Record 5,700gns reached in Beltex Dungannon premier show and export sale
Trade was buoyant at the Irish Beltex Sheep Breeders Club’s Premier Show and Export Sale, with Lot 9, Tyreeghan Kilos making an impressive 5,700gns in an exciting flurry of ringside bidding.
The annual event, held at Dungannon Farmers’ Mart, saw strong trade across the board, with the 5,700 guineas top price setting a new Beltex breed record for the sale. Kilos from Russell Smyton’s Fivemiletown flock is sired by the 45,000 gns Lurg Grand Slam and is out of a Lakeview dam, one of the foundation ewes in the recently established Tyreeghan Flock.
Tyreeghan Kilos was an embryo in his recipient ewe bought from Gary Beacom’s Lakeview Flock in a reduction sale in January 2024. Impressively the shearling ram, who was purchased at the sale by Robert Scott, is among the first rams the new breeder has sold. The top price sheep has also proven itself in the showring, previously coming 3 rd at Balmoral Show and 4 th in a strong class at the Irish Beltex National Show, before being judge John Maher’s Male Champion at the Dungannon Premier Show. Smyton has a small pedigree flock of seven ewes, but he also uses a Beltex tup for his commercial flock as they produce easy, lively lambs that grade well.
John Maher of Ballinakill Beltex was tasked with judging. He tapped out Mathew Burleigh’s shearling ewe, Matt’s Killer Queen, as his Female Champion and Overall Champion. Lot 85, Killer Queen, is sired by Buckles Fizzy Pop, who has bred to 10k guineas, and is out of Matt’s Glassware, who bred a gimmer to 5k guineas last year.
Her full sister has been retained in the Kinawley flock as a flush ewe. Maher was delighted with his Champion pick and took her home to Tipperary for 1,800 guineas. Matthew Burleigh also had success with Lot 79, Matt’s Lancelot. The ram lamb won his class and was selected as Reserve Male Champion before being sold to David Brown and Mark Latimer, Brownville Flock, for 1,100 guineas.
A Facebook competition was ran in advance of the sale for a £200 Beltex voucher, which was kindly sponsored by Glenkeen Livestock Supplies. Lee Bowden was the prize winner and he put the money towards Lot 6, a shearling ram from Vicky’s Flock.