Northern Ireland Premier Show & Sale - Ballymena

15th - 16th August 2011

Texel Trade On Fire At Ballymena

Report by Libby Clarke, photos by Alfie Shaw

The pulling power of Texel made sure every seat in the house was taken at Ballymena Mart this week with one of the largest crowds ever recorded at the National Show & Sale.

Buyers certainly weren’t disappointed with the quality of stock forward with a superb entry in all sections being quickly snapped up at strong averages.

Judge for the NI Texel National Show & Sale was Alastair Gault, Forkins

Prices were led at 9000 guineas paid to Andrew Fyffe, Omagh for his outstanding ram lamb “Fairywater Superstar”, FAO1100161, who is sired by the noted Knock Oregano, HAK08960. There was fierce demand for this February born lamb with the eventual buyers comprising of John & Richard Currie, Barclay Bell, Henry Gamble, Brian Hanthorn and Marshall & Sarah Riley. The Fairywater flock enjoyed mighty returns for their stock with a whopping pen average of £2919 for 5 lambs sold.

Andrew Fyffe was paid the top price of 9000 guineas for Fairywater Superstar, FAO1100161, by a consortium of buyers including John & Richard Currie, Henry Gamble, Marshall & Sarah Riley, Brian Hanthorn and Barclay Bell

Hot on the heels of this at 8800 guineas was John Foster who had one of his best days at auction to date with his Springhill flock which saw him notch up a ram lamb pen average of £2745 for 7.
“Springhill Silverstone”, FTS1100400, sold in a flurry of bids to Andrew & Robin Kennedy, Robert Robinson, Cyril & Martin Millar, and Richard Henderson. This embryo lamb is sired by Halley Pathfinder, EDH09007, and is out of a Blackstown Milo dam, WWB06107.

Next highest at 8800 guineas was John Foster, Springhill. This lamb, Springhill Silverstone, FTS1100400, sold to Andrew & Robin Kennedy, Robert Robinson, Cyril & Martin Millar and Richard Henderson

Next best was Alastair Gault with a Duncryne Ringmaster son, JRV1000001, bred from a Douganhill McFly, GCK06073, daughter. This one travels to the Isle of Man following a 5500 guineas bid from the Kermode family. This lamb was not shown as Alastair was judge for the event.

Robert Mulligan and daughter Kim forked out 5200 guineas to secure a Blackstown tup lamb from Jim Wilson. This one is sired by Springhill Outlook, FTS08088, with Mellorvale Masterpiece, BCM06007 behind the dam.

The Tullagh flock of John & Richard Currie, Ballymena met with brisk bidding for their pen of ram lambs averaging £2297 for 4, and reaching 4500 guineas for Tullagh Squire CJT1100210, a Kelso Picasso son MBZ09040, purchased by the Kermode family, ORRISDALE flock of the Isle of Man.

But it wasn’t just the rams that were purchased for pure breeding that made this sale stand out from the crowd; it is the sheer volume of rams purchased by commercial sheep producers. The 2011 sale recorded averages of £861 for 221 ram lambs sold which represents over 50 more sold than the 2010 figure at an increased value. This trend continued right across the board with shearling rams jumping £142 per head to level at £727, and shearling ewes averaged £697 which is an increase of £161 per head.

John Yates, Chief Executive of the British Texel Sheep Society commented “It is these figures that highlight the popularity of Texel in Northern Ireland and further afield.”

Supreme Champion BBK1100262 KILTARIFF STIG at the NI Texel National Show & Sale was Barclay Bell, Kiltariff. John Henning, Northern Bank is pictured with Judge Alastair Gault following the judging. The lamb was later sold for export to Mr Wilkinson, Cumbria

The Northern Bank Supreme Championship was awarded to Barclay Bell and sons Jonathan and Elliott for a ram lamb from their Kiltariff flock. Derryvore Ranger, XOD1000002, sired this February born lamb which sold for 1900 guineas to Mr. Wilkinson, Cumbria.

Reserve Overall was winner of the performance class from the Hanthorn Family, Armagh, Mullan Supremacy, HBN1100274. This son of Mossknowe Pudsey, FWM09627, sold for 4400 guineas, and helped record a pen average of £1808 for 5.

John Henning, Head of Agriculture for Northern Bank was on hand to distribute awards following the judging. The Northern Bank has a long standing relationship with this event, and the Texel Society is very grateful for their continued support.

In the shearling ram ring prices were led at 1600 guineas by the Forkins flock of Alastair Gault. This was paid by William & Brian McAllister, Kells for a triplet son of Teiglum Porn Star, CFT096713, out of a Clynnog Joe Tex, ODC03024, dam. This March born shearling is a maternal brother to Rock Solid, GAF1000046, which sold for 65,000 guineas last year.

It was a run of shearling rams from John Foster that made the crowd sit up and take notice with a top of 1600 guineas, in addition to a number sold above 1000 guineas resulting in a pen average of £1185 for 8 sold

New and established breeders stood side by side in a packed sale ring for the Texel shearling ewes which saw prices reach heights of 2800 guineas. This was paid out for a super daughter of Tamnamoney Ned, SRY07010, presented by Alastair Gault, Forkins.

Female prices were led by Alastair Gault who sold this unshown gimmer for 2,800 guineas. There was a packed gallery for the female sale which saw averages rise considerably

There was strong interest in this stylish February born gimmer as she is the ET sister to Rocksolid which sold for 65,000 guineas last season. She was snapped up by Harper George, Crumlin.

Alastair had a strong pen of shearling ewes which recorded an average of £1071 for 4 sold.

Hot on the heels of this at 2500 guineas was the Reserve Female Champion, FAO1000033, exhibited by Andrew Fyffe, Fairywater. Cornerstone Isaac, SID02004, was behind this well made gimmer, which comes from the best female line in the Fairywater flock.

This pen undoubtedly had a great run in the shearling ewe section notching up the best pen average on the night of £1409 for 6. This also included a full sister to the reserve female champion which sold for 1700 guineas.

Richard Henderson sold to a top of 2400 guineas from his Ballynahone flock. This was paid out by Adrian Liggett for a Mullan Playboy, HBN09052, daughter out of a Douganhill McFly, GCK06073, dam. His pen sold to average £989 for 4.

Richard & John Currie took top honours in the Female section with their shearling CJT1000048 which sold for 2000 guineas. Richard Currie is congratulated by John Henning, Northern Bank

The Female Champion also caught the eye selling at 2000 guineas to Leslie and Karen Beacom, Ballywalter. Gruig Outlaw, VMA08124, was behind this flashy ewe, which helped see a pen average of £1226 for 4 for the Tullagh flock of John & Richard Currie.

One of the last gimmers in the book changed hands at 1900 guineas for Nigel Ross, Glenross. Placed third