On Saturday, 20 December, the sixth Northern Stars Sale of in-lamb Texel females took place at Ballymena Livestock Mart. The Ballynahone flock of Richard Henderson received the top price of 4,000gns (€5,862) for a Knock Travis daughter, out of a Douganhill McFly mother and in-lamb to Teiglum Vigilante.

She comes from one of the strongest breeding bloodlines in the Ballynahone flock, with females from the same family having sold for up to 11,000gns (€14,657) and males for up to 9,500gns (€12,658). The purchaser on the day was G Jones, Foxhall Farm, Denbighshire.

The Ballynahone flock sold another female for 1,100gns (€1,465). She is a Braehead Touch of Class daughter and is out of a Ballynahone Oscar mother. She is in-lamb to Tamnamoney Tuborg Gold, carrying twins. She was purchased by Michael Dwyer, Roscommon.

Overall, the flock sold nine gimmers at the sale and averaged £971 (€1,232). The second highest price on the day went to the Tamnamoney pen of Roger Strawbridge, Coleraine. She is a Knock Travis daughter out of a Douganhill McFly dam. She is carrying twins and is in-lamb to Sportsman’s Scania. She sold to L. Brown, Co Donegal, for 3,700gns (€4,977). Strawbridge sold another Scania daughter, out of a Ballynahone Rissoto dam, for 1,700gns (€2,265). Strawbridge averaged £713 (€904) for 22 gimmers on the day.

The next highest price was 3,600gns (€4,796), which was received by the Forkins and Cherryvale Flocks for Alastair Gault. She is a Knock Travis daughter, out of Douganhill McFly, and is in-lamb to Duncryne Uber Cool. She was purchased by S Barclay, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Gault got 3,000gns (€3,997) for a Knock Travis daughter with a McFly mother. She is a full sister of a RUAS champion and sold earlier this year for 15,000gns (€19,987). The purchaser was Paul O’Connor of the Drumgooland Flock, Co Down.

Gault also realised 2,300gns (€3,064) for a Haddo Ringleader daughter, out of a McFly mother. She is in-lamb to Teiglium Vigilante and was sold to Alan Thompson, Co Antrim.

Alastair Gault averaged £1,330 (€1,772) for 20 gimmers at the sale. The Clougher and Bushmills Texel flock of Victor Chestnutt secured a price of 2,200gns (€2,931) for a Braehead Real McCoy daughter. She is out of a Ballybrooney mother and is in-lamb to Kiltariff Vagabond. Wilkinson Bros, Cookstown were the purchasers.

Victor averaged £856 (€1,086) for four gimmers sold at the sale. The next highest prices was 2,200gns (€2,931), got by Andrew Kennedy, Maineview Texels, with a Drumgooland Tattoo daughter, out of a Mossknowe Pudsey mother. She was sold to Andrew Neilson, Scotland, and is in-lamb to Crailloch Victor. The Mainview flock averaged £862 (€1,093) for eight gimmers.

The sale on the day saw 63 sheep sold in total with an average sale price of £965.50.