Demand was high in Ballymena at the 109th annual Border Leicester Show and Sale.

With 66 high quality lots on offer, prices were strong and averages were up on the 2023 sale.

The clearance rate was also very strong with just two lots remaining unsold.

Topping the trade at 2,200gns (€2,765) was the second place ram lamb from William Semple. This strong upstanding ram lamb sold to Joseph Adams.

Top priced lot from William Semple that sold for 2,200gns (€2,765). / Mullagh Photography

The day’s first place ram lamb and overall champion also came from the Gortnagross pen and this stylish March-born lamb went on to sell for 2,000gns (€2,514).

William Semple went on to sell a further three ram lambs to give him a pen average of 1,400gns (€1,759).

Pen average

Joanne McFarland also had a very successful day, hitting 1,900gns (€2,388) twice and obtaining an impressive pen average of 1,567gns (€1,969) for her pen of three ram lambs.

Overall, the ram lambs averaged 905gns (€1,137) and just one ram lamb went unsold.

The ewe lamb trade topped at 1,500gns (€1,885) for the day’s first place ewe lamb and reserve overall champion.

This proud ewe came from the representatives of Sam Agnew’s Ballynarry flock.

There was a 100% clearance rate in the ewe lamb section with an average price of 763gns (€959) achieved.

Well-known breeder Harold Dickey’s ram topped the shearling ram section at 2,100gns (€2,639). The shearling rams averaged 788gns (€990), and just one remained unsold.

With just four entries in the aged ram section, demand and quality were very high. The top price achieved was 1,400gns (€1,759) for a two-year-old ram from the Killymallaght flock of A&R Megarrell.

This impressive ram won first in his class earlier in the day. A 100% clearance was achieved for the four entries, with an impressive average of 1,000gns (€1,256) paid.

Hogget ewe section

The Killymallaght flock continued their good form in the hogget ewe section, taking first place in the show with Killymallaght Vanity Fair, and topping the prices in this section when selling this sharp hogget ewe for 1,100gns (€1,383). Hogget ewes achieved a 100% clearance rate and an average of 600gns (€754).