Lothian 07742 020 964 Torphichen DPJ 1990

Mr James Young Aberdeenshire 07887 664 093 Muirton K14 1982

Messrs Young & Noble Moray 07594 976 924 Bareflathills 35D 1971

WALES

Ken and Sian Austin Gower 01792 392 905 Burry XLC 2020

Mr Daniel Peter Burke Denbighshire 07761 065 922 Moelygaer ZPJ 2022

D F & A E Callan Pembrokeshire 07970 316 801 Castlemartin NKY 2005

Harry Collins Denbighshire 07715971 569 Llanrhydd XSX 2021

Mr Nathan Mark Conlon Glamorgan 07966 121 688 Simonston ZPN 2022

Jan Cornock Monmouthshire 07764 230 557 Redhouse LXH 2003

Mr Ben Cox Monmouthshire 07540 992 298 Crossenny XCU 2020

Mr Paul Curran & Miss Alison Davis Powys 07818 607 204 Wernfawr WUS 2019

Heidi & Sally Curtis Flintshire 07536 050 453 Kinnerton TDC 2015

Mr G.L Price & Daughters Monmouthshire 07818 036 905 Tyreos WZL 2019

A Davies Denbighshire 01978 661 639 Hugmore BHX 1987

Awel Medi Davies Powys 07919 883 269 Gribin XUA 2021

C.A Davies Pembrokeshire 07772 227 929 Frenni TJC 2015

Mrs Claire Davies Rhondda Cynon Taf 07813 899 545 Tirygelli ZKZ 2022

Freddie Davies Powys 07807 054 201 Llwyncadwgan ZSK 2022

Gethin George Davies Ceredigion 01974 261 504 Brenan UTC 2017

Iolo P Davies Powys 07887 911 635 Cwellyn XZC 2021

Mr Mike Davies & Sons Powys 01874 658 336 Safaddan NLH 2005

Rhian Davis Glamorgan 07791 763 744 Whitford UNP 2016

Mr Willy Davis Monmouthshire 07779 603 143 Uskvale WTW 2019

D P & R A Delves Powys 07970 892 795 Bridgeview BLN 1987

Eleanor Edwards Powys 07792 686 363 Cadfan UFT 2016

Mr Andrew W Evans Powys 07738 815 451 Dol-llys 82N 1976

Mr Evans Carmarthenshire 07464 712 052 Ffion WNL 2018

Mr Myfyr

Information as supplied by breeders to the Society.

