An “iconic” day’s trade for the Ballytaggart flock at Dorset May Fair
Dorset trade witnessed a strong top price for ram lambs and a strong demand for females across the board at this year’s Dorset Horn and Poll Dorset May Sheep Fair, held at Exeter Livestock market on the 6th May.
Leading ram trade at 6000gns was the pre-sale champion from Thomas Wright,
Ballymoney, Co Antrim. Living up to his name, Ballytaggart Iconic I3532 is by Ballytaggart
Hindu H3400 and is out of a homebred female by Oliver Tree Chatterbox C495.
Praised by the championship judge James Royan for being a stylish ram lamb with great
locomotion, length and show ring quality, this is the fifth time Thomas Wright has secured the Dorset May Fair championship. Iconic met spirited ringside bidding with the hammer eventually falling to Richard Fitton, Bolton and Andrew & Caroline Kennedy, Ballymena.
Continuing a strong day’s trade for Northern Irish breeders, next best at 5500gns was Ella and Harris Kennedy, Ballymena, Co Antrim, with their ram lamb, Rivervalley Ice Cream
I2921. This Hilltop Hero H3017 son out of a Briglands female by Ballytaggart Dominator
D2508 was part of the winning pair of ram lambs in the pre-sale show. He caught the eye
of Gareth Hutchings, St Giles on the Heath, Cornwall and Julian Rice, North Tawton,
Devon.
Meanwhile, selling at 2200gns was the pen leader from Jack and Alexandra James,
Shaftesbury, Dorset. This shearling ram, Southbank Hambledon H1555 is by Sherborne
explosive E7635 and out of a homebred female by Downkillybegs Ducati D748. Taking
this one home was W L French, Launceston, Cornwall. Just shy of that price tag at 2000gns was the pen leader from R and D Rossiter in the form of Huish Homer H27217, a shearling ram homebred on both sides. This one was knocked down to K H May and Partners, Netherexe, Devon.
At the same money was the pen leader and another shearling ram from Matthew and
Adam Care, Looe, Cornwall. Burhos Hotstuff H3870 is by Burhos Gold Mine G235 out of
a Poorton Apollo A552 homebred daughter. This one was one of the winning group of
three shearling rams and was the pick of A Palk, Marldon, Devon.
Two rams then shared an 1800gns price tag, the first being a shearling ram from J B May
and Son, Bodmin, Cornwall in the form of Newtoncoombe Hurricane H1548. This
Lisnafillan Elvis E1743 son out of a homebred Sandy Lane sired female was knocked
down to A J and H E Hosegood, Crediton, Devon. At the same money was another from the Rossiter family, this time a ram lamb, Huish Init I28769, a Huish Fergus F24151 son out of a home bred female by Huish Ambition A14646. This one now heads to Woodbridge, Suffolk, with Tim Pratt for the Deben flock.
Females
Across the sale, Dorset females were in high demand, not only as individuals, but as
pens. Leading the way was the female champion and first place ewe lamb, Hydes Ice
Queen from the home of the reserve champion, Hydes Farming. Again, by Richhill
Fivestar F1766, this one is out of a Huish Caesar C18122 daughter. After a ringside
bidding battle, the lucky purchaser was the Middleditch family, Sudbury, Suffolk.
Next up with the individual sheep was a call of 680gns for Sandford, Somerset-based Joe Larder’s Byeways Hope H1799, a Ballytaggart Flashman F2912 daughter, homebred on her dam side by Byeways Winner W401. This one ended up with S Taylor, Shepton Mallet, Somerset.
At 650gns was the best from Julian Rice, Exeter, Devon in the form of the Essington
Fernando F22 daughter, Essington Ivy I4. Staying in the south west, this one sold to B
Davis, Glastonbury, Somerset. In the commercial female pens of shearling ewes saw a top price of 550gns for the Fooks Bros.’, North Poorton, Dorset and their Horned Dorsets and pens of ewe lambs saw a top of 480gns for previously mentioned buyer, Julian Rice.
Averages:
20 MV Dorset Horn females £404.25
472 MV Poll Dorset females £380.29
219 Dorset Horn cross females £255.37
913 Poll Dorset cross females £293.54
4 Dorset Horn rams £879.38
117 Poll Dorset rams £947.69
(Kivells)