Ballymena Mart prepares to host Texel January Gems

There is a catalogue packed full of entries from the Blue Gates, Corbo & Farmhill, Curley, Kilrail House & Redford, and Straidarran Texel flocks, along with a guest consignment from Ballygroogan Texels.

The catalogue comprises of 76 quality lots, including 65 in-lamb gimmers and 11 empty ewe lambs, offering a large selection of females by proven sires, in-lamb to a number of exciting new service sires as well as some old faithfuls.

The choice is vast for both the new breeder and established breeders wishing to extend their bloodlines. The consignees have long been established within the sheep world producing strong Texel Sheep for both the Commercial and Pedigree markets, with emphasis on good carcasses and tight skins in conjunction with maintaining the special characteristics attributed to the breed.

The Bluegates flock, bred by the Mullan brothers offer for sale a number of gimmers in- lamb to Drumgooland Aga Khan, purchased jointly at Lanark for 9,000gns he was placed 1st in the Junior Stock Ram class, NI Flock Competition 2017; and Donnelly’s Atom, Champion at Athenry Texel Sale 2017 purchased for 2000gns. Many of the Blue Gates gimmers were sired by their senior stock ram Sandelford Wolverine who, after being sold privately, went on to win the Texel Championship at the Glencolmcille Show.

Corbo and Farmhill flocks return to the January Gems sale cataloguing both gimmers and ewe lambs. Included in the Corbo pen from A Liggett, are full sisters sired by Kiltariff Wannenburg in-lamb to the 16,000 gns Farmhill Whiz kid, while B Williamson’s Farmhill flock offer a pair of gimmers in-lamb to Tullyard Achilles, Reserve Champion at Raphoe 1st Sale, along with a trio of empty ewe lambs sired by Whiz kid and Tullagh Yogi.

J&R Trimble’s renowned Curley flock have a super selection of gimmers catalogued by Cowal Viceroy, Knock Trident, Orrisdale Viking, and Duncryne Uber Cool. Viceroy sired the top priced gimmer at the Gems sale in 2017 and is also used this year as a service sire along with Haddo Yoyo Plasucha All Rounder and Strathbogie Ya Belter. Ewe lambs from the Curley flock include a Miller’s Yankee daughter out of a Drumgooland Ewe and a Haddo Yoyo daughter from an excellent breeding Milestonehill ewe.

The long established Kilrail House and Redford flocks bred by J & L Young, have catalogued a selection of strong gimmers and ewe lambs for this prestigious sale. Kilrail House offer a number of Bunnahesco Waterboy and Far Hey Victorious daughters, who will be shown in lamb to stock rams Blackstown Wayne, Redford Young Gun, and Figart Agronomist while a couple have been AI’d to Larahirl Alphponsos. The Redford flock offer daughters by Blackstown Wayne, Bunnahesco Waterboy and Mullan Windsor also in-lamb to Wayne, Agronomist, and Alphponsos. Ewe lambs forward from both flocks are sired by Blackstown Wayne, Poseyhill Yusef and Tullyard York.

Also returning for their second time to this reputable sale S & M Warnock’s Straidarran flock present a number of select gimmers sired by Staiton Victor, Duncryne Uber Cool and Tamnamoney Wild West. These stylish gimmers come in lamb to two young sires; home bred Straidarran Aviva, a son of the powerful Cowal Yogi Bear and Nochary Augusta. Straidarran have continued to maintain their objective of producing tups for the pedigree and commercial breeder and the females forward for this sale, as well as their success in the NI flock competition and sales, endorses their continued focus on achieving their objectives

Guest consignee J Wilkinson is delighted to join the sale as he offers Ballygroogan females for the first time at auction. Sired by Strathbogie Wanted and Garngour Vertigo these ladies come in-lamb to the young Deveronvale Alonso which was purchased jointly at Lanark for 5,500gns. Ballygroogan tup lambs have been to the fore at the NI premier sale over the past few years taking rosettes in the young breeders classes, open ram lamb classes as well as the group of three, before selling for consistently good averages establishing this flock as one to look out for in the future.

With 76 lots catalogued the January Gems sales continues to offer an excellent selection of In-lamb gimmers along-side choice ewe lambs. Coming from long established flocks repeatedly featuring at the top levels within the breed there is certainly a vast selection of quality stock.

Call Ballymena Livestock Mart on 028 25633470 for a catalogue.