Some information withheld due to GDPR. New members for 2022 in Bold

Name County Tel Prefix Code Est

Mr Daniel Thomas Carmarthenshire 07896 153 860 Maesyderi ZPL 2022

Gwyn Thomas Dyfed 01267 290 275 Oaktree 724 1963

Mr Huw D Thomas Carmarthenshire 07970 474 427 Penygarn NKC

Mr Steffan Thomas Carmarthenshire 07824 671 504 Sawdde SDZ

Mr Robert Evan Thomas-Jones Gwynedd 07968 443 844 Deuglawdd WXT

Mr Harley Thomas Turner Powys 07531 184 912 Harley PSF

Miss Verity Vater Monmouthshire 01873 840 562 Millpool 19T

Mr Richard Western Rhondda Cynon Taf 07824 515 538 Tredodridge WWX

Mr Owen S Whitehead Anglesey 07443 337 979 Ralltgoch WPS

Alan Alun Williams Gwynedd 01286 678 734 Cefndu DCL 1989

Aled & Nia Williams Anglesey 07887 693 144 Mon NCY

Chloe Jayne Williams Powys 07896 662 428 Cynefin ZCJ

Dimity Williams Nr Frome 07454 795 422 Kermovan XXS 2021

Miss Ffion Williams Ceredigion 07950 738 578 Gorsyfran ZSF 2022

H J & A F Williams Ceredigion 07817 488 516 Bluerock LKS 2001

Ilan R Williams Ceredigion 07817 792 211 Santos SSA 2013

Mr Roland Williams Ceredigion 07979 856 281 Hendrefechan R23 1983

Mr Jordan Alwyn Williams Powys 01874 676 661 Wenallt UTT 2017

Mr R David Williams Denbighshire 07880 733 395 Criccin R88 1953

Mr W Elfed Williams Ynys Mon 07719 030 920 Gweirglodd FWL

NORTHERN IRELAND

Name County Tel Prefix Code Est

Mr Robin A McAdoo Co Tyrone 07761 221 905 Threeways P42 1983

Enda, Colm McAleer Co Tyrone 07745 154 153 Kerrib SUJ 2014

Gavin McAloon Co Tyrone 07514 534 356 Moneygar XJJ 2020

Sean McArdle Co. Down 07895 437 999 Aghyoghill XXC 2021

Raymond McAuley Co Antrim 07766 221 977 Rivendell XLD 2020

Mr Odhran McBrien Co Fermanagh 07855 673 540 Carraigbeag THA 2015

Daniel McCann Co Fermanagh 07545 207 829 Killee UWL 2017

Mr James McCann Co Down 07803 901 036 Drumcastle UHC 2016

Mr Jamie McCann Co Tyrone 07845 750 024 Derrywhillen XCN 2020

Pauline McCarthy & Gareth Rankin Co Down 07708 905 490 Millinbay WLN 2018

David McCaughan Co Antrim 07768 267 592 Ballyrock 48A 1966

Sean & Jane McCloskey Co Londonderry 07748 267 865 Glenroe WFF 2017

Mr Allen McCluggage Co Antrim 07899 864 370 Drumkil HDW 1993

John & Christopher McClurg Co Down 07711 101 460 Slievecroob SXJ 2014

Mr Christopher John McConaghie Co Antrim 07858 991 685 Seaview BJP 1987

Oran McConnon Co Antrim 07599 743 918 Barnish PPL 2011

Mr Frank McConville Co Tyrone 07788 916 879 Glenbrae FTV 1992

Aaron McCormick Co Antrim 07742 984 533 Dunnyvadden XWC 2021

Rachel & Henry McCracken Co Down 07921 833 284 Ballydoonan ZPA 2022

Mrs Sandra McCrea Co Antrim 07805 885 186 Thornfield Farm WLX 2018

Mr James McCullough Co Antrim 07746 433 861 Claragh UCH 2015

Mr Gerard McDermott Co Tyrone 07743 420 418 Dunmoyle XAP 2020

Mr Joseph McDermott Co Down 07874 255 540 Drumnavaddy PZT 2012

Daniel McDonnell Co Tyrone 07780 992 665 Mcdonnell ZPZ 2022

Mr James McGill Co Londonderry 07960 737 593 Watchtower ZKX 2022

Michael McGivern Co Antrim 07775 953 977 Whiteport XTU 2021

D & D S McKay Co Antrim 07885 922 025 Rowandale UUN 2017

Mr John McKay Co Antrim 07792 973 243 Kirkview NDX 2005

Mr Craig McKeeman Co Antrim 07761 079 309 Conagher WFA 2017

Mr Jonathan McKelvey Co Tyrone 07731 806 706 Munie SHA 2012

Mr Sean McKendry Co. Londonderry 07842 443 042 Erganagh XDK 2020

Barney McKenna Co Londonderry 07547 358 293 Glenshane ZHJ 2022

David & Alan McLean Co Antrim 07743 659 874 Mounthill APR 1986

Andrew & Adam McMaster Co Londonderry 07879 410 674 Gortycavan WDD 2017

Michael & Caolan McNally Co Londonderry 07923 155 833 Benedyglen STC 2013

David & Andrew McNeilly Co Antrim 07855 133 554 Leitrim HDY 1993

John McShane Co Londonderry 07989 245 533 Edenreagh ZFF 2021

Mr Patrick McVerry Co Down 07973 426 947 Tullywinney PDH 2008

Mr Brian McVicker Co Antrim 07719 968 775 Causeway CBD 1988

Alan Moon Co Londonderry 07712 780 212 Drumimerick XWZ 2021

Alex & Jonathan Moon Co Antrim 07720 075 671 Carclinty UWZ 2017

Mr William Moore Co Tyrone 07751 128 832 Carnkenny JAZ 1995

Melvin Morton and Sons Co Down 07754 838 076 Killbodagh XUW 2021

Jack & Andrew Moses Co Antrim 07712 896 200 Blackstown UJL 2016

1990

Ellie Butler Co Antrim 07956 854 557 Redtree WSH 2019

Martin & Eoin Butler Co Antrim 07801 429 790 Castlewood 1LSB 2002

Mr Glenn Caldwell Co Londonderry 07368 383 459 Glennquilly ZLJ 2022

Mr John Campbell Co Londonderry 07740 469 638 Gorteade TDJ 2015

W & Campbell Co Londonderry 07900 481 000 Tirnageeragh SZX 2014

Kimi & Lewis Chambers Co Tyrone 07793 415 829 Knocknahorn XWN 2021

Alistair Christie Co Antrim 07809 692 125 Kilmoyle XLL 2020

Mr Nicholas Christie Co Antrim 07724 930 708 Isleabrock ZKW 2022

Mr John Connolly Co Fermanagh 02867 738 693 Spur TFT 2015

Ryan & Emma Conway Co Tyrone 07703 611 840 Cavanalee XWF 2021

Ben & Rachel Coulter Co Antrim 07999 385 140 Killyless ZFZ 2021

Mr Robert Coulter Co Antrim 07921 474 072 Browndod WWA

Mr Wesley Cousins Co Tyrone 07718 301 061 Botera DRX 1990

Mr David Crozier Co Fermanagh 07746 313 645 Cackinish UCS 2015

N&T Cullen Co Fermanagh 07521 712 912 Ballysroonagh USP 2017

Emma

Messrs

Mr Thomas Mulholland Co Antrim 07713 084 649 Turrybrennan WSX 2019

Mr John Murnion Co Down 07887 756 725 Laurelhill NSN 2006

Mr Declan Murphy Co Londonderry 07817 498 245 Derryard KRB 1999

Lily Neill Co Tyrone 07519 046 404 Lisbancarney UXT 2017

Miss Beulah Nesbitt Co Londonderry 07751 350 370 Ampertaine ZNJ 2022

Ciaran Nolan Co Fermanagh 00353 878449912 Marlbank ZAJ 2021

H&P O'Kane Co Antrim 07738 967 746 Gowkstown SUU 2014

Ella Patrick Co Fermanagh 07936 902 818 Ella's ZFC 2021

Mr Callum Patterson Co Antrim 07745 121 171 Kinbally TDU 2015

Mr Anthony Patton Co Down 07989 614 156 Carrowmoney BSH 1988

Laura Pearson Co Antrim 07860 660 068 Clonboy ZAA 2021

Jim, Valerie and Emily Peters Co Down 07979 522 621 Corriewood XNJ 2020

Adam Porter Co Londonderry 07709 714 171 Braeburn SXC 2014

Mr & Mrs Jean & Ivan Porter Co Down 07990 956 245 Porterhill BCS 1987 Mr Mark W Priestley

Chairmen and secretaries Council

Chairperson

Susan O’Keeffe

Baile na bPaorach, Annakisha, Mallow, Co Cork, P51YFK7

M: +353 (0) 86 8167027

E: sokclyda@gmail.com

Members

Connacht

Garth Graham

Gerry Killilea

Teresa McGeever

Ulster

Niall Cassidy

Paddy Carolan

John Molloy

Munster

Susan O’Keeffe

Dan O’Mahony

Sean O’Connor

Leinster

Oliver Deane

John Gahan

Philip Lynch Jnr

Vice Chairperson

Philip Lynch Jnr

Callystown Road, Clougherhead, Co Louth, A92 TY4T

T: +353 (0) 87 9245202

E: ps.lynch18@gmail.com

Honorary Secretary

Mary Gahan

Coolyhune, Graiguenamanagh, Co Kilkenny, R75FP78

T: +353 (0) 86 0662408

E: marybgahan@gmail.com

Administrator

Alison Irwin

Office Address: Suffolk Sheep Society, Kirriemuir, Ballygawley, Co Sligo, F91 E8P2

T: +353 (0) 83 0907313

E: enquiries@irishsuffolksheep.org

CONNACHT

Chairman: Declan Mangan

Cloghans Hill, Tuam, Co Galway

T: +353 (0) 87 3138 792

E: declanmangan8@gmail.com

Secretary: Liam Higgins

Glasson, Athlone, Co Roscommon

T: +353 (0) 87 9625 351

E: ligginam@yahoo.ie

ULSTER

Chairman: PJ McMonagle

Raphoe, Lifford, Co Donegal

T: +353 (0) 86 8113 717

E: pjmcmonagle@ymail.com

Secretary: Richard Thompson

Ballinatone, Lifford, Co Donegal

T: +353 (0) 86 3268 946

E: richardrjt82@gmail.com

LEINSTER

Chairman : Philip Lynch Snr

Seabank, Castlebellingham, Co Louth

T +353 (0) 429 372 795

M +44 (0)7760 999 278

Secretary: Philip Lynch Jnr

Callystown Road, Clougherhead, Co Louth

M: +353 (0) 87 9245 202

E: ps.lynch18@gmail.com

MUNSTER

Chairman: Jim Jeffrery

The Bungalow, Ahanesk, Midleton, Co Cork

T +353 (0) 21 4631 462

M: +353 (0) 86 3339 010

Secretary: Valerie Tiffin

Roughty Lodge, Gortnaboul, Kilgarvan, Co Kerry

M: +353 (0) 86 1097 412

E: valerietiffin9@gmail.com

SOCIETY EVENTS

Saturday 17th June 2023

Suffolk Championships – Gurteen College

4th-5th August 2023

Premier Show and Sale – Blessington Mart

19th–21st September 2023

National Ploughing Championships – Ratheniska

Administrator – Alison Irwin

Kirriemuir, Ballygawley, Co Sligo, F91 E8P2

M: +353 (0) 83 0907313 E: enquiries@irishsuffolksheep.org

Secretary – Mary Gahan

Coolyhune, Graiguenamanagh, Co Kilkenny, R75 FP78

M: +353 (0) 86 0662408 E: marybgahan@gmail.com

All dates correct at time of going to print

Shows

South of Ireland South of Ireland

National Championships

On Sunday 26th June, Suffolk Sheep Society South of Ireland breeders from all over the country turned up to Charleville Agricultural Show to compete in the Irish Suffolk Sheep National Championships from which there had been an absence of three years as a result of the pandemic. It was great to see such a high level of interest at the Suffolk ring and we were especially delighted to see some of our Suffolk Colleagues from the Netherlands attending the Show while on a visit to Ireland.

