Farming just outside the town of Trillick in County Tyrone is Andrew McCutcheon and his sons Jamie, Jaden, Lewis, Dale and Ritson. Together they run the well-known Bodoney Beltex, Badgerface and Dutch Spotted flocks. The pedigree flock is made up of 60 Beltex ewes, 15 Badgerface ewes and three Dutch Spotted ewes.
Alongside the pedigree flock ,they also run a flock of 200 commercial ewes and 30 suckler cows. The family enterprise is run on a block of 260 acres of grassland that is made up of both owned and rented land.
Pedigree flock establishment
The Beltex breed had stood out to Andrew for a number of years before he made the move to establish his own flock in 2015 with the purchase of two stellar females, Beautry Wanda and Orkney Wondergirl. These inaugural females went on to breed tremendously well, getting the Bodoney flock off to a great start and leaving Andrew hooked on the breed.
Badgerface ram Brougher Cruiser that sold for 7,000gns at the premier sale in 2022. \ MacGregor Photography
Then, in 2019, a new breed to the UK caught the McCutcheon family’s eyes and this led them to purchase their foundation females for the Bodoney Badgerface flock that was then established in 2020. This foundation consignment consisted of two ewes and a ewe lamb that were purchased in Borderway Market Carlisle. The main attributes which attracted them to this new breed were the breed’s striking marking alongside a super carcase, a trait very similar to what attracted them to the Beltex breed in 2015. These foundation females also went on to breed extremely well over the years and one of the ewes still remains in the flock.
Bodoney Dutch Spotted shearling ram that sold for 3,800gns at the premier sale in Borderway Mart, Carlisle in 2023. \ Alfie Shaw
Following the introduction of the Badgerface to Bodoney, the Dutch Spotted breed was also added in 2021, with a private purchase of a number of quality ewe lambs.
Busiest time on the farm
February and March are the busiest months of the year for the McCutcheons with lambing and calving taking place. The pedigree ewes kick off lambing in February and Andrew described it as both a busy and exciting time of year, as “we get to see what months of planning and breeding brings”.
The commercial flock then lambs in March. The commercial flock is made up of mostly Suffolk-cross Mule ewes and they are mated each year with the Beltex ram for easy lambing and producing top-quality prime lambs.
The herd of 30 Charolais and Limousin cows calve across the months of February and March. First-calving heifers are artificially inseminated (AI) to Shorthorn and Speckled Park bulls for easy calving and the mature cows are AI’d to Red Belgian Blue bulls to breed quality show-type calves. Any cows that don’t hold to AI are served with the Charolais stock bull. These calves are then sold in local markets as forward stores.
Balmoral Show
With the Balmoral Show just around the corner, it is one of the biggest weeks in the McCutcheons’ show calendar. Balmoral has always been an extremely successful event for the Bodoney Beltex flock which picked up champion in 2019 with Bodoney Dynamite as well as champion two years later in 2022 with Bodoney Emerald.
In 2023 they were just pipped at the post and picked up overall reserve champion with their ram lamb, Bodoney Jackpot, that went on to sell for 2,800gns.
In 2024 the family also had huge success with the Beltex flock picking up reserve male champion with their shearling ram, first in the aged ewe and ram lamb class as well as first in the strong group of three competition.
Also, in 2024 the Badgerface flock had great success at Balmoral with stock ram Cruiser winning the highly contested aged ram section.
National show success
Since establishment in 2015, the Bodoney Beltex flock has been extremely successful annually at the Northern Ireland Beltex national show.
The most recent success was in 2024 when they claimed reserve champion with a flashy ram lamb that later went on to sell to a top Northern Ireland flock. Also on the day, the Bodoney flock won overall champion lamb and champion pair of lambs.
The Bodoney Badgerface flock has also achieved great success at national show level over the past few years, picking up many prizes including first prize ram lamb in 2024 in a highly competitive class.
Taking part in the annual NI Beltex breeders flock competition is also a hugely successful part of the year for the McCutcheon family. In 2024, they picked up overall reserve champion large flock and they also won best stock ram lamb.
Sale success
Each year Andrew and his sons travel to sales across Northern Ireland and the UK to sell their pedigree stock. They have had great success selling stock over the years with many sheep hitting four-figure prices and many of them finding homes in top pedigree flocks throughout Ireland and the UK.
