Hampshire Down sheep in demand

Most lots were present at the sale with the exception of most of the Northern Ireland lots which were shown by video during the sale and not being required to be present due to the current legislation which does not allow unsold stock to return to Northern Ireland for six months.

Kevin and Anna McCarthy of the Ballycreelly Flock in Comber made a record price for their ram lamb which sold online for 5200gns, to Mr A Stamper in Cumbria, England. The lamb was in the top 5% for sire reference performance and the top 1% for maternal. He was sired by Graylen the Maverick and bred from a Glenbrook ewe.

There was great demand in the ring, with bidding online and in person at the sale yard. The bids quickly rose making a new record price for the breed.

​Mr Peter Lawson of the Glenbrook Flock, Bailliesmills, Lisburn, was not far behind with a ram lamb sired by Ashley Springbok and bred from a Glenbrook ewe.

The interest for this ram lamb was seen from the off set, with the ram lamb selling to 2000gns to Mr David Middleditch of Sudbury, Suffolk.

Mr Jim, Ann and Jonathan Fletcher of the Loughan Moss Flock, Comber saw their very stylish ewe lamb sold to 850gns to Miss Harriet Heap, Halifax, Yorkshire.

The ewe lamb sired by Ballyvester Consensus and bred from a Loughan Moss ewe, caught the attention of many rising quickly to the hammer going down.

The sale overall saw three top prices on the day with the champion ram lamb selling to £4600gns, followed by another ram lamb from Lucy Heywood, Thornfalcon Flock selling to 4000gns.

The overall averages on the day of the sale are as follows: 37 ram lambs averaged at £1037. 7 shearling rams averaged at £728.70. Shearling ewes averaged at £525. 18 ewe lambs averaged at £499.33.