One of the biggest days for Blue Texel breeders annually is the Festive Fireworks Blue Texel sheep society in-lamb sale held in Borderway mart Carlisle.

This year was no different with just over 100 catalogued lots being put forward by members from right across the UK and Northern Ireland.

Sale topper Knockmult Holly that sold for 4,000gns. / MacGregor Photography

Trade remained very consistent throughout the sale from both ringside and online bidders leading to an overall sale clearance of 81%.

Topping the sale at 4,000gns (€5,071) was Knockmult Holly, an in-lamb shearling ewe from the pen of NI breeders Allen Shortt and Samantha Allen. She was a full embryo sister to the 2024 RUAS Balmoral Champion and was scanned in-lamb to homebred ram Derg Jackpot.

Being sired by the much-admired Drumard Ed that has bred lambs to 20,000gns, Holly was much sought after leading to a flurry of bids and she was then eventually dropped down to Martin Wright.

Shortt’s and Allen’s sale ring success continued with their next in-lamb shearling into the ring Derg Heavenly selling for 2,200gns (€2,789). This Matt’s Firetrap daughter was scanned in-lamb carrying a single to the 20,000gns Beili Blue Hulk. She was purchased by DL & BW Jones.

The Castlederg based duo went on to sell four more in-lamb shearlings to give them the highest pen average of the sale at 1,675gns (€2,123) for their pen of six.

The 56 in-lamb shearling ewes sold on the day went on to average £848 (€1,024) per head.

Derg Hula that sold for 1,600gns. / MacGregor Photography

The aged ewe section was topped at 3,500gns (€4,438) for a 2022-born ewe that was sold as part of the well known Hodges flock dispersal.

Hodges Gold Dust was the flock’s 2024 show ewe and won many accolades throughout the summer including many breed champions and several interbreed champions.

This much-admired ewe was scanned in-lamb to Cairnrock Jagerbomb and she was purchased by Gareth Lee.

The 15 ewes sold as part of the Hodges dispersal went on to average £1,421 (€1,716).