In the townland of Seaforde in Co Down Mark Priestley runs the well-known Limestone and Seaforde pedigree sheep flock. The farm is made up of just under 150 acres, with 120 acres of rented land and the rest owned. Here Priestley has been farming full-time since May 2018. Up until 2018, he worked in the UK on two of the UK’s most well-known pedigree sheep flocks Sportsmans and Millinbank. From his time working at these leading flocks, Priestley developed many skills and a strong knowledge of pedigree sheep that has helped immensely with the success of the Limestone and Seaforde flocks.
The main aim with the pedigree flock is to produce quality over quantity. With this aim in mind, Priestley has built up an extremely strong flock of quality ewes that consists of 14 Suffolk ewes, six Texel ewes and two Dutch Spotted ewes.
The rest of the flock is made up of commercial ewes that Priestley uses as recipients for the embryos flushed from the pedigree ewes.
Priestley has an extremely strong embryo transfer programme in place and each year, only the very best ewes and rams are selected for the programme.
The Limestone pedigree Suffolk flock was established in 1998. These foundation Suffolks were purchased for their size, power and style.
These traits have remined very much to the fore since the flock’s establishment. Then, in 2018, after Priestley returned home to take up farming full time, the Seaforde pedigree Texel flock was set up.
The pedigree Texel numbers have remained small but with quality very much to the fore, the small flock has achieved great success. The most recent addition to the flock in 2024 was the Dutch Spotted breed.
This venture was pushed by Priestley’s fiancée Natasha and two quality females where purchased.
At just eight years of age, Priestley showed Suffolks for the first time in the prestigious Balmoral show ring and from then on, he has become an annual competitor. Over the years, the flock has picked many class winners but in recent years this success has increased, winning Suffolk champion in 2019, 2023 and 2024 and reserve champion on four occasions.
Natasha and her Dutch Spotted shearling ewe Gabbi at the 2024 Balmoral Show where she stood reserve female champion. \ Alfie Shaw
The Limestone Suffolk flock has also excelled in the highly contested interbreed championships, winning overall reserve interbreed champion in 2019 and then in 2023, Priestly collected the short wool interbreed champion title.
However, it was 2024 that will be the year that will go down in history for the flock, being their most successful sale to date. It was a standout Suffolk shearling ewe named Limestone J-Lo that picked up the champion Suffolk title and then she went on to achieve Priestley’s lifelong dream of winning interbreed champion. Also, in the Suffolk section he scooped up the reserve male champion title. Last year was Priestley’s second time showing Texels at Balmoral show and it didn’t disappoint with Seaforde Gucci a cracking shearling ewe picking up the female champion title and the overall Texel champion title. The Seaforde flocks’ male consignment wasn’t to be underestimated either and it was a powerful ram lamb that picked up male Texel champion.
Last year was also the flock’s first year showing Dutch Spotted sheep at Balmoral and this inaugural show went extremely well with their shearling ewe Merryboro Gabbi winning the shearling ewe class and taking the reserve female champion title.
On three occasions at Balmoral Priestley has gone on to sell his first prizewinning Suffolk ram lambs for undisclosed five figure sums.
Priestly said “that this highlights the importance of getting out to shows to showcase stock and build a reputation for your flock”.
The most important part of the year for pedigree sheep breeders is sale time and it is no different for the Limestone flock.
Limestone Marksman the current NI Suffolk record holder that sold for 48,000gns in 2021. \ Alfie Shaw
Priestley said one of his greatest achievements selling Suffolks was in 2018 – he shattered the record price for an NI Suffolk when he sold his leading ram lamb Limestone Aston Martin for 40,000gns at the premier sale in Stirling. Aston Martin also stood champion in the pre-sale show that day.
Then in 2021 Priestley went on to break that record again with another ram lamb named Limestone Marksman. Marksman sold in Lanark for a price of 48,000gns.
Since then, many Limestone Suffolk ram lambs have gone on to sell from 23,000gns to 10,000gns. Selling Suffolk females has paid off very well, with many high-class females selling into high four and five figure sums annually.
Success in the sales rings has flowed in since the establishment of the Seaforde Texel flock in 2018.
Seaforde Gucci the 2024 Balmoral Texel champion. \ Alfie Shaw
The Seaforde Texel flock’s greatest achievement to date has been selling Seaforde Egyptian Warrior, a standout ram lamb for 26,000gns in Ballymena at the NI Texel club premier sale in 2021, setting a new centre record for the breed.
The following year Priestley went on to top the sale in Ballymena for a second time with another ram lamb named Seaforde Fergie Time that sold for 15,000gns.
Both Texel male and female prices have remained very consistent over the last number of years with many males and females selling from 7,500gns to 5,000gns annually.
