Strong trade and a fantastic evening at the NI Suffolk Branch Annual Show & Sale in Ballymena Mart!
Monday 17th November 2025
Ballymena Livestock Market
Strong trade at the annual show & Sale organised by the Northern Ireland Branch of the Suffolk Sheep Society at Ballymena Livestock Mart on Monday 17th November kindly sponsored by Uniblock Ltd.
The Judge for the evening was Jason Watson of the Bannview Flock who awarded Michael & Caolan McNally of the Benedyglen flock 1st prize in the gimmer class whilst also going on to take the Overall Champion title, with their Cairnton Chaos sired ewe in lamb to Craigdoo Camicazi going on to sell for 5500gns to fellow breeder Patrick Grant of the Craigdoo flock. The Glenquilly flock of Glenn Caldwell also stood well in the gimmer class taking 2nd place with their Birness the Gladiator ewe in lamb to Limestone Rizzler being knocked down to Mark Priestley of the Limestone Flock for 4000gns with Nicky Lowry taking 3rd selling to Wesley Cousins, Co. Tyrone for 1300gns, Patrick McVerry 4th selling to Eamon Duffy Kells Flock for 2000gns, David Ford 5th selling to Jack Smyth, Bessiebell flock for 1300gns and Harry Ritchie 6th selling to Allen Shortt, Co. Tyrone for 2100gns.
Andrew McNeilly took the 1st & 2nd winning rosettes in the aged ewe class with his Salopian Gold Sovereign ewe in lamb to Ballynacannon Bentley selling for 950gns to S Flanagan, Ballymena and his Castleisle Golden Balls ewe in lamb to Salopian Gold Sovereign selling to 700gns to G&J McElwen, Co. Down. Daniel Bryan stood 3rd selling to A Abbott, Lisburn for 800gns and Patrick McVerry 4th selling for 700gns to E McClorey, Co. Down.
In the ewe lamb class judge Jason Watson choose his Reserve Champion in a Limestone Double Diamond sired ewe lamb from Sean & Jane McCloskey of the Glenroe flock selling to J&L Doyle, Cookstown for 6000gns, the Cherrylea flock of John Trimble stood 2nd and topped the sale with his Ballynacannon Coldplay sired ewe lamb selling to David Wightman, Co. Down for 9500gns with Ben Lamb of the Richhill flock taking 3rd & 4th place selling to James Wilkinson for 4600gns and Ben Lynch, Cavan for 2600gns respectively. Philip Kennedy of the Cavanagrove flock stood 5th selling to Michael & Caolan McNally for 2200gns and Keith Johnston of the Rossbrook flock stood 6th selling to Stephen Toye, Boveedy flock for 1900gns.
Many thanks to the staff at Ballymena Livestock Market and Michael Smyth who scanned all the sheep in lamb on the evening of the sale.
Many thanks to the continued support of Uniblock Ltd who were the sponsors of the show & sale.
Leading Prices at the sale included:-
Gimmer Class
M McNally 5500gns, 3,800gns, 2,400gns 1600gns, 1200gns
G Caldwell 4000gns
HT Ritchie 2100gns, 1200gns
P McVerry 2000gns, 1800gns, 1400gns , 1300gns
N Lowry 1600gns, 1300gns
D Ford 1300gns
Aged Ewe Class
RC&JC Watson 1100gnsx2
D Bryan 800gns
P McVerry 700gns
A McNeilly 950gns, 850gns, 700gns
Ewe Lamb Class
J Trimble 9500gns, 3800gns, 3000gns
S&J McCloskey 6000gns, 6000gns, 3400gns, 3200gns, 2600gns
B Lamb 5500gns, 4600gns, 4000gns, 3000gns, 2600gns
RC&JC Watson 5200gns
K Johnston 3000gns
P Kennedy 2200gns
Show Results
Shearling Class
1st Lot 4 Michael & Caolan McNally
2nd Lot 36 Glen Caldwell
3rd Lot 22 Nicky Lowry
4th Lot 28 Patrick McVerry
5th Lot 1 David Ford
6h Lot 15 Harry Thomas Ritchie
Aged Ewe Class
1st Lot 46 Andrew McNeilly
2nd Lot 44 Andrew McNeilly
3rd Lot 37 Daniel Bryan
4th Lot 43 Patrick McVerry
Ewe Lamb Class
1st Lot 47 Sean & Jane McCloskey
2nd Lot 83 John Trimble
3rd Lot 55 Ben Lamb
4th Lot 61 Ben Lamb
5th Lot 62 Philip Kennedy
6th Lot 77 Keith Johnston
Overall Champion: Lot 4 Michael & Caolan McNally
Reserve Champion: Lot 47 Sean & Jane McCloskey
