By 
TYRONE breeders were celebrating at this year’s Irish Beltex Sheep Breeders Club Championship in Ballymena, where strong entries and lively bidding made for a memorable day.
Top honours went to Cookstown breeder Cathaoir O’Connor, whose shearling ewe Toberhill Kayla swept to Female Champion before being tapped forward as Overall Champion by judge Christopher McCrea.
Sired by Todhall Hurricane and out of Matt’s Halo, a private purchase from Matthew Burleigh in 2024, Kayla marked a dream result for O’Connor, who only established his flock in 2022.
She later impressed in the sale ring, selling for 1,900 guineas to Cahir McAuley, of Larkhill Farm, Antrim.
The Reserve and Male Champion title went to Glenview Kai, a shearling ram from Sean Daly, Gortin.
Out of Glenview Eimear and sired by Ardstewart Galileo, Kai continued Daly’s winning streak, topping the trade at an impressive 2,000 guineas when purchased by S & A Conway, Newtownstewart.
Other notable results included Reserve Female Champion Lagyveagh Kettle from Hugh and Eddie O’Neill’s Glenarm Flock, sold to Lee Bowden for 700 guineas, and Reserve Male Champion Finlough Kid from Seamus Kelly, knocked down to C Dunn, Donemana, for 1,350 guineas.
The Ballymena sale achieved a 100 per-cent clearance, with shearling rams averaging 818 guineas and ewes 1,050 guineas. Among the leading prices was Douglas Nisbit, of Loughbrickland, whose Rockford shearling rams made 1,300 and 1,100 guineas.
Related posts:
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere
SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT EDITION TODAY
and get access to our archive editions dating back to 2007(CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW TO SUBSCRIBE)