The Northern Lights sale of pedigree Texel females at Hilltown Mart proved to be an overwhelming success, with a clearance rate of over 90% . Sale average for the gimmers present was just shy of £700, while empty ewe lambs settled at £357.A Strathbogie Top Secret daughter, in-lamb with twins to Sportsmans Yogi Bear, led the sale for the Springwell flock. Bred by Henry Gamble, Groomsport, she sold to A Liggett’s Corbo flock for £3,150. Second-highest price of the day of £2,835 was a smart gimmer from David Warwick’s Braehead pen. A Tophill Union Jack daughter, she comes in-lamb to Sportmans Yaya and was purchased by A Smith.
The Northern Lights sale of pedigree Texel females at Hilltown Mart proved to be an overwhelming success, with a clearance rate of over 90% . Sale average for the gimmers present was just shy of £700, while empty ewe lambs settled at £357.
A Strathbogie Top Secret daughter, in-lamb with twins to Sportsmans Yogi Bear, led the sale for the Springwell flock. Bred by Henry Gamble, Groomsport, she sold to A Liggett’s Corbo flock for £3,150. Second-highest price of the day of £2,835 was a smart gimmer from David Warwick’s Braehead pen. A Tophill Union Jack daughter, she comes in-lamb to Sportmans Yaya and was purchased by A Smith.
Also clearing the £2,000 mark was a Mullan-bred gimmer from the Hanthorn family – she realised £2,205 in the ring, selling to GR Williams. She is a Garngour VIP daughter from the very successful Mullan Superfly family and is served to Fairywater Yorkie.
Topping the Tullagh pen of John and Richard Currie was a Mossvale Visa daughter in-lamb to Milnbank Womaniser. She sold to £1,733 and was knocked down to G Cathcart, Enniskillen, who also purchased a Knap Vogue daughter from the Springwell flock for £1,103.
Also coming from the Tullagh pen, a second Mossvale Visa daughter, again served to Milnbank Womaniser, realised £1,365 selling to Mr Delaney, while an Elgur Viscount-bred gimmer from the Springwell pen sold to R Gallagher, Enniscrone, for the same sum.
Travelling from Scotland, T and V Illingworth also procured an Elgur Viscount daughter for their Glenrock flock. She changed hands for £1,313, matched by a Tullylagan Tonka daughter from the Tullagh flock selling for the same amount, and she also travels home with Mr Delaney.
The Tullagh flock took the opportunity to broaden the genetics within the flock by purchasing a Garngour VIP daughter in-lamb to Sportmans Yaya from the Braehead flock. She sold to £1,208. Keeping within the four figure region, Springwell sold a further pair of gimmers for £1,100 and £1,050 to Irish breeders G Conway, Mayo, and M McHugh, Monaghan, respectively.
Empty ewe lambs peaked at £630 for a Hullhouse Wing Commander daughter from Jim Wilson’s Blackstown flock.
Overall, a strong evening’s trading was witnessed, with many purchasers travelling from the UK mainland and Ireland to endorse the quality of sheep which were on offer.
Packed ringside as Corrie sale average hits £1,740
The ringside at Ballymena Mart was packed to capacity this week for the annual heifer sale staged on behalf of Will and Gareth Corrie, Newtownards. This sale featured the entire selection of in-calf commercial heifers from the outfit including many homebred lots. In total, 100 heifers came under the hammer on the night, all due from the end of January onwards to an easy-calving Limousin bull.
Prices were led at £2,900, paid on two occasions, with many other crossing the £2,000 mark. First at the leading price was a Charolais-cross, which found a new home with Alan Farlow, Garvagh, while second at the price was a smart Limousin heifer, with Nugent Estates, Portaferry, the successful bidder.
Overall quality was of the highest order, resulting in a swift sale levelling at £1,740 and a 100% clearance. This was an increase per head of £189 on last year’s sale.
2016 sale
Heifers from last year’s sale had performed extremely well for purchasers from right across the country, with many, including some from Wales, making the return trip to acquire more. The largest buyer secured 16 replacements for his Co Down suckler enterprise.
Enniscrone and Clewbay sale
Large crowds flocked to Carrick-on-Shannon for the annual Christmas Belles sale at the bull showgrounds. The vendors were Ronan Gallagher, Enniscrone Texels, Co Sligo, and Jimmy Garrivan, Clewbay Texels, Westport, Co Mayo.
Topping the sale at €1,680 for Jimmy Garrivan was an Annakisha Oki-sired ewe out of an Allanfauld Rockafella dam. Scanned with twins to Shannagh Won-O-Won she was knocked down to Martin Walsh, Swinford, Co Mayo, to join his Carnaculla flock.
Two ewes for Ronan Gallagher then shared the next top price of €1,380. The first at this money was a Milnbank Valdaron-sired ewe carrying a Shannagh Won-O-Won lamb. She sold to new breeder Brian Egan, Moate, Co Westmeath. The second was again sired by Milnbank Valdaron, this time scanned to Tophill Union Jack. She found a new home with new breeder Ben Kelly, Strokestown, Co Roscommon.
Following on from that at €1,220 for Jimmy Garrivan was a stylish Milnbank Valdaron ewe carrying twins to Derrylahan Werewolf. The purchaser was Michael Regan, Strokestown, Co Roscommon.
Directly after that Ronan Gallagher sold another Milnbank Valdaron daughter scanned with twins to Tophill Union Jack for €1,180 to Justin McDermott, Co Cavan. Next in line was a €1,050 call for Ronan Gallagher’s Valdaron-sired ewe selling in-lamb to Union Jack. Selling to PJ Kenny, Edgeworthstown, Co Longford. There was 100% clearance for the two flocks, with Enniscrone Texels averaging €701 for 36 lots and Clewbay Texels averaging €754 for 22 lots.
A fundraiser in aid of North West Hospice saw €1,000 raised. A ewe donated by Ronan Gallagher was won by Michael Dwyer, Co Roscommon. The other very generous sponsors were Smyth’s Animal Feeds, MSD Animal Health, Channelle Veterinary and Norbrook Laboratories.
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