The Rouge breed enjoyed a highly successful Balmoral Show, with strong entries across all classes and a host of championship honours both within the breed section and later in the prestigious interbreed competitions. Exhibitors presented sheep to an exceptionally high standard throughout the day, providing judge Sean Mitchell with a quality line-up from which to make his selections.
The competition opened with the Ram, Two Shear and Upwards class, where Michael Graham claimed first prize with Tullyvallen Crackerjack ahead of Sammy Kerr and Fairyglen Buckingham. The Shearling Ram class was headed by James Houston with Oldwood Donald. In the Ram Lamb section, James Houston demonstrated the strength of his young stock by taking both first and second places. When the championships were called, the quality throughout the section was reflected in a strong line-up of contenders. Tullyvallen Crackerjack was selected as Male Champion, with Oldwood Donald standing Reserve Male Champion.
The female classes proved particularly impressive and ultimately supplied the major champions of the day. James Kerr topped the Ewe, Two Shear and Upwards class with the powerful Fairyglen Cheryl ET. However, the standout class was the Shearling Ewe section, where Michael Graham’s eye-catching Tullyvallen Daisy Duke claimed first place ahead of her fellow competitors. This shearling is by the impressive Tullyvallen Crackerjack who earlier won the aged ram class. In the Ewe Lamb class, James Houston secured first place.
In the championships, Tullyvallen Daisy Duke continued her winning run to secure the Female and Overall Championships, while Fairyglen Cheryl ET took the Reserve Female and Reserve Overall Championships. In the lamb championships, James Houston’s winning Ewe Lamb was tapped forward as Lamb Champion, while his Ram Lamb claimed the Reserve Lamb Championship.
The week’s success did not end there. Having already secured the Rouge breed title, Tullyvallen Daisy Duke went on to triumph in the highly competitive Overall Sheep Interbreed Championship, defeating the best sheep from across all breeds represented at Balmoral. It was a remarkable achievement for Michael Graham and a fitting reward for a ewe that had impressed judges from the moment she entered the ring. Graham also partnered this success with victory in the Overall Sheep Interbreed Pairs Championship, further highlighting the consistency and quality of the Tullyvallen flock.
The Rouge breed’s strength and depth were underlined once again in the Interbreed Group of Three Competition, where Michael Graham and James Houston combined their exhibits to secure first place. Their winning team showcased the breed’s trademark combination of power, style and commercial appeal and provided further evidence of the progress being made by Rouge breeders across the region.
Reflecting on the day’s judging, Sean Mitchell commented:
“Thanks to the Balmoral Society for inviting me to judge and to the NI Rouge Club. It was a great day with great sheep in front of me, all well presented by the breeders. My champion is the shearling gimmer from Michael Graham, she’s a great gimmer and caught my eye as soon as she walked into the ring, with style, presence and power. My reserve champion was the aged ewe from the Kerr family, a great sheep with width and power. The males certainly didn’t disappoint, with great sheep coming from all the male classes, but at the end of the day, the females took the top titles.”
The British Rouge Sheep Society congratulates all exhibitors on an excellent display of stock and extends its thanks to the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society, the Northern Ireland Rouge Club and judge Sean Mitchell for helping deliver another memorable Balmoral Show. The breed’s dominance in both the section championships and the interbreed rings ensured that Rouge sheep enjoyed one of their most successful Balmoral appearances to date.
Ram, two shear and upwards
1st Michael Graham MAG/C031 Tullyvallen Crackerjack
2nd Sammy Kerr KSF/B080 Fairyglen Buckingham
Shearling Ram
1st James Houston JMH/D02108 Oldwood Donald
2nd Michael Graham MAG/D11 Tullyvallen Dazzler
3rd James Houston JMH/D021233 Oldwood Daxton
4th Alan Dickson MOR/D603 Moody Red Denver
Ram Lamb
1st James Houston JMH/E02338 Oldwood Elite
2nd James Houston JMH/E02341 Oldwood Eagle Eye
3rd James Kerr KSF/E001 Fairyglen Enoch
4th James Kerr KSF/E009 Fairyglen Expert
5th Alan Dickson MOR/E655 Moody Red Elvis
Ewe, two shear and upwards
1st James Kerr KSF/C02 Fairyglen Cheryl ET
2nd James Houston JMH/C02208 Oldwood Cinderella
3rd James Houston JMH/C02209 Oldwood Celine
Shearling Ewe
1st Michael Graham MAG/D8 Tullyvallen Daisy Duke
2nd James Kerr KSF/D19 Fairyglen Dream Lady
3rd Michael Graham MAG/D29 Tullyvallen Diamond 1
4th James Houston JMH/D02109 Oldwood Daisy
5th Michael Graham MAG/D30 Tullyvallen Diamond Maker
6th James Houston JMH/D02083 Oldwood Delightful
Ewe Lamb
1st James Houston JMH/E02354 Oldwood Eye Catcher
2nd Alan Dickson MOR/E654 Moody Red Esther
3rd James Kerr KSF/E012 Fairyglen Evette
4th James Houston JMH/E02368 Oldwood Emerald
5th James Kerr KSF/E007 Fairyglen Erin
Male Champion Michael Graham MAG/C031 Tullyvallen Crackerjack
Reserve Oldwood Farm JMH/D02108 Oldwood Donald
Female Champion Michael Graham MAG/D8 Tullyvallen Daisy Duke
Reserve James Kerr KSF/C02 Fairyglen Cheryl ET
Overall Champion Michael Graham MAG/D8 Tullyvallen Daisy Duke
Reserve James Kerr KSF/C02 Fairyglen Cheryl ET
Lamb Champion James Houston JMH/E02354 Oldwood Eye Catcher
Reserve James Houston JMH/E02338 Oldwood Elite
Overall Sheep Interbreed Champion Michael Graham MAG/D8 Tullyvallen Daisy Duke
Interbreed Pairs Michael Graham
Interbreed Group of Three Michael Graham & James Houston