The Society were delighted to receive a new cup for the Supreme Champion

26th June 2022, Charleville

of the Show. The Tom Quirke Memorial Cup was presented to the Society by Ann Quirke-O’Mahony on behalf of the entire Quirke Family in memory of her late Father who was an enthusiastic and forward-thinking Suffolk Breeder, from his Flock’s establishment in 1967 up until his death in August 2017.

Despite inclement weather conditions, enthusiasm was high as Judge William Fleming of the Hallhill Flock in Scotland prepared to take to the ring. The standard of sheep presented on the day was a credit to all the breeders participating and showcased the Suffolk Breed to its full potential to all those watching the show.

The show kicked off with the Junior Handler class which saw seven enthusiastic young stock persons demonstrate their knowledge and ability to handle sheep. It was 15-year-old Harry Graham of the Westside Flock, which he established in 2020, who received the red rosette from the judge. In the Shearling Ram class, it was Arthur O’Keeffe who dominated with a Birness Freedom son with Coote Geelan’s Cairness Diamond Geezer son taking second and Harry Graham’s Errigal Jack the Lad’s son taking the third spot.

The sun shone as the Aged Ewes took to the ring with Susan O’Keeffe’s

home bred ewe, sired by Castleisle Kilteskin Prince taking the top honours in the Class. In the Shearling Ewe Class, Susan O’Keefe dominated the field once again catching the judge’s eye with her Homebred gimmer out of a Cairness ewe, again sired by Castleisle Kilteskin Prince. Her second entry also sired by Prince took second and Kenneth Bailey’s Cairness Cobra sired ewe took the third spot.

In the Novice Class it was Coote Geelan of the Loughrynn Flock who took top honours with his stylish ewe lamb, sired by Beechbrook Oscar. It was a tight call between Kenneth Bailey’s ewe lamb sired by Cairness Our Bucks and Ann and Dan O’Mahony’s Errigal the Emperor sired Ewe lamb for second and third but the judge settled on Lismurtagh second and Ballygarvanstud third in the class.

The Ram Lamb class was next in the line-up where Susan O’Keeffe’s Burnview One for Arthur son took top honours with Sean O’Connor of the Islandmore Flock claiming his first rosette of the day, taking second with a Beechcrest Bacardi son. Third in the class was Ann and Dan O’Mahony’s Blackbrae Diamond son.

Next it was the turn of the ewe lambs and the first class in was the Untrimmed Ewe Lamb where Philip Byrne of the Limepark Flock showed a lamb by Errigal Simply the Best. She was a stylish ewe lamb who emerged from the class

PRIZE WINNERS

Shearling Ram

1st Arthur O’Keeffe

2nd Coote Geelan

3rd Harry Graham

Aged Ewe

1st Susan O’Keeffe

2nd Arthur O’Keeffe

3rd Harry Graham

Shearling Ewe

1st Susan O’Keeffe

2nd Susan O’Keeffe

3rd Kenneth Bailey

Novice Lamb

victorious, claiming the red rosette, much to the delight of Philip’s son Padraig who had shown her earlier in the Young Handler Class.

The final class of the day was the Trimmed Ewe Lamb which resulted in a hat trick for the O’Keeffe family with Patrick and his Blackwater Flock taking first with his Ballinatone BT Buddy daughter, Susan taking second with her ewe lamb also sired by BT Buddy and Arthur taking third spot with his lamb sired by Castlewellan Sportsman.

In the Female Championship it was Susan O’Keeffe’s Shearling Ewe who claimed the top honours and Philip Byrne’s Untrimmed Ewe Lamb took the Reserve spot.

The Male Championship was awarded to Arthur O’Keeffe’s Shearling ram with Susan O’Keeffe’s Ram Lamb taking the Reserve Spot.

In the Final Showdown the judge tapped out Susan O’Keefe’s Shearling Ewe as his favourite of the day to claim the Supreme Champion title and the newly presented Tom Quirke Memorial Cup, with Philip Byrne’s Untrimmed Ewe lamb emerging as Reserve Champion.

The Society would like to thank our sponsors for the day – Connolly’s Redmills and Animax-Vet for their generous support. We would also like to express our gratitude to the Sheep Section Show Committee for setting up the penning and showing area and for running such a well organised event.

1st Coote Geelan

2nd Kenneth Bailey

3rd Dan & Ann O’Mahony

Ram lamb

1st Susan O’Keeffe

2nd Sean O’Connor

3rd Dan & Ann O’Mahony

Untrimmed Ewe lamb

1st Philip Byrne

2nd Arthur O’Keeffe

3rd Dan & Ann O’Mahony

Trimmed Ewe Lamb

1st Patrick O’Keeffe

2nd Susan O’Keeffe

3rd Arthur O’Keeffe

Female Champion

Susan O’Keeffe

Male Champion

Arthur O’Keeffe

Supreme Champion

Susan O’Keeffe

Reserve Supreme Champion

Philip Byrne

NATIONAL SUFFOLK CHAMPIONSHIPS 2023

Saturday 17th June

Gurteen College

Premier Show & Sale

25th July 2022 | Main Sponsor: Mayo Healthcare Judge: Mr John Gibb, Cairnton Flock

The Suffolk Sheep Society South of Ireland held their Premier Show & Sale on Monday 25th July at Blessington Mart.

A large selection of top quality sheep were placed before the judge, Mr John Gibb, of the renowned Cairnton Flock in Scotland while local man, Mr Jim Corrigan, was on hand to judge the Gigot Class.

Taking Supreme Champion of the Show was the Finnvale Flock, of Andrew & Jonathan Lucas, Co.Donegal. This stylish son of Salopian Pure Gold (brother to the record breaking 200,000gns Solid Gold) and a Shannagh Ewe, had been previously tapped out by John Gibb as winner of the Open Class before lining up in the Championship. While the champion was unsold, Lucas went on to sell his first prize Pen of Three ram lambs for €2,800, €2,600 and €2,600 respectively. Taking Reserve Champion in the presale show was a Rookery Rebel sired ram lamb from Darragh McMenamin’s Mullinvale Flock. Darragh sold another Rookery Rebel sired ram lamb for

€2,500 to Italy.Topping the sale was local breeder, Colin Watchorn’s Beechbrook Flock, when his Limestone Gold Rush sired ram lamb was snapped up by Alistair Barkley for €5,200. This ram will join his Blackbrae Flock in Northern Ireland. He had been placed second in the Novice Class behind the Donegal based Doherty Bros who had claimed the red rosette with their Malinhead Rossi sired lamb.

