Texel females top sale prices at Balmoral Park

The proceedings were led by auctioneer, Richard Beattie, Richard Beattie Livestock Sales and the event was kindly sponsored by Fane Valley Co-Op.

Proceedings commenced with judge Mr Malachy McMeel, Monaghan selecting his first place Shearling Ram from the Ballyrussell pen of Mary Clarke, Comber.

Well known for producing quality Shearling rams Mrs Clarke’s Derryvore U2 son, Ballyrussell Wifi, out of a homebred ewe topped the ram prices of the day selling to Richard McKelvey, Omagh for £1176.

Mrs Clarke continued to pocket the cash with this rams penmates, a Slieveroe Titanic son and a son of homebred Ballyrussell VIP making £966 and £609.

Mr McMeel’s second place rosette went to the Aideshill pen of Gareth Tumelty, Downpatrick. H

is Redford Uzi son later sold to John Conway, Glenviggan Co Londonderry for £588. Next in line for a rosette was M and J Watson, Hillhead Texels taking third place for his Fairmount Superman son out of a homebred dam by Hillhead Robbie. Moving home to Drumquinn Co Tyrone he joins Emma Boyd’s flock for £525.

Topping the Ram Lamb prices was Alistair Breen’s Drumderg exhibit.

Standing second in the judging, this Strathbogie Uno son out of a Cornerstone Tin Tin mother and ET brother to the lamb sold at the NI Premier for 1800gns, this lamb realised £892.50 joining William King’s flock Downpatrick.

Selling to Jim Wilson, Crumlin to take up residence in his Blackstown flock was the Hanthorn family’s Strathbogie Uno son, Mullan Yabba Dabba Doo. Out of a Mullan Supremacy dam he changed hands for £840.

Selling just behind at £756 was Eugene Branagan’s Largy fifth place exhibit.

This Ettrick Van Gogh son out of a Hullhouse Nijinsky mother moves home to Robert Boyd’s Sheepbridge Flock, Newry.

Mr Branagan also took £714 for this lamb’s penmate, sired by Knap Up&At Em, a son of the renowned Tamnamoney Tuborg Gold.

The next dearest was Peter Boyd’s sixth place Poseyhill exhibit, a Glenside Veegee son and a Mossvale Winston son from Andrew Kennedy’s Maineview consignment, both selling for £651.

Following close behind at £588 was Messrs J and R Currie’s third place Tullagh exhibit, a Milnbank Womaniser son.

Andrew Kennedy’s Mainview female consignment created a stir at the ringside with heated bidding for his Glenside Valhalla daughter.

Taking the top price of the day at £1575 she takes up residence at new breeder Sean McCloskey’s, Glenroe Flock, Claudy.

Going to the same home was Mr Kennedy’s second place exhibit, a Clara Vegas daughter making £735.

Also making money was the last lot in the Maineview pen, a Crailloch Victor daughter selling for £1260 to B McConville, Rathfriland to join his Glenhone Pedigree Flock.

Females remained in hot demand with Ian Millar’s Milcomb Champion exhibit making £945.

This strong Knock Ursus gimmer out of a Forkins dam by Watchknowe Rustic Boy heads to join the Bluegates Flock of C&M Mullan, Limavady.

Continuing to purchase the crème de la crème of the females for his Glenroe Flock, Mr McCloskey parted with a further £682.50 for Andrew Fyffe’s Fairywater exhibit, a Strathbogie Python out of a homebred mother by Knock Oregano who is full sister to their 9000gns Superstar and 11,000gns gimmer.

Demand for good texels showed overall sale averages for shearling rams at £494.50, ram lambs at £406 and shearling ewes at £376.

Results of the Fane Valley Co-Op Championship

Champion: Millar & McComb & J McComb Shearling Ewe

Reserve Champion: A Fyffe Ram Lamb

Shearling Ram Class

1st Mary Clarke, Ballyrussell 

2nd Gareth Tumelty, Aideshill

3rd M and J Watson, Hillhead

4th Henry Gamble

5th Peter Boyd

6th James Cleland

Open Ram Lamb Class

1st Andrew Fyffe, Fairywater

2nd Alistair Breen, Drumderg

3rd Messrs J and R Currie, Tullagh                           

4th Roger Strawbridge, Tamnamoney

5th Eugene Branagan, Largy

6th Peter Boyd, Poseyhill

Shearling Ewe

1st Millar & McComb & J McComb, Millcomb

2nd A Kennedy, Maineview

3rd A Fyffe, Fairywater

4th Mark Breen, Ballygreenan

5th David and James Boyd, Crawfordsland

6th Brian Hanthor, Mullan

Other Leading prices

Shearling Rams

H Gamble 410gns, 400gns, 390gns

B McAlister 380gns

G Tumelty 350gns, 300gns

J Cleland 300gns

Ram Lambs

B Hanthorn 550gns, 400gns

P and R Garrivan 540gns

R and M Mulligan 500gns

P Hammond 500gns

P Boyd 500gns

M Simpson 480gns

M Millar 460gns

A Fyffe 440gns

R Strawbridge 420gns, 420gns

J&R Currie 420gns

C Gregg 420gns

Shearling Ewes

J and R Currie 420gns, 300gns, 300gns

B Hanthorn 410gns, 330gns

A Fyffe 320gns, 300gns, 300gns

E Corbett 310gns, 300gns

A Kennedy 300gns

The NI Texel Club will be holding sales in Swatragh 7th September, Armoy on 8th September, Enniskillen on 9th September, Ballymena Mart on 14th September, Lisahally on 15th September.

All sales will commence with judging at 6.00pm followed by sales at 7.00pm.

Catalogues available online at www.texel.co.uk or contact club secretary on 07791679112.