Once again the Northern Ireland Progeny Show, held at the Antrim Show, was a great success. It was well organised, the weather was tremendous and there were some very strong classes for Scottish judge Andrew Warnock, from the Dreva flock, to sort out.
The individual classes saw over 30 entries in the tup lamb and gimmer classes, an indication of the depth and quality of the Northern Irish breeders, who as always show great enthusiasm for the breed. The overall and overall reserve champions came from the gimmer shearling class, and both from the same flock, as Seamus Laverty, Orra View, enjoyed a great day at the show. Both gimmers were by B16 Tanhouse who was bought in Carlisle for 6000 gns in 2009, and shared with Robert Loughridge. The choice of champion will go down well in the Warnock household too, as Andrew picked the same champion as his father did at Ballymoney a few weeks earlier. He followed this up by placing a Mule lamb from Robert Loughridge as his Mule champion, again, the same as his father had earlier done. Goes to show they pick on the same types at the Dreva flock! Michelle Wright took the reseve champion with a gimmer shearling in the Mule section.
In the progeny section, there were once again some great classes testing the judge. Overall winners in this section went, probably predictably, to the Orraview flock, where their champion and reserve gimmer shearling was joined by another gimmer and the Tanhouse sire to create a clean sweep for the Laverty flock. The strong group edged out a strong group of tup lambs from Timothy Wray of the Knockstacken flock, sired by a £3100 Orra Vale tup purchased at Ballamena last autumn with William Allan of the Holmeview flock. This Midlock sired tup has left his stamp with some very sharp lambs. The three in the group were out of ewes by a Parkgatestone and Dreva sires and one was out of a ewe bought at the Ewanstone dispersal. The Orravale sire also won the aged tup class in the individual section, and sired the 3rd prize gimmer lamb in the same section.
Progeny champion in the Mule section went to Graham and Julie Loughery with three lambs by the £3400 Midlock they bought out of Castle Douglas last back end. This son of the B4 Tanhouse is certainly leaving his mark with some very classy lambs.
It was also great to see such a strong young handler section with around 10 showing, reassuring to see the future in good hands! Winners in the young handler section was Shannon O’Hara with Niall McCormick runner up. Well done to them, and all who took part in the Young Handlers.