Other top prices on the day included Richard Wilson’s Shannagh lamb who was second in the Ram Sired by a South of Ireland Bred Ram class. Sired by Kells T-Rex (the 2020 Premier Champion) this ram was purchased by Richard Thompson at €3,700 while another ET brother sold to Mark Priestley for €2,700. First in this class was a Ballinatone BT Buddy sired ram from Patrick O Keeffe’s Blackwater Flock who was knocked down at €2,000 to the Walker Family. In the Errigal pen, a January born Theviews Unknown Legend sired lamb topped the prices at €2,000. Westport based Michael Hastings flock, Western Suffolks, who

was placed fourth in the Novice, had his Strathbogie Joel sired lamb knocked down in the ring at €2,100 to another South of Ireland breeder.

In the female classes it was Andrew Smith’s stylish Cloontagh Chieftan sired ewe which took the red rosette in the Shearling Class. She went on to sell in the ring for €1,200. Top honours in the Ewe Lamb Class went to Colin Watchorn’s Beechbrook Flock. This breedy Limestone Gold Rush Ewe Lamb went on to take Female Champion of the show with Andrew Smith’s Shearling claiming the reserve spot.

Topping the Shearling prices at €1,400, was the Co Leitrim based Loughrynn Flock of Coote and Trevor Geelan with their January born Crewelands Drifter sired gimmer who was placed third in her class. Andrew Smith’s second prize ewe lamb by Kells Wingman, topped the females selling for €2,000 to a Northern Ireland breeder.

A number of sheep were exported to Northern Ireland and Europe from the sale but the export trade was down

significantly on the record breaking 2021 figures and this was put down to a number of factors, with increased transportation costs topping the list. Commercial trade accounted for 50% of all ram sales and these animals recorded an average of €678, marginally down on last years prices. Although the number of rams sold into the commercial sector was down slightly on 2021, which was due in part to the early date of the sale, a number of buyers were filling their orders early to avail of the large selection on offer. The overall average for the sale was €1,030.

The Society feel that Zootechnical Certification and approval of their Pedigree Breeding Program is playing a large part in its growing membership. Many new breeders took part in this year’s sale and it is encouraging to see so many younger breeders getting involved in pedigree breeding. Society Province sales were held in Carnew, Cahir and Ballina.

South of Ireland

Averages of: €1,030 and 64% clearance for the largest pedigree Suffolk sale in Ireland.

RESULTS

Shearling Ewe

1st Lot 11, Andy Smith

WPN:21:00751, by Cloontagh Chieftan

2nd Lot 1, Robert Tait

18W:21:02480

by Errigal Masterpiece

3rd Lot 10, Coote and Trevor Geelan.

F56:21:01446

by Crewelands Drifter

Ewe Lamb

1st Lot 42,Colin Watchorn

PXL:22:00629

by Limestone Gold Rush

2nd Lot 38 Andy Smith

WPN:22:00671

by Kells Wingman

3rd Lot 31 Philip Lynch.

CZK:22:01052

by Birness Freedom

Shearling Ram

1st Lot 49 John Hanly

G4:21:02725 by Oakbridge Oscar

2nd Lot 47, Brian Doyle;

UTX:21:00174 3,

3rd Lot 46 John Humphreys

X39:21:02118 by Tully Mason

Ram Lamb sired by a SOI Bred Ram

1st Lot 61, Patrick O’Keeffe

NBK:22:06529

by Ballinatone BT Buddy

2nd Lot 83, Richard Wilson

78A2207000 by Kells T-Rex

3rd Lot 146, Susan O’Keeffe.

BYD:22:02652

by Ballinatone BT Buddy

Recorded Ram Lamb Class

1st Lot 87, Colin Watchorn

PXL:22:00640 by Limestone Gold Rush

2nd Lot 139, John Doherty

CFN:22:03228

by Limestone Red Rum

3rd Lot 79, Arthur O’Keeffe

R15:22:06488

by Ballinatone BT Buddy

Novice Ram Lamb

1st Lot 134, Doherty Bros

PAS:22:03266

by Malinhead Rossi II

2nd Lot 86, Colin Watchorn;

PXL:22:00605

by Limestone Gold Rush

3rd Lot 135 Neil Doherty

NWW:22:00255

by Fairwater Whatsapp

Open Ram Lamb

1st Lot 99, AJ & JA Lucas

DWT:22:01488

by Salopian Pure Gold

2nd Lot 130, Darragh McMenamin;

UJU:22:03150 by Birness Warrior

3rd Lot 119 Andrew Wilson.

DDX:22:01279 by Forkins McCoy

Gigot Class

1st Lot 55 Susan O’Keeffe

BYD:22:02737

by Ballinatone BT Buddy

2nd Lot 118 Andrew Wilson

DDX:22:01300 by Kells T-Rex

3rd Lot 143 John Stacey

JYO:22:01184

by Mullaghboy Goliath

Group of Three

1st Lots 98, 101 & 184, AJ & JA Lucas

2nd Lots 207, 209 & 131, Darragh McMenamin

3rd Lots 118, 119, 120, Andrew Wilson

Female Champion

Lot 42 Colin Watcchorn

PXL: 22:00629 by Limestone Gold Rush

Reserve Female Champion

Lot 11 Andy Smith

WPN:21:00751 by Cloontagh Chieftan

Male Champion

Lot 99 AJ & JA Lucas

DWT:22:01488 by Salopian Pure Gold

Reserve Male Champion

Lot 207 Darragh McMenamin

UJU:22:03200 by Rookery Rebel

Supreme Champion

Lot 99 AJ & JA Lucas

DWT:22:01488 by Salopian Pure Gold

2022 Home Bred Sire of the Year 2022 Sire of the Year

Limestone Gold Rush: Owner – Seamus Browne, Errigal Suffolks

Limestone Gold Rush was Reserve Champion at Stirling and was purchased for 23,000gns in 2019. He has sired the highest priced ram lamb at the Premier Sale in Blessington this year 5,200gns, other top sons selling to 5,000gns, 4,000gns, 3,000gns etc. Top priced female sold for 3,200gns twice while many of the best females have been retained in the flock.

A Gold Rush daughter bred the highest prize lamb at the

Premier Sale 2022 for Errigal Suffolks. They sold semen to a limited number of breeders last year. The ram was used in the flock and had some lambs on the ground again with lots of potential. He has been a great asset to the flock and Errigal Suffolks will continue to use him for many years to come.

Seamus Browne is delighted that he is their third Irish Sire of the Year since 2012.

Kells T-Rex

Bred by Eamonn Duffy Kells Suffolks, Kells T-Rex was the 2020 supreme champion at Blessington sale. He was sold for 25,000gns to the Castleisle and Shannagh flock with an equal share retained by Kells. He is a grandson of the 40K Aston Martin. His sons are selling to 33,000gns and daughters selling to 3,250gns.