Jamie and Jaden selling their Badgerface lamb at the Dungannon premier sale in 2023. \ MacGregor Photography
One of the most notable sale successes with the Beltex flock was in 2019 when they sold two of their shearling rams for 4,500gns each at the Beltex premier sale held in Borderway Mart Carlisle, the first went to well-known Scottish breeder JA Thom and the second went to Irish breeder Eddie Lynch.
In 2020 the Bodoney Beltex also had great success at Borderway Mart, when they sold Bodoney Fabien for 3,500gns to Irish breeders Dermot Goss and Micheal Lynch.
The Bodoney Badgerface flock has also had great success in the sale ring since its establishment, with males and females selling consistently from 1,000gns to 2,000gns each year.
However, it was in 2022 that the McCutcheons had the greatest success in the sale ring selling Brougher Cruiser for 7,000gns at the Badgerface Sheep Society Premier Sale in Borderway Mart Carlisle, this price remains the record price for an aged Badgerface ram. Another notable sale from the Badgerface flock was Bodoney Equalizer, a super ram lamb that sold for 1,600gns to Irish breeder Nigel Hogan where he has gone on to breed extremely well.
The small but mighty Bodoney Dutch Spotted flock is also no stranger to sale ring success. In 2023 it was their strong shearling ram that sold for 3,800gns at the Dutch Spotted premier sale in Borderway Mart Carlisle, he also stood reserve champion on the day.
Young Farmers Club
The Young Farmers Club has been a huge part of growing up for the McCutcheon boys. They are all members of the local Trillick Young Farmers Club.
Both Jaden and Jamie had great success in the NI young farmers sheep stock judging final where Jamie won his category and Jaden came second in his category. Jaden said that “the Young Farmers Club gives us great opportunities to meet new people, compete and learn new skills”.
A major competition in the Young Farmers Club calendar is the Royal Ulster Beef and Lamb Championships. Here young farmers from across Northern Ireland battle it out to win the champion pair of lambs. The McCutcheon brothers have now claimed this coveted title for four consecutive years.
Farming just outside the town of Trillick in County Tyrone is Andrew McCutcheon and his sons Jamie, Jaden, Lewis, Dale and Ritson. Together they run the well-known Bodoney Beltex, Badgerface and Dutch Spotted flocks. The pedigree flock is made up of 60 Beltex ewes, 15 Badgerface ewes and three Dutch Spotted ewes.
Alongside the pedigree flock ,they also run a flock of 200 commercial ewes and 30 suckler cows. The family enterprise is run on a block of 260 acres of grassland that is made up of both owned and rented land.
Pedigree flock establishment
The Beltex breed had stood out to Andrew for a number of years before he made the move to establish his own flock in 2015 with the purchase of two stellar females, Beautry Wanda and Orkney Wondergirl. These inaugural females went on to breed tremendously well, getting the Bodoney flock off to a great start and leaving Andrew hooked on the breed.
Badgerface ram Brougher Cruiser that sold for 7,000gns at the premier sale in 2022. \ MacGregor Photography
Then, in 2019, a new breed to the UK caught the McCutcheon family’s eyes and this led them to purchase their foundation females for the Bodoney Badgerface flock that was then established in 2020. This foundation consignment consisted of two ewes and a ewe lamb that were purchased in Borderway Market Carlisle. The main attributes which attracted them to this new breed were the breed’s striking marking alongside a super carcase, a trait very similar to what attracted them to the Beltex breed in 2015. These foundation females also went on to breed extremely well over the years and one of the ewes still remains in the flock.
Bodoney Dutch Spotted shearling ram that sold for 3,800gns at the premier sale in Borderway Mart, Carlisle in 2023. \ Alfie Shaw
Following the introduction of the Badgerface to Bodoney, the Dutch Spotted breed was also added in 2021, with a private purchase of a number of quality ewe lambs.
Busiest time on the farm
February and March are the busiest months of the year for the McCutcheons with lambing and calving taking place. The pedigree ewes kick off lambing in February and Andrew described it as both a busy and exciting time of year, as “we get to see what months of planning and breeding brings”.
