The fourth annual Northie Sparklers sale of in-lamb North Country Cheviots took place in Beattie’s Pedigree Centre, Omagh, with great success.
The successful sale drew in buyers from right across the island.
The strong entry consisted of in-lamb shearling ewes and empty ewe lambs from some of the top bloodlines in the country.
First into the ring to give the sale a super start was Alastair Armstrong's Stragole flock.
These five in-lamb shearlings were all scanned in-lamb to the top breeding stock ram Carradoo Glebe D01451.
The first lot of the night was a powerful Stragole Big Yen daughter out of an Allanshaws Xackeri ewe and she was sold scanned carrying twins for 820gns (€1,035) to Thomas Smyth, Randalstown.
Breed character
The next lot into the ring was the first Carruthers Birra Moretti daughter to be sold on the night. With a tremendous body and a lot of breed character, she sold for 880gns (€1,111) to S Smyth, Limavady. She was also scanned carrying twins to Carradoo Glebe D01451.
It was Mayo man Eamon Gallagher who purchased the next two lots to expand his newly established flock.
The first lot was a great skinned shearling ewe sired by Carruthers Birra Moretti and scanned carrying a single for 720gns (€909).
The next lot was also a very powerful shearling ewe sired by Birra Moretti that was scanned carrying twins for 680gns (€859). Alastair’s final in-lamb shearling of this first ballot sold for 780gns (€985) to Thomas Smyth, Randalstown.
Next into the ring was brothers Eoin and Jonathan Kelly, Draperstown, with a strong pen of in-lamb shearling ewes.
Pen leader
Their pen leader was a powerful ewe sired by Stragole Big Yen and was scanned carrying twins to Liddesdale Escobar, she went on to sell for 520gns (€656) to the Kilvaddy flock of Allister McNeill, Toomebridge.
The Kellys' next two lots both went on to sell for 650gns (€821) each to Matt Irvine of the Lough Neagh flock.
The Stragole flock's second ballot was led by a stylish Stragole Big Yen shearling ewe out of a Humbleheugh Vogue daughter.
She was scanned carrying twins to Carradoo Glebe. She then went on to sell for 1,350gns (€1,704) to Thomas Smyth, Randalstown.
The Stragole pen topper was followed by another growthy Birra Moretti daughter out of a Stragole Ambassador ewe. She was scanned with twins to Stragole El Dorado and sold for 650gns (€821) to Keith Smyth, Donemana.
The strong pen of 11 Stragole shearlings sold to average 800gns (€1,010).
Super body
Crossmaglen-based breeder Sean Doherty picked up two lots from the Kellys' pen. The first for 550gns (€694) followed by another from the Kellys' second ballot for 620gns (€783). The eight in-lamb shearling ewes from the Crockataggart flock sold to average 558gns (€704).
Sinclair Armstrong’s Leam flock was next in the ring kicking off with a super-bodied shearling ewe sired by Leam Challenger out of a Abscrabster Sovereign ewe and scanned carrying twins to Carradoo Glebe D01451.
She sold for 600gns (€758) to Michael O’Sullivan, Kenmare, Co Kerry, as a foundation female for his newly established flock.
The next to sell from the Leam pen was a Leam Classic daughter out of a Leam Voyager ewe. She was purchased by Kevin McDermott for 580gns (€732).
The highlight for the Leam flock was selling their Humbleheugh Xtra Special daughter out of a Cairnside Anchorman ewe that was scanned carrying twins to Carradoo Glebe for 620gns (€783).
The Leam consignment averaged 575gns (€723) for their four in-lamb shearling ewes sold.
Topping the sale on the night was the Ballintogher flock of James and Kathryn Rowan, selling a standout in-lamb shearling ewe for 1,650gns (€2,084).
After furious bidding, the Wester Certainty daughter was knocked down to James McCloskey, Claudy. She was also scanned carrying twins to Philiphaugh Emerald.
Charity lot
The final in-lamb shearling ewe of the night was donated by Leam Livestock to be sold with all proceeds going to the NI Air Ambulance.
She was sired by Leam X–Rated and out of a Synton ewe. She was scanned carrying twins to Carradoo Glebe and was purchased by Henry Etherson, Ballymoney for 920gns (€1,162).
Ewe lambs
Alex Colhoun's Kingarrow flock kicked off the ewe lamb section, selling his pen leader for 280gns (€354). She was sired by Ross Dynamic and out of a homebred Kingarrow ewe. She was purchased by John Bassett, Downpatrick.
Topping the Stragole ewe lamb consignment at 620gns (€783) was a strong Kilvaddy Diamond-sired ewe lamb.
She heads to join the Rosehill flock of John McKeen, Garvagh.
The Stragole flock sold two more ewe lambs for 600gns (€758) each, the first to Daniel Devlin, Clonmany, and the second to John Bassett, Downpatrick. The Stragole flocks pen of three ewe lambs sold to average 607gns (€766).
In-lamb shearling ewe from the Stragole flock that sold for 820gns. / Alfie Shaw
In-lamb shearling ewe from the Stragole flock that sold for 1,350gns (right). / Alfie Shaw
The charity lot sold that sold for 920gns with all proceeds going to Airambulance NI. / Alfie Shaw
In-lamb shearling ewe that sold for 780gns. / Alfie Shaw
In-lamb shearling ewe that sold for 800gns. /Alfie Shaw
The fourth annual Northie Sparklers sale of in-lamb North Country Cheviots took place in Beattie’s Pedigree Centre, Omagh, with great success.
