Mark Priestley proved himself the king of the ring at the season opening Balmoral Show, Lisburn, taking his third Texel breed championship in succession at the event.
Completing the Seaforde flock’s hat trick of top tickets was a homebred gimmer, which had earlier won its class and been tapped out as female champion by Eire-based judge Flor Ryan of the Lawn flock.
Taking the honours this year was PRQ2503056, a daughter of the 35,000gns Drumbreddan Hard Ass out of a Knap ewe by Sportsmans Cannon Ball which is also dam of the £20,000 Seaforde His Majesty which was male champion at Balmoral in 2024 before selling to Jonny Cubitt.
The championship winning gimmer had previously been reserve overall champion as a ewe lamb at last year’s Northern Ireland National Show, Armagh.
Reserve overall championship honours went to the day’s male champion, shearling ram Bellefield Im The Boy from Cyril and Martin Millar, Millar’s and Philip Dodds, Tullybranigan. This Connemara Hilltop son is out of a dam by Haddo Floyd.
He was purchased for 5000gns at the Northern Ireland National Sale, Ballymena, last year having been reserve champion in the pre-sale show.
Reserve female champion was Jonny Cubitt’s ewe lamb, CWH2602251 from the Drumcon flock. Sired by the privately purchased £60,000 Auldhouseburn Italian Stallion, she’s out of a homebred dam by Seaforde His Majesty.
It was another by Italian Stallion that took the reserve male championship, with this being another from Jonny Cubitt, CWH2602296. He’s out of a dam by the 28,000gns Auldhouseburn Fancy Pants and out of the 45,000gns ewe CKC2113544.
In the day’s first class, the aged rams, it was James Cleland, Rose Hall, that took top spot with Forkins Hitman, a son of Douganhill Gangster out of a dam by Procters Cocktail.
Then in the aged ewes the winner was Stephen McNeilly’s GCN2404169, with this one being a Cherryvale ewe which is full sister to aged ram winner Hitman.
Class Results
Aged rams
1 – James Cleland’s Forkins Hitman
2 – Nigel Hamil’s Carmavy Frankie Dettori
Shearling rams
1 – C and M Millar and P Dodd’s Bellefield Im The Boy
2 – W and J Herdman’s Longstone Iron Man
3 – Stephen McNeilly’s Millars Ice Man
4 – James Cleland’s Ballynahone Infinity
5 – James Cleland, CLZ2500875
Ram lambs
1 – Jonny Cubitt’s CWH2602296
2 – Philip Dodds’ DOD2601001
3 – Jonny Cubitt’s CWH2602417
4 – Stephen McNeilly’s SPF2601319
5 – Sam NcNeilly’s XST2601389
Aged ewes
1 – Stephen McNeilly’s GCN2404169
2 – C and M Millar’s VMG2302853
3 – Nigel Hamill’s HNB2203854
4 – Robbie Linton’s HBR2301944
5 – Nigel Hamill’s HNB2304047
Shearling ewes
1 – Mark Priestley’s PRQ2503056
2 – C and M Millar’s VMG2503257
3 – C and M Millar’s VMG2503244
4 – Noah Taylor’s TDO2502682
5 – Aidan Casement’s GAF2504443
Ewe lambs
1 – Jonny Cubitt’s CWH2602251
2 – W and J Herdman’s HKP2603014
3 – Mark Priestley’s PRQ2603429
4 – Jonny Cubitt’s CWH2602259
5 – Jonny Cubitt’s CWH2602280
Champion
Mark Priestley’s gimmer PRQ2503056
Reserve champion
M and C Millar and P Dodd’s shearling ram Bellefield Im The Boy
Female champion
Mark Priestley’s gimmer PRQ2503056
Reserve female champion
Jonny Cubitt’s ewe lamb CWH2602251
Male champion
M and C Millar and P Dodd’s shearling ram Bellefield Im The Boy
Reserve male champion
Jonny Cubitt’s ram lamb CWH2602296