The commercial flock then lambs in March. The commercial flock is made up of mostly Suffolk-cross Mule ewes and they are mated each year with the Beltex ram for easy lambing and producing top-quality prime lambs.
The herd of 30 Charolais and Limousin cows calve across the months of February and March. First-calving heifers are artificially inseminated (AI) to Shorthorn and Speckled Park bulls for easy calving and the mature cows are AI’d to Red Belgian Blue bulls to breed quality show-type calves. Any cows that don’t hold to AI are served with the Charolais stock bull. These calves are then sold in local markets as forward stores.
Balmoral Show
With the Balmoral Show just around the corner, it is one of the biggest weeks in the McCutcheons’ show calendar. Balmoral has always been an extremely successful event for the Bodoney Beltex flock which picked up champion in 2019 with Bodoney Dynamite as well as champion two years later in 2022 with Bodoney Emerald.
In 2023 they were just pipped at the post and picked up overall reserve champion with their ram lamb, Bodoney Jackpot, that went on to sell for 2,800gns.
In 2024 the family also had huge success with the Beltex flock picking up reserve male champion with their shearling ram, first in the aged ewe and ram lamb class as well as first in the strong group of three competition.
Also, in 2024 the Badgerface flock had great success at Balmoral with stock ram Cruiser winning the highly contested aged ram section.
National show success
Since establishment in 2015, the Bodoney Beltex flock has been extremely successful annually at the Northern Ireland Beltex national show.
The most recent success was in 2024 when they claimed reserve champion with a flashy ram lamb that later went on to sell to a top Northern Ireland flock. Also on the day, the Bodoney flock won overall champion lamb and champion pair of lambs.
The Bodoney Badgerface flock has also achieved great success at national show level over the past few years, picking up many prizes including first prize ram lamb in 2024 in a highly competitive class.
Taking part in the annual NI Beltex breeders flock competition is also a hugely successful part of the year for the McCutcheon family. In 2024, they picked up overall reserve champion large flock and they also won best stock ram lamb.
Sale success
Each year Andrew and his sons travel to sales across Northern Ireland and the UK to sell their pedigree stock. They have had great success selling stock over the years with many sheep hitting four-figure prices and many of them finding homes in top pedigree flocks throughout Ireland and the UK.
Jamie and Jaden selling their Badgerface lamb at the Dungannon premier sale in 2023. \ MacGregor Photography
One of the most notable sale successes with the Beltex flock was in 2019 when they sold two of their shearling rams for 4,500gns each at the Beltex premier sale held in Borderway Mart Carlisle, the first went to well-known Scottish breeder JA Thom and the second went to Irish breeder Eddie Lynch.
In 2020 the Bodoney Beltex also had great success at Borderway Mart, when they sold Bodoney Fabien for 3,500gns to Irish breeders Dermot Goss and Micheal Lynch.
The Bodoney Badgerface flock has also had great success in the sale ring since its establishment, with males and females selling consistently from 1,000gns to 2,000gns each year.
However, it was in 2022 that the McCutcheons had the greatest success in the sale ring selling Brougher Cruiser for 7,000gns at the Badgerface Sheep Society Premier Sale in Borderway Mart Carlisle, this price remains the record price for an aged Badgerface ram. Another notable sale from the Badgerface flock was Bodoney Equalizer, a super ram lamb that sold for 1,600gns to Irish breeder Nigel Hogan where he has gone on to breed extremely well.
The small but mighty Bodoney Dutch Spotted flock is also no stranger to sale ring success. In 2023 it was their strong shearling ram that sold for 3,800gns at the Dutch Spotted premier sale in Borderway Mart Carlisle, he also stood reserve champion on the day.
Young Farmers Club
The Young Farmers Club has been a huge part of growing up for the McCutcheon boys. They are all members of the local Trillick Young Farmers Club.
Both Jaden and Jamie had great success in the NI young farmers sheep stock judging final where Jamie won his category and Jaden came second in his category. Jaden said that “the Young Farmers Club gives us great opportunities to meet new people, compete and learn new skills”.
A major competition in the Young Farmers Club calendar is the Royal Ulster Beef and Lamb Championships. Here young farmers from across Northern Ireland battle it out to win the champion pair of lambs. The McCutcheon brothers have now claimed this coveted title for four consecutive years.
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