Another year, another new progeny show. These progeny shows seem to have captured the imagination, and are very supported wherever they are. Antrim show was venue for Northern Ireland 's progeny show, and it turned out to be a good one. Not even a spell of ten minutes deluge dampened the day's atmosphere, although it did turn the field a tad muddy!

Rising to the top of the pile after a hard days work for Judge Tom Crowe, with some very strong classes, was a homebred shearling tup from Michelle Wright and Seamus O'Kane from the Mullaghwee flock. This tup by their Fell View R1 out of a ewe by an Ashes tup was the breed and interbreed champion at Colraine, and will be retained in the flock as they think so highly of him.

Standing reserve was Timothy Wray with a really smart gimmer lamb by his Ewanston X2 ram, which was the champion in Castle Douglas a couple of years ago and bought for 5500gns with the McCormick Bros. The Ewanston tup is really leaving his mark on the flock with his progeny winning the Shearling ewe and Tup lamb progeny classes, which helped him attain Elite + status in the classification.

As mentioned Timothy Wray swept the BFL progeny classes winning the gimmer ewe and tup lamb classes and took the championship with his gimmer ewes. The progeny for the mules was won by Michelle Wright with 3 mule gimmer lambs out of blackie ewes by the home bred ram.

All in all it was a great day, if a little long coming from Cumbria …setting off at 3.30 am and returning home at 2am the following day, but all good fun. Next years show will be even better!!