Buyers were out in force at the recent NI Charollais sheep breeder’s annual female sale that was held in the Dungannon farmers’ market.

Demand was high from both the ringside and online which, saw the sale average and overall clearance rate greatly improved on the 2023 sale.

Topping the day’s trade at 3,200gns (€4,013) was an exceptional ewe lamb from the well-known Springhill flock of Graham Foster.

Snapped up

This stand-out lamb was a daughter of the record-breaking 24,000gns Boyo Bravemansgame and a 2,500gns Oakchurch ewe. She was snapped up after a flurry of bids by David Anderson of the Ballyhunsley flock.

Foster went on to sell a further nine ewe lambs on the day all sired by the 24,000gns Boyo Bravemansgame, to achieve a very impressive pen average of 1,490gns (€1,869) for his 10 ewe lambs.

David Anderson also had a successful day in the sales ring with his pen of three ewe lambs, selling for 1,200gns (€1,505), 1,100gns (€1,379) and 1,100gns (€1,379). These three lambs were sired by Logie Durno Untouchable and went on to find homes in both the UK and Ireland.

The 36 ewe lambs sold on the day averaged £888 (€1,060).

The shearling ewe section was topped at 2,100gns (€2,633).

This powerful shearling ewe sired by Ballynoe House Action Man and out of a Springhill dam, that was scanned carrying twins to Erenagh Best Bet.

Topped priced ewe lamb that sold for 3,200gns from the Springhill flock. / Kathryn Shaw

She was sold by A & P Crawford and found her new home with Armagh breeder Richard Powell. The Crawfords also went on to sell another in-lamb shearling for 1,600gns (€2,006) also being purchased by Richard Powell.

Highest price

The next highest price in the shearling ewe section was 2,000gns (€2,508) and this was obtained by the Springhill flock. This quality Springhill Aston Martin daughter was scanned carrying twins to the 24,000gns Boyo Bravemansgame and sold to Josh Hamilton.

Foster’s next shearling ewe in the ring was also sold scanned in lamb to the top sire. She sold for 1,700gns (€2,132) to Donegal breeder Gavin Fahey.

There was a total of 64 in-lamb shearling ewes sold on the night to average £945 (€1,129).