Downkillybegs Downs dominate at Dorset May Fair

Dorset Horn and Poll Dorset rams hit a high of 4,800gns at the annual Dorset May Fair in Exeter Livestock Centre last Wednesday (May 7).

Sale topper and matching last year’s leading bid was a ram lamb Downkillybegs Unique  from Northern Ireland breeder William Carson. The September 2013 born ram lamb is by Myomax ram Ballytaggart Puma, which sired last year’s record price female at 950gns at the May Fair, and is out of a Downkillybegs ewe. He carries the Myomax gene and scanned with a record muscle depth of 44.4mm. Buyer was David Rossiter for his Huish flock in Devon.

Selling for 3,500gns was their overall champion Downkillybegs Ultimate, which is by another Myomax sire Downkillybegs Tic Tac, the twin brother to the highest muscle EBV ram of the 2013 generation and the Carsons’ second highest terminal sire with an EBV of 444 points. He sold to father and son Jim and Joe Dufosee, Warminster, Wiltshire.

Two rams from the Downkilybegs flock made 2,600gns. First of these was the Puma son Downkillybegs Ultimo. Buyer was Thornbank Farm, Seascale, Cumbria. Ultimo had a muscle depth of 40.4mm at scanning and is full brother to last year’s reserve overall female champion.

The second was Ultracool, by Oliver Tree Nik Nak, sire of TicTac, which sold to MB Jones, Bridgend, Glamorgan.

Northern Ireland breeder, Ben Lamb, made 2,300gns when selling the next highest priced ram Richhill Ucal by Downkillybegs Pegasus, another Nik Nak son, to breed society chairman Rob Hole, Sherborne, Dorset.

Topping female trade at 700gns was Tom Clarke, Crediton, Devon, with the shearling Manor Croft Temptress by Rossiz Kanye West, a breed and interbreed show champion, out of a homebred ewe. She sold to Windrush Farming Partners, Cheltenam, Gloucestershire.