A large number of texel breeders from all across Ireland and the UK descended on Ballymena Livestock Mart on Saturday past for one of the largest events in the Northern Irish Texel Breeders calendar, the premier show and sale.

With 250 ram lambs, 90 shearling rams and 25 shearling ewes catalogued for the sale, there was something for all breeders.

The pre-sale show was judged by the well known Donegal Texel breeder John Greene from the Larahirl flock.

It was no easy task for Greene with some very large male classes presented for judging. But it was Forkins Hawkeye that caught the judge’s eye for his male champion and overall champion of the show.

Hawkeye came from the pen of well-known texel breeder Alastair Gault.

Reserve Male Champion and Reserve Overall Champion went to young breeder Ivanna Strawbridge for her ram lamb Lynbrook Hercules. Both Hawkeye and Hercules are some of the first offspring to be sold of the 100,000 Strathbogie Gypsy King.

Male champion and overall show champion, Forkins Hawkeye from Alastair Gault, sold for 10,000gns. / Alfie Shaw

In the female section it was a bright shearling ewe from the Seaforde flock of Mark Priestly, that caught the judge’s attention to claim the female championship of the day.

The reserve champion female went to the 2nd place shearling ewe from Martin McConville’s Glenhone flock.

The sale commenced with the ram lambs, selling for a new record ram lamb average of £1,508 (€1,790) and three ram lambs hitting the 10,000gns (€12,465) mark.

The first lamb to hit the 10,000 mark was Forkins Hawkeye the pre-sale champion, he sold in a five-way split to James Wilkinson, Ballygroogan, John Trimble, Curley, Adrian Liggett, Corbo, Philip Whyte, Innisrush and Stanley and Martin Warnock, Straidarran.

The next two lambs to hit the 10k mark were both from the Drumcon flock of Jonny Cubitt. Both sons of the 100,000 Strathbogie Gypsy King.

The first of the two in the ring was Drumcon Hall of Fame where he sold to Stephen Etherson, Killans, with a half share retained by the Drumcon Flock. Next was Drumcon History Maker and he sold to Doughanhill Farms and Nick Legge, Thornbury.

Shearling ram prices also remained strong throughout the day obtaining an average of £1,399 (€1,660). Topping this section was the second prize ram from the Artnagullion pen of William McAllister selling for 4000gns (€4,986) to AJ Robinson, Co Down.

The McAllisters went on to sell two more of their Blackadder Doddie sired shearlings for 1,900gns (€2,369) each.

Next top price went to Henry Gambles first prize shearling, Springwell GI. That sold for 3600gns (€4,487) to T Hynes, Rathfriland, Newry.

Female Champion from Mark Priestly sold for 7,500gns, topping the female trade. / Alfie Shaw

In the female section it was Mark Priestly's female champion of the pre-sale show that stole the show in the sales ring aswell, selling for 7,500gns (€9,348) to the Auldhouseburn flock of Alan Blackwood.

This sparky shearling ewe is sired by Coniston Equinox and a Knap-bred dam by Sportsman Cannon Ball.

The next top price of the female section was the days reserve female champion from Martin McConville that sold for 3,000gns (€3,739) to Donegal Texel breeder WM Doherty. She is a Sportsman Dare Devil daughter and her dam goes back to Fordafourie Amalert.

Shearling ewe prices remained very steady throughout the day and they averaged £1,530 (€1,817).