In the townland of Seaforde in Co Down Mark Priestley runs the well-known Limestone and Seaforde pedigree sheep flock. The farm is made up of just under 150 acres, with 120 acres of rented land and the rest owned. Here Priestley has been farming full-time since May 2018. Up until 2018, he worked in the UK on two of the UK’s most well-known pedigree sheep flocks Sportsmans and Millinbank. From his time working at these leading flocks, Priestley developed many skills and a strong knowledge of pedigree sheep that has helped immensely with the success of the Limestone and Seaforde flocks.
The main aim with the pedigree flock is to produce quality over quantity. With this aim in mind, Priestley has built up an extremely strong flock of quality ewes that consists of 14 Suffolk ewes, six Texel ewes and two Dutch Spotted ewes.
The rest of the flock is made up of commercial ewes that Priestley uses as recipients for the embryos flushed from the pedigree ewes.
Priestley has an extremely strong embryo transfer programme in place and each year, only the very best ewes and rams are selected for the programme.
The Limestone pedigree Suffolk flock was established in 1998. These foundation Suffolks were purchased for their size, power and style.
These traits have remined very much to the fore since the flock’s establishment. Then, in 2018, after Priestley returned home to take up farming full time, the Seaforde pedigree Texel flock was set up.
The pedigree Texel numbers have remained small but with quality very much to the fore, the small flock has achieved great success. The most recent addition to the flock in 2024 was the Dutch Spotted breed.
This venture was pushed by Priestley’s fiancée Natasha and two quality females where purchased.
At just eight years of age, Priestley showed Suffolks for the first time in the prestigious Balmoral show ring and from then on, he has become an annual competitor. Over the years, the flock has picked many class winners but in recent years this success has increased, winning Suffolk champion in 2019, 2023 and 2024 and reserve champion on four occasions.
Natasha and her Dutch Spotted shearling ewe Gabbi at the 2024 Balmoral Show where she stood reserve female champion. \ Alfie Shaw
The Limestone Suffolk flock has also excelled in the highly contested interbreed championships, winning overall reserve interbreed champion in 2019 and then in 2023, Priestly collected the short wool interbreed champion title.
However, it was 2024 that will be the year that will go down in history for the flock, being their most successful sale to date. It was a standout Suffolk shearling ewe named Limestone J-Lo that picked up the champion Suffolk title and then she went on to achieve Priestley’s lifelong dream of winning interbreed champion. Also, in the Suffolk section he scooped up the reserve male champion title. Last year was Priestley’s second time showing Texels at Balmoral show and it didn’t disappoint with Seaforde Gucci a cracking shearling ewe picking up the female champion title and the overall Texel champion title. The Seaforde flocks’ male consignment wasn’t to be underestimated either and it was a powerful ram lamb that picked up male Texel champion.
Last year was also the flock’s first year showing Dutch Spotted sheep at Balmoral and this inaugural show went extremely well with their shearling ewe Merryboro Gabbi winning the shearling ewe class and taking the reserve female champion title.
On three occasions at Balmoral Priestley has gone on to sell his first prizewinning Suffolk ram lambs for undisclosed five figure sums.
Priestly said “that this highlights the importance of getting out to shows to showcase stock and build a reputation for your flock”.
The most important part of the year for pedigree sheep breeders is sale time and it is no different for the Limestone flock.
Limestone Marksman the current NI Suffolk record holder that sold for 48,000gns in 2021. \ Alfie Shaw
Priestley said one of his greatest achievements selling Suffolks was in 2018 – he shattered the record price for an NI Suffolk when he sold his leading ram lamb Limestone Aston Martin for 40,000gns at the premier sale in Stirling. Aston Martin also stood champion in the pre-sale show that day.
Then in 2021 Priestley went on to break that record again with another ram lamb named Limestone Marksman. Marksman sold in Lanark for a price of 48,000gns.
Since then, many Limestone Suffolk ram lambs have gone on to sell from 23,000gns to 10,000gns. Selling Suffolk females has paid off very well, with many high-class females selling into high four and five figure sums annually.
Success in the sales rings has flowed in since the establishment of the Seaforde Texel flock in 2018.
Seaforde Gucci the 2024 Balmoral Texel champion. \ Alfie Shaw
The Seaforde Texel flock’s greatest achievement to date has been selling Seaforde Egyptian Warrior, a standout ram lamb for 26,000gns in Ballymena at the NI Texel club premier sale in 2021, setting a new centre record for the breed.
The following year Priestley went on to top the sale in Ballymena for a second time with another ram lamb named Seaforde Fergie Time that sold for 15,000gns.
Both Texel male and female prices have remained very consistent over the last number of years with many males and females selling from 7,500gns to 5,000gns annually.
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