The successful sale drew in buyers from right across the island.
The strong entry consisted of in-lamb shearling ewes and empty ewe lambs from some of the top bloodlines in the country.
First into the ring to give the sale a super start was Alastair Armstrong's Stragole flock.
These five in-lamb shearlings were all scanned in-lamb to the top breeding stock ram Carradoo Glebe D01451.
The first lot of the night was a powerful Stragole Big Yen daughter out of an Allanshaws Xackeri ewe and she was sold scanned carrying twins for 820gns (€1,035) to Thomas Smyth, Randalstown.
Breed character
The next lot into the ring was the first Carruthers Birra Moretti daughter to be sold on the night. With a tremendous body and a lot of breed character, she sold for 880gns (€1,111) to S Smyth, Limavady. She was also scanned carrying twins to Carradoo Glebe D01451.
It was Mayo man Eamon Gallagher who purchased the next two lots to expand his newly established flock.
The first lot was a great skinned shearling ewe sired by Carruthers Birra Moretti and scanned carrying a single for 720gns (€909).
The next lot was also a very powerful shearling ewe sired by Birra Moretti that was scanned carrying twins for 680gns (€859). Alastair’s final in-lamb shearling of this first ballot sold for 780gns (€985) to Thomas Smyth, Randalstown.
Next into the ring was brothers Eoin and Jonathan Kelly, Draperstown, with a strong pen of in-lamb shearling ewes.
Pen leader
Their pen leader was a powerful ewe sired by Stragole Big Yen and was scanned carrying twins to Liddesdale Escobar, she went on to sell for 520gns (€656) to the Kilvaddy flock of Allister McNeill, Toomebridge.
The Kellys' next two lots both went on to sell for 650gns (€821) each to Matt Irvine of the Lough Neagh flock.
The Stragole flock's second ballot was led by a stylish Stragole Big Yen shearling ewe out of a Humbleheugh Vogue daughter.
She was scanned carrying twins to Carradoo Glebe. She then went on to sell for 1,350gns (€1,704) to Thomas Smyth, Randalstown.
The Stragole pen topper was followed by another growthy Birra Moretti daughter out of a Stragole Ambassador ewe. She was scanned with twins to Stragole El Dorado and sold for 650gns (€821) to Keith Smyth, Donemana.
The strong pen of 11 Stragole shearlings sold to average 800gns (€1,010).
Super body
Crossmaglen-based breeder Sean Doherty picked up two lots from the Kellys' pen. The first for 550gns (€694) followed by another from the Kellys' second ballot for 620gns (€783). The eight in-lamb shearling ewes from the Crockataggart flock sold to average 558gns (€704).
Sinclair Armstrong’s Leam flock was next in the ring kicking off with a super-bodied shearling ewe sired by Leam Challenger out of a Abscrabster Sovereign ewe and scanned carrying twins to Carradoo Glebe D01451.
She sold for 600gns (€758) to Michael O’Sullivan, Kenmare, Co Kerry, as a foundation female for his newly established flock.
The next to sell from the Leam pen was a Leam Classic daughter out of a Leam Voyager ewe. She was purchased by Kevin McDermott for 580gns (€732).
The highlight for the Leam flock was selling their Humbleheugh Xtra Special daughter out of a Cairnside Anchorman ewe that was scanned carrying twins to Carradoo Glebe for 620gns (€783).
The Leam consignment averaged 575gns (€723) for their four in-lamb shearling ewes sold.
Topping the sale on the night was the Ballintogher flock of James and Kathryn Rowan, selling a standout in-lamb shearling ewe for 1,650gns (€2,084).
After furious bidding, the Wester Certainty daughter was knocked down to James McCloskey, Claudy. She was also scanned carrying twins to Philiphaugh Emerald.
Charity lot
The final in-lamb shearling ewe of the night was donated by Leam Livestock to be sold with all proceeds going to the NI Air Ambulance.
She was sired by Leam X–Rated and out of a Synton ewe. She was scanned carrying twins to Carradoo Glebe and was purchased by Henry Etherson, Ballymoney for 920gns (€1,162).
Ewe lambs
Alex Colhoun's Kingarrow flock kicked off the ewe lamb section, selling his pen leader for 280gns (€354). She was sired by Ross Dynamic and out of a homebred Kingarrow ewe. She was purchased by John Bassett, Downpatrick.
Topping the Stragole ewe lamb consignment at 620gns (€783) was a strong Kilvaddy Diamond-sired ewe lamb.
She heads to join the Rosehill flock of John McKeen, Garvagh.
The Stragole flock sold two more ewe lambs for 600gns (€758) each, the first to Daniel Devlin, Clonmany, and the second to John Bassett, Downpatrick. The Stragole flocks pen of three ewe lambs sold to average 607gns (€766).
In-lamb shearling ewe from the Stragole flock that sold for 820gns. / Alfie Shaw
In-lamb shearling ewe from the Stragole flock that sold for 1,350gns (right). / Alfie Shaw
The charity lot sold that sold for 920gns with all proceeds going to Airambulance NI. / Alfie Shaw
In-lamb shearling ewe that sold for 780gns. / Alfie Shaw
In-lamb shearling ewe that sold for 800gns. /Alfie Shaw
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