RIVERDALE
CHAROLLAIS
The Flock
The Riverdale Flock was established in 1989, with the importation of four French ewes. Different breeding lines have been introduced to the flock over the years. However the current breeding ewes can be traced back to
A2 8055 who was one of these original four.
Our first stock ram was BANVILLE BIG SAM—WZ 8002. This Jacques son bred lambs selling to 2700gns.
Then came HENRI—ZYY 2006, bred by Jim Mulligan. Henri was bred from a French dam and sire. He sired several stock rams which were exported to GB and Riverdale Harriet who champion at Saintfield show, (shown left).
BEECHLODGE BRILLIANT—YNT 7007, was sired by Cantona.
He won first prize at the Royal Ulster Show and is the grand sire to many of our senior ewes.
Our flock at this stage had tremendous conformation and super tight fleeces.
In a search for size we imported our first GB sire TILTON ADVANCER—YPP 0081 in 2000. Advancer was purchased at the Tip Top Tup sale at the Royal Show where he had placed first. He has a top 5% index, but sadly when genotyping was introduced the following year we discovered he was only a group 3 genotype and was therefore only used for two breeding seasons.
He sired Superstar the All Ireland Senior Ram in 2005.
We still have one remaining Advancer daughter, Riverdale Duchess who continues to breed well.
FOULRICE DYNAMITE—DG 3467 followed Advancer in 2003. This group 1 genotype and top 5% indexed (371) ram lamb, was tight fleeced and very muscular.
He sired great females during his time here, which has helped us win the Region 8 Best Small Flock competition in 2006 and annually there after.
He sired the All Ireland Champion Ewe 2008 and All Ireland Champion Ram Lamb 2006.
We still have a group of 2005 and 2006 ewes sired by Dynamite in our breeding flock who continue to perform year after year.
Another purchase was made from the Foulrice flock in 2005 with the importation of FOULRICE FIREBRAND—DG 5342. This high indexed son of Cairnhill Cavalier had an index of 353 and was a silver award lamb, costing 2400gns in Worcestor. He sired lambs sold to 1200gns.
Sadly he was killed in his second season and only a handful of his daughters remain. It was with Firebrands breeding we started to see an increase in size across our flock. Firebrand sired Riverdale Harmony who is our biggest ewe weighing 140kg.
RUTLAND HUMDINGER—ZFY 7207, a son of Rutland Ensign, winner of three firsts at the Royal. This top 1% index lamb- 404, has produced lambs selling to 1150gns. He is currently our senior stock ram.
LOGIE DURNO LAIRD was purchased for 4800gns allow with Robert and Stuart Cromie of the Doughrey flock. Sired by Arjane Klansman and his dam was 2nd prize shearling ewe at the Royal Welsh sired by Golden Promise. Laird has sired lambs to 3200gns including the Worcester champion 2014.