All Star Western Stars

26th November 2022, Blessington Mart | Auctioneer: Mr John Doyle 4th November 2022| Auctioneer: Mr Tom Cox

The sixth Annual All Star Sale was held in Blessington Mart on Saturday 26th November and was another phenomenal sale.

This year, ten vendors presented sheep for sale and we were delighted to welcome two new flocks into the sale – Aaron Boyle of Garvan Suffolks and John Oakman of Lisakillen Suffolks. The gimmers, ewes, and ewe lambs on offer from all vendors were of the usual high standard of the sale and interest was high.

On behalf of all the vendors we would like to thank all who attended and purchased at the sale, viewed, bid and purchased online and also anyone who helped in any way. Six flocks had 100% clearance with a number of sheep exported to the UK and to mainland Europe. We would like to thank John Doyle and his staff for a very professional service as usual. We would also like to thank Ian Donald for a great grooming service and to Kathryn Shaw for the excellent photos.

Congratulations to Alan Kilpatrick of the Covoy Flock, who topped the sale with his exceptional gimmer at 3,100gns 23 sheep sold from 1,000gns upwards as follows:

• Lot No 61. 3,100gns to Tiago Sousa

• Lot No 26. 3,000gns to Dennis Taylor

• Lot No 37. 2,900gns to JD Meetan

• Lot No 3. 2,300gns to Gerry Killilea

• Lot No 40. 2,100gns to Ronan Gallagher

• Lot No 55. 2,000gns to Eamon McDaid

• Lot No 62. 2,000gns to Paddy Morrissey

• Lot No 58. 1,900gns to Eamon McDaid

• Lot No 33. 1,700gns to TS & C Powell

• Lot No 28. 1,500gns to Tiago Graco

• Lot No 36. 1,500gns to Gerry Killilea

• Lot No 60. 1,500gns to Sammy Wasson

• Lot No 21. 1,400gns to Eamon McDaid

• Lot No 29. 1,300gns to Laurence Murphy

• Lot No 24. 1,300gns to PJ McMonagle

• Lot No 30. 1,200gns to Eamonn Duffy

• Lot No 74. 1,200gns to Richard Doyle

• Lot No 22. 1,100gns to Sandra Kane

• Lot No 18. 1,000gns to Eamon McDaid

• Lot No 20. 1,000gns to Eamonn Duffy

• Lot No 31. 1,000gns to Brian Doyle

• Lot No 54. 1,000gns to Michael McHugh

• Lot No 77. 1,000gns to John Oakman

Finally we would like to wish the best of luck to all purchasers.

> TOP PRICE Gimmer €3,100 from Alan Kilpatrick Convoy FLock PWW2100234

The West of Ireland Registered Pedigree Suffolk Sheep Breeders Club held their inaugural Western Stars in-lamb female sale in Athenry Mart on Friday 4th November. Almost 50 Lots were on offer on the night, including in-lamb shearling ewes, ewe lambs and recip ewes carrying pedigree embryos. With over thirty in-lamb females and thirteen ewe lambs on offer, there was plenty of choice available for bidders to purchase stock to enhance their flocks or for prospective Suffolk breeders to purchase top quality foundation stock. All stock was veterinary inspected prior to the sale with sires DNA verified and all pedigree stock carrying DAFM approved Zootechnical Certification so buyers could bid with confidence on their chosen Lots. Interest was very high around the pens prior to the sale which got underway at 7.30pm with auctioneer Mr Tom Cox taking bids from a packed ringside as well as online. The sale got

off to a flying start with Paul Morris from Dunmore in Co Galway having his first ewe knocked down at €1,200. This stylish Errigal Enzo daughter was carrying triplets to Carragh Atlas. With interest very high, bidding was brisk for all lots with the first and second ewes from the pen of the Ballygarris flock of Michael and Marie Jennings going under the hammer at €1,400 and €1,350 respectively.

The lively trade continued with the Top Shearling price of the night, of €1,600 going to the Lismurtagh Flock for a Cairness Cobra sired ewe which had been shown successfully all Summer while their second lot was knocked down at €1,050. The Loughrynn Flock of Coote and Trevor Geelan achieved €1,400 and €1,350 for their first two ewes Other leading prices of Shearlings were €1,000 to the Inbhear Flock of James Cuffe in Ballina, and €1,050 to the Ballygarris Flock.

In the Ewe Lamb class the highlight of the night was a Ewe Lamb from the Summerhill Flock of Mattie & Kevin Kelly sired by the 26K Forkins McCoy

which took the top price of the night of €2,000. This was knocked down to Suffolk breeder, Barney Carroll from Cregcarragh, Co Galway while Summerhill’s second lot then went on to sell for €1,600 to the Kirriemuir Flock of Garth Graham. With 100% clearance of in-lamb females and 95% clearance overall the sale was a tremendous success. The Club is very much looking forward to building on what was a very successful sale in 2023.

South of Ireland Female sales

Kells

29th October 2022

Kells Suffolk’s first on farm female sale was a huge success with 100% clearance. Customers were very complimentary on the high standard of sheep for sale on the day.

Lot 30 our sale topper, a huge Birness Hustler gimmer sold to Shane Brady (Milldam Suffolk’s) for 3,500gns. Lot 5 a big strong Kells T-Rex gimmer sold to Seamus Browne for 3,250gns. Lot 11 a very big Limestone Aston Martin gimmer sold to Marie Jennings for 2,950gns. Remaining lots sold to buyers from every corner of Ireland and to Portugal and France.

It was a privilege for myself and my family to be able to invite everyone to our farm for our sale and to see so many friends travel great distances made the day even more special. We would like to wish everyone the best of luck with their purchases, thank you to those who attended the sale and bid online.

The next on farm sale this year is on the 28th October. Hope to see you all there.

Kells Shearling Top Prices

Kells Top Price Ewe Lambs

Black Beauties Blessington

12th November2022 | Auctioneer: J.P.& M. Doyle

The 13th Annual Black Beauties Sale of top quality Suffolk females was held at Blessington Mart on Saturday 12th November with a 94% clearance. The popularity of the Suffolk as a top terminal sire was very evident with a mix of new breeders, European buyers and established breeders among the purchasers.

Top price of the day was paid for a Ballynacannon Royal

Flush gimmer from the flock of Richard and Andrew Wilson of Donegal. This gimmer was scanned carrying twins to the 25,000gns. Kells T-Rex and was sold to new breeders Seán O’Gorman for 5,500gns. He also bought another gimmer from the Wilsons for 3,400gns. She was sired by Lakeview Armanai and scanned in lamb to the 21,000gns. Lakeview Bob. This gave the Shannagh and Castleisle flocks a pen average of €1,904 for their 16 gimmers.

Martin and JJ Doherty, enjoyed a very successful outing with their pen of six gimmers averaging €2,004. Pick of the bunch was a Malinhead Diamond gimmer scanned in lamb to the 6,000gns. Crewelands Dancing Brave. She was sold to Portugal for 3,600gns and was one of nine sheep exported to Europe from the sale. They also received 2,400gns for a daughter of Crewelands Dancing Brave scanned carrying a pair to Shannagh Top Gun.

