Northern Ireland Premier Sale

Northern Ireland Premier Two Day Show and Sale
of 588 Pedigree Texel Sheep

At DUNGANNON FARMERS’ MART
THURSDAY 15th & FRIDAY 16th AUGUST 2002

Ram lambs to 3,000 guineas at NI Premier sale's new home

Standing room only at Ulster's biggest ram sale

The Northern Ireland Premier show and sale moved to Dungannon Farmers' Mart this year, and attracted a massive crowd, as commercial sheep keepers turned out in force for the largest ram sale in Ulster.

Almost 600 head came under the hammer in what is now firmly established as a two day event. There was a superb attendance at the show, sponsored by Northern Bank, with Co Durham's Doug Nesbitt having the difficult task of placing the 600 entries.

Gimmer Sale

There was standing room only for the sale of females on the first day. Leading the way was the Reserve Champion shown by Richard Henderson (Ballynahone flock). It took an 1,100 guineas bid from Gareth Irvine, Banbridge, to secure this super daughter of the sire reference ram Sweetwall Gigolo, top sire in NI in 2001. Gigolo has had a terrific impact within the Province's Texel flocks, and consistently produced market leading stock last year.

This outstanding January born gimmer had attracted favourable attention during her show career, and was one of the best group of ewe lambs in the Texel flock competition last year.

John Currie (Tullagh) produced the Female Champion, which went on to stand as Reserve Overall. Sold for 650 guineas to Frazer Tweed, Ballygally, Larne, the gimmer was sired by the highly successful Tullagh Golden Boy, a son of Tullagh Danny Boy, and out of a daughter of the sire reference ram Cambwell Darky, who had great success a couple of years ago.

Tullagh also showed a daughter of Glenside Four Square out of a Danny Boy bred dam. A March 2001 born twin, she sold to Mrs Margaret Perrings of North Yorkshire for 550 guineas. Eight gimmers from the Tullagh flock levelled at £396.

A third placed gimmer from Reggie Annett (Mourne) sold to Adrian Liggett for 560 guineas. Baltier Bellringer sired this well made shearling, with Fordafourie Baron behind the dam.

James Adams travelled from Ballymena with a super pen of gimmers from his Kerryhill flock. A sixth placed daughter of Maineview Flashdance sold for 460 guineas, with the pen returning an average of £291.

The Springwell flock of Henry Gamble consistently produces top quality Texels, with this female sale being no exception. His six gimmers topped twice at 380 guineas, and averaged £287.

There was great demand for the entire portion of shearling ewes, resulting in a virtual clearance.

Ram Lamb Sale

The popularity of the Texel as a terminal sire was clear to be seen as buyers flocked from all over Ulster, together with a large number of cross-channel purchasers who also make their presence felt.

The day's top price of 3,000 guineas went to John Watson (Duvarren), paid by John Foster (Springhill), W J & J Wilson (Blackstown) and Harper George (Haramar) for a tremendous February born ram sired by the 4,200 guineas Carrowdore Highlite, who was purchased in a three way split last August by Michael & James Watson, Robert Mulligan and John Watson, and without doubt must have one of the most successful sires at the sale.

Duvarren Indiana - 3000gns (photo Libby Clarke, Lurgan)

Duvarren Indiana has an outstanding pedigree, out of a dam sired by a Young Pretender son, Hillhead Wisecrack. Young Pretender sold for 4,200 guineas at Portadown, and has produced many high selling progeny to date. Judged overall top in the 2001 flock competition organised by the NI Texel Club, the recently established Duvarren flock is based upon foundation females from the well known Hillhead flock, and was offering stock for only the third year.

From the same pen, another son of Highlite sold for 1,000 guineas. Ivory, out of a Cluntagh David ewe, went to Alistair Sampson of Co Londonderry, to leave an overall pen average for four of £1,187.

Hillhead Image - 2500gns (photo Libby Clarke, Lurgan)

Michael and James Watson's historic Hillhead flock also came to the fore, with yet another son of Carrowdore Highlite changing hands for 2,500 guineas. Out of a Brague Arkle sired dam, the stylish February born Image, a category 1 lamb, was quickly snapped up by Scottish breeders Jim Goldie & Sons.

Another ram lamb destined for export was a son of Ballynahone Heathcliff presented by Wilson Kennedy (Irish Hill). Selling right at the end of the sale, Ivan, genotyped ARR/ARR, and out of a dam bred by the sire reference ram, Cambwell Darky, was a well made lamb which had attracted much attention, going to Welsh breeder Gareth Oliver for 2,200 guineas.

The entries from Robert and Kim Mulligan (Brague) were also way above average, with fierce demand for their three Carrowdore Highlite ram lambs, selling to a top of 2,000 guineas bid by John Foster for IOU, a late March born twin out of a Heatherstacks Charlie sired dam.

Robert Mulligan confirmed that money was made to go round when, at the end of the sale, he jointly purchased a super son of Montalto Giggalo with John Garrivan (Ballydesalan) for 1,300 guineas. Austin Shaw (Fairmount) showed the February born lamb Iron Mike, out of a Haddo Busby dam, one of the last lots to go through the sale ring.

Shearling Ram Sale

Supreme Champion - 2000gns (photo Columba O'Hare, Newry)

The shearling ram ring started off well, and sustained great returns right to the finish, topping at 2,000 guineas for the Supreme Champion presented by John Foster (Springhill), selling to Eire breeder, Peter Gibbons, Co Meath.

This is one of the first sons to have been sold of Springhill Green Grass, unbeaten on his two show outings, and was a powerful sheep, especially for a triplet. His dam is by the noted homebred ram Curley Wurley, and she is considered to be one of the best breeding ewes in the flock.

Hillhead Texels brought out a really good entry of rams in the shearling section, with their pen being led at 1,800 guineas by a son of their homebred ram, Goldliner. Hotshot, genotyped ARR/ARR, is out of a Kerse Doonhamer sired dam, and is suggested to be a ram to watch out for in the future, going to James & John Watson for their Cornascriebe flock based at Portadown.

Karen and Leslie Beacom (Castleknowe) brought out a super shearling to take second place in the show ring, later selling for 1,000 guineas to English buyers T A & J Brownrigg, Penrith, Cumbria. Sired by Annan Born Free and out of one of their foundation ewes purchased at Portadown where she was a class winner, Castleknowe Herbie is already breeding well, having produced a prize winning ram lamb at this event.

Top pen averages

Ram Lambs