Selling at 2,800gns for Dennis Taylor of the Ballynacannon flock was a Birness Freedom gimmer scanned carrying a

single to the 40,000gns. Lakeview Fury while the O’Keeffes of Annakisha also received 2,800gns for a Burnview One for Arthur gimmer scanned carrying a single to the 20,000gns Castleisle Kilteskin Prince giving them an average of €1,650 for their gimmers with Finnvale having a pen average of €1,237. Quality ewe lambs were also in demand with Richard Thompson of the Ballinatone flock securing top price for his ewe lamb by Birness Freedom when selling for 1,350gns. Overall 40 lots made 1,000gns or over under auctioneer John Doyle.

South of Ireland

There was a great sense of anticipation this year amongst our members as shows and other events made a welcome return to our calendar.

First event was the National Hall of Fame Awards in Athlone where the award was presented to Arthur O’Keeffe of the Annakisha Flock. Arthur who has served as Chairman of the South of Ireland and had the honour of being President of the Suffolk Sheep Society in 2009 is also a very successful breeder winning numerous awards at shows and sales.

The National Championships saw a welcome return this year and we were delighted to welcome our judge William Fleming and his lovely wife Helen from the Hallhill Flock in Scotland. William awarded the Supreme Champion to a very smart gimmer from Susan O’Keeffe’s Clyda Flock with Philip Byrne’s untrimmed ewe lamb taking Reserve Champion. In the Young Handlers competition Harry Graham took home the winner’s trophy. A special thanks to all the exhibitors and to our main sponsors of the classes Red Mills and Animax who sponsored the Young Handlers

Class. Thanks also to the members of the Munster Suffolk Club who organised refreshments on the day. This year the decision was made to hold our Premier Show at an earlier date namely Monday 25 July. Judge for the show was John Gibb of the Cairnton Flock in Scotland and he awarded the Supreme Champion to AJ & JA Lucas’s open ram lamb by Salopian Pure Gold with Darragh Mac Menamin’s Rookery Rebel ram lamb out of the Group of Three taking reserve. After the high of the previous year, trade was tougher which was disappointing for the breeders who had turned out quality sheep on the day. In 2023 the show and sale revert back to the first weekend in August with showing on the Friday evening and the sale on Saturday 5th August. A big thank you to all our sponsors and in particular to our main sponsor Mayo Healthcare. The return of the Ploughing Championships on 20 September saw a huge crowd throng to Ratheniska where our stand had an excellent display of pedigree and crossbred sheep for the three-day event. A sincere thanks to our members who supplied and looked after the sheep

during the event under the watchful eye of Jim Gahan, those who erected and dismantled the stand and all who took time to help Alison Irwin and Mary Gahan man the stand. We were delighted to welcome the new CEO of the Suffolk Sheep Society, Barrie Turner, who joined us on the stand where he became acquainted with some of our members and promoted the breed to potential customers.

The final event of the year was our AGM and presentation of prizes which was held at the Tullamore Court Hotel on 4th December and we were delighted to be joined by Robin and Roberta McIlrath, outgoing Chairman. Dan O’Mahony, made a presentation to Robin on his retirement as CEO of the Suffolk Sheep Society and thanked him for his help and support over the years. He also made a presentation to Mary Gahan, Honorary Secretary, for the work she put into organising our National Championships, Society Sales and Ploughing Stand. After the meeting the presentation of prizes took place.

A sincere thanks to outgoing chair, Dan O’Mahony, for his commitment and enthusiasm in leading our society over the past three years.

Province report

South of Ireland

Connacht

2022 saw ’normality’ return to the pedigree world after the pandemic and the West of Ireland registered Pedigree Suffolk Sheep Breeders Club ran a full calendar of events.

Show season kicked off in the West with the Club Championships which were held at Claregalway Agricultural Show. Breeders in the West came out in force to make the event a huge success with the largest show of Pedigree Suffolk Sheep in the West for years and the result was a phenomenal display of Pedigree Suffolks which were hugely admired by viewers.

We were delighted to welcome Alastair Gault of the famous Forkins Flock from Northern Ireland as judge for the day. Entries in each class were impressive and competition was fierce between breeders for the top four ribbons. The judge was presented with top quality sheep in each class, showcasing the best of the Suffolk breed in the West of Ireland.

The Young Handler Class was well subscribed on the

day and Harry Graham of Westside Suffolks took the red rosette with his aged ewe. Winners in the other classes were Marie Jennings – Aged Ewe; Charles Hughes – Aged Ram; James Cuffe – Shearling Ram; Dylan Hughes – Ewe Lamb; Caillin Joyce – Ram Lamb; and Best New Entrant – Caillin Joyce.

After winners had been chosen in each class, judging came down to the final four sheep for the Supreme Champion of the Show. It was James Cuffe’s home bred Shearling Ewe which took the top honours on the day. James is a Mayo Breeder whose INBHEAR flock was established in 2013. Reserve went to a newly established young Breeder, Caillin Joyce of the Ballintleva Flock in Westport.

Special guest of the club on the day was Mr Robin McIlrath, CEO of the Suffolk Sheep Society UK who expressed his great delight at seeing such a large entry of enthusiastic breeders. Robin was presented with a token of appreciation from the club in recognition of all his hard work during his tenure as CEO and wish him well on his

upcoming retirement.

The National Suffolk Championships took place in Charleville in June and again, many Club members took part. Judge, William Fleming of the Hallhill Flock in the UK had the task of picking the winners and judging kicked off with the Young Handler class from which Harry Graham again took the top honours in the class where all the Young Handlers were to be commended for their showing skills. Harry also placed third in the Shearling Ram class. Coote and Trevor Geelan’s Ewe Lamb shone through in the Novice Class where she claimed the red rosette with another smart lamb from the Lismurtagh Flock of Kenneth Bailey claimed the second spot. Kenneth also placed 3rd in the Shearling Ewe Class.

When the Sales commenced, the first on the list was the National Premier Show & Sale in Blessington on 25th July where once again, breeders from the West featured in the rosettes. First up in the was a stylish Shearling Ewe from Coote and Trevor Geelan which claimed third place in her class and she went on to top the Shearling prices at €1,400. Also featuring in the rosettes were two breedy Ewe Lambs from John Oakman’s Lisakillen Flock and Teresa & Enda McGeever’s John-Tess Flock who placed fifth and sixth respectively in their class. In the ram classes, Gerry Killilea’s Lakeview Innuendo sired lamb placed sixth in the Open while a much admired Strathbogie Joel sired lamb bred by Michael Hastings, Western Flock, claimed the fourth spot in the Novice, going on to sell to a breeder for €2,100. Well done also to David Loftus of the Rossview Flock who was also competing for the first time at a National Premier. Although also not featuring in the rosettes on this occasion, he produced two stylish lambs at the show one of which went on to a new home in the sale ring.

The sale in the West commenced with the Club Premier Show & Sale in Roscommon where we were delighted to welcome top Northern Ireland breeder, Alastair Barclay to judge.

As usual, the standard of sheep presented was high. Again, judging commenced with the Young Handler Class where Harry Graham claimed the red rosette, making it a treble for the year in the Class.

It was the turn of the ewe lamb class next where it was the Volac Ireland Perpetual Plate which was up for grabs. There was a very stylish show of lambs but the judge tapped out a smart and breedy ewe lamb, from the Summerhill Flock of Mattie and Kevin Kelly in Galway as his Champion. The ewe was sired by Howgillfoot Batman and caught the eye of many attending the show. This interest was reflected in the price she achieved when she entered the sale ring in the afternoon.

In the Novice Ram Class, competition was fierce with a great display of strong ram lambs from almost 20 Club members. It was a super carcassed ram lamb, sired by Stratbogie Joel which caught the eye of the judge and claimed the red rosette. This lamb was bred by new

Continued on next page

breeder, Caillin Joyce of the Ballintleva Flock in Westport and he went on the claim fourth in the Open Ram class.

In the Gigot Class, it was the turn of the Ballygarris Flock of Michael & Marie Jennings, Mayo to claim the top spot with a strong Windyhill Magic sired lamb. The Jennings’ winning run continued in the Open Class where they claimed the top spot with a powerful Strathbogie Joel son which was born to a Ballygarris Ewe.

The Pairs Class saw seven flocks competing for the top honours and it was the Loughrynn Flock of Coote and Trevor Geelan who took first place in a superb class of strong, even sheep.

In the final Championship line-up it was the Ewe Lamb of Kevin and Mattie Kelly who received the top accolade of Supreme Champion of the Show. Reserve Champion was awarded to the Jennings ram lamb which had taken the top spot in the Open. The Club would like to extend their sincere thanks to Alaister Barclay for travelling to Roscommon to judge the Premier Show.

When the sale commenced to a packed ring, bidding started with the ewe lambs. The bidding set the tone for the sale with the Reserve Female selling for €950. It was the Female and Supreme Champion who stole the show though when she was eventually knocked down to Suffolk Breeder Michael McDonagh for €2,250. The ewe lambs finished up with a fantastic 100% clearance.

When the ram sale commenced, bidding was steady and competition was fierce for good quality commercial lambs. With over 85% of ram lambs heading into the commercial sector it was plain to see that the appetite for a quality Suffolk ram was strong. Overall, prices for the sale were excellent but it was the Reserve Champion of Michael and Marie Jennings’ Ballygarris flock who took the top price of €2,500, equalling the 2021 record price of the Windfield Flock of JP Screene & Sons. This Strathbogie Joel sired son sold to the well known Kells and Milldam Flocks of Eamon Duffy and Shane Brady.

Our traditional sales in Athenry and Ballinasloe continued in the same way with a new sale added to the Athenry calendar in August and an Open Provincial Society sale in Ballina in October but the highlight of the year was the inaugural Female Sale ‘Western Stars’ which was held in Athenry in November with 100% clearance on In-lamb females and a huge crowd in attendance (See separate report).

Sadly a number of breeders lost family members over the course of the year and we would like to extend our deepest condolences to Charles and Dylan Hughes on the loss of the their Father in Law and Mother in Law (Dylan’s Grandparents), Michael McDonagh on the loss of his Mother in Law and Father and to Darragh Niland on the loss of his mother. May their gentle souls Rest in Peace. Finally we would like to extend our sincere thanks to all our generous sponsors for 2022 and thank all our buyers, underbidders and friends for their support throughout the year. Lambing is well underway in the West for the 2023 crop of lambs and we look forward to seeing you all at the shows and sales later in the year.

Leinster

Our Club sale was held in Carnew Mart on the evening of 7th September 2022. Over 60 rams were catalogued, with 50 forward on the night. A large crowd of buyers turned up and were not disappointed as the quality of rams presented was excellent and the breeders should be commended for this.

The sale was lively and reflected the enthusiasm of the buyers and high standard of sheep. John Hanley and Noel Quinlan topped the sale with three rams selling for €740 each. The majority sold from €500 upwards and a clearance of over 75% was achieved.

This was the Club’s second sale at this venue and we hope we can continue to build on it’s success in the years

to come. I would like to thank the staff of Carnew Mart for their help and support. Also, I would like to thank Alison Irwin for her help in preparing the catalogue and her help and patience throughout the year.

In 2023 the Club will again hold a sale in Carnew Mart on Wednesday 6th September and it is hoped to also organise an in lamb ewe sale in October. The Club’s goal is to promote the Suffolk Breed in the province and this will be achieved by encouraging and supporting new and existing breeders in their efforts. I hope to organise an information/ open day on a breeder’s farm during the summer which will also add a social element to the Club.

Wishing all our fellow breeders successful sales.

Munster

Members were delighted with the return of normality this year and the season kicked off in early May when a group of members travelled to Athlone where Arthur O’Keeffe of the renowned Annakisha Flock was awarded with the Hall of Fame Award for his commitment and service to the Suffolk breed.

2022 saw the return of shows and there was a great buzz of excitement as members old and new put on a great show of Suffolks not just in Munster but further afield as well. The Munster Club held their inaugural championships at Cork Summer Show on 19th June where an excellent turnout of sheep gave judge Padraic Murphy a difficult task. A big thank you to all the exhibitors who put on a great display of sheep and to Jim Jeffery for his outstanding organisation in an excellent venue. Champion on the day went to Susan O’Keeffe’s Clyda Flock with a gimmer sired by Castleisle Kilteskin Prince with Susan’s AK Magic ewe lamb taking reserve spot.

Club members were also out in force on Sunday 26th June for the South of Ireland National Championships held at Charleville showgrounds. On the day the judge William Fleming from the well known Hallhill Flock in Scotland awarded the Supreme Champion to Susan O’Keeffe’s

homebred gimmer sired by Castleisle Kilteskin Prince while Arthur O’Keeffe took the Male Championship with Ballynacannon Home Brew. Congratulations also to club members Sean O’Connor, Ann and Dan O Mahony, Patrick O’Keeffe and Derek Baskin who were also prizewinners on the day. Members worked throughout the day providing tea and coffee and a selection of finger food for competitors and visitors to the Suffolk tent. Ann Quirke O’Mahony presented the society with the Tom Quirke Memorial Cup for the Supreme Champion at the National Championships in memory of her late father, Tom Quirke, a proud Suffolk breeder who was always to be seen at the ringside in Charleville up to his passing. It was a great honour for Susan to be the first recipient of this beautiful cup. At the National Livestock Show held in Tullamore on 14th August Patrick O’Keeffe’s Blackwater Flock took the top honours with his ewe lamb by Ballinatone BT Buddy with Susan O’Keeffe’s aged ewe by Castleisle Kilteskin Prince reserve.

Congratulations to Susan O’Keeffe (Clyda Flock) who made the long journey to Ballymena for the Northern Ireland Premier Show and Sale in July where she received joint top price at the sale with her first prize Novice Ram Lamb by Ballinatone BT Buddy selling for 10,000gns. She also sold his ET brother for 6,800gns. The Munster club was also well

represented at the South of Ireland Premier in Blessington where a number of members enjoyed a successful day’s trading including Patrick O’Keeffe who received 2,000gns for his first prize ram lamb by Ballinatone BT Buddy.

Sales were organised by the club in Ennis, Kenmare and Milltown with ram lambs selling to €600. An open sale was held at Cahir Mart on Friday 2nd September, in conjunction with the South of Ireland Branch. Thanks to club member Derek Baskin for promotion and the sourcing of sponsorship for this sale and to our many generous sponsors. Champion on the night went to Ann and Dan O’Mahony with Edward Jeffery reserve. Top price of 500gns went to Derek Baskin. The club would also like to thank Dan O’Mahony for his service and commitment to the Suffolk Sheep Society South of Ireland Branch serving as chairman for the last few years.

Ulster

It was another successful year for the Donegal Suffolk breeders. Starting of with the premier show and sale in Blessington with Andrew Lucas (Finnvale) getting overall champion with his ram lamb and Darragh Mc Menamin (Mullinvale) getting reserve champion and not to mention a lot of our other breeders receiving some of the top prices on the day. We even had Shannagh and Castleisle receive their best price to date selling Castleisle A Kingman for 33,000 in a private sale.

Raphoe Premier

With Stephen Sufferin being our judge for the day he awarded overall champion to John Doherty (Malinhead) for his ram lamb and awarded Tommy Cavanagh (Glenagh) reserve champion who also got female champion at our premier with the novice going to Aaron Boyle (Garvan). Trade was good on the day with top price going to a shearling ram from PJ McMonigle for €1,400.

Second sale

Our judge on the day was Garth Graham. He awarded overall champion to John Doherty (Malinhead) for their ram lamb and reserve went to Richard Thompson (Baliinatone) for his ram lamb, prices topped at €800 on the day

Third sale

Our third sale was judged by Cairns Witherow giving Andrew Lucas (Finnvale) champion with his ram lamb which went on to sell for €1,820, reserve champion went to Darragh McMenamin (Mullinvale). Demand was good for rams with prices ranging from €1,820 to €500.

Fourth sale

Our fourth sale was a combined sale with rams and our first female inlamb sale, trade was steady and we hope it to be even better next time around.

Many thanks to all of our customers for their continued support and congratulations to all of our breeders on everything achieved this year. We wish to extend a warm welcome to our new members and we hope to see the Donegal breeders keeping up the standard once again in 2023 in the show and sale rings.

National Hall of Fame Awards 2022

Arthur O’Keeffe, Annakisha Flock

The Suffolk Sheep Society, South of Ireland were delighted to see Mr Arthur O’Keefe of the Annakisha Flock, have his accomplishments and contributions over many years in the Suffolk World acknowledged at the National Hall of Fame Awards which were held in the Sheraton Hotel in Athlone on Sunday May 1st. The National Hall of Fame Awards, acknowledges people in the Ovine, Equine and Bovine Industries who have contributed over their lifetime to breeding, showing, adjudicating and promoting various breeds. Each breed society nominates a person who in their opinion is deserving of such an award.

The awards on the night were presented by Minister Pippa Hackett, Minister for state for Land Use and Bio Diversity in the Department of Agriculture.

Arthur O’Keeffe’s name has been synonymous with the South of Ireland Branch of the Suffolk Sheep Society for over forty years. During this time Arthur not only worked hard to improve the Annakisha Suffolk Flock, founded 70 years ago by his late father, but also was actively involved in making the South of Ireland Branch one of the most successful branches in the society while on its committee of which he was chairman for two years.

He was appointed to the Judges Panel of the Suffolk Sheep Society in 1982 and has judged at numerous shows throughout Ireland and the UK including the Royal Highland, Royal Show, Royal Ulster, the National S&S, Edinburgh S&S,

the Northern Ireland Branch Premier and the National Flock Competition.

In 2009, Arthur was honoured to be elected President of the Suffolk Sheep Society covering England, Scotland and Wales as well as Ireland. His presidency saw him travel to all of the branches in these countries and he had the honour of judging the National Flock Competition of Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.

While dairying is the main farm enterprise Arthur has had a keen interest in the Suffolk breed since childhood. He believes that the Suffolk’s ability to reach target weights in a shorter time frame combined with good fleshing ability makes them the ideal sire for the commercial flock. The Suffolks also enjoy greater length than most of their counterparts while in recent years the Suffolk x ewe is in great demand for breeding and also commands a premium price from the butcher.

The Annakisha Flock has consistently enjoyed great success in both the show and sales ring. While Arthur was fortunate to win the Supreme champion on 10 occasions at the RDS/National Championships and Female of the Year seven times, he places great emphasis on the local shows as he feels that they are a great shop window to promote the breed and encourages all breeders to participate. At the Premier Show and Sale he has successfully claimed the championship five times while taking Reserve Champion eight times selling to all corners of Ireland, UK and Europe. In recent years he has seen a large number of his Suffolk ewes and rams being exported to Europe and believes that this is testament to the high standard of sheep attained by the South of Ireland Branch members.

Arthur would like to thank the committee of the South of Ireland Branch of the Suffolk Sheep Society for nominating him to receive the Hall of Fame Award and also his family who have helped and supported him through the years.

CONNACHT

LEINSTER

Information as supplied by breeders to the Society. Some information withheld due to GDPR. Breeders directory

MUNSTER

ULSTER

2008

majorCelebratingmilestones

Fully Scrapie Monitored Flock

SERVICE SIRES FOR 2023

Theviews Unknown Legend

Purchased for 15,000gns at NI Premier Sale

(1983)

(1998)

Errigal Perfection Best ever ram bred in the flock

• Champion Ewe NSC 2010

(1988)

5

• Novice Champion Ram Lamb Roscrea 2010

• National Supreme Champion NSC 2011

• 3rd Prize Ram Lamb Stirling 2011

• Irish Sire of the Year 2012

• Male Champion NSC 2012

• Champion Un-trimmed Ewe Lamb NSC 2012

• Champion Ram Lamb NSC 2014

• Champion Ewe Lamb Roscrea 2014

• Reserve Male Champion NSC 2018

5

SOME OF ERRIGAL ACHIEVEMENTS:

• 2nd and 8th highest prices at Premier Sale Blessington 2020

• Reserve Male Champion Ram Lamb

Roscrea 2018

• Reserve Overall Male Champion Roscrea 2018

• Highest Priced Ram sold in Ireland 2018

• Irish Sire of the Year 2018

• 4th prize Open Ram Lamb at Premier Sale Blessington 2020

• 18th highest price at Scottish Premier Sale Lanark 2020

• Irish Sire of the Year 2022

• Errigal Ewe PBH:19:01296 bred the highest priced Ram at the Premier Sale 2022

Females on offer at All Star Sale, Blessington Livestock Mart, Saturday 25th November Semen for Sale , call for full details.

Enquiries & Visitors Always Welcome Seamus Browne: 00353 87 2222575, seamus@browneprinters.com, Seamus Browne

ERRIGAL where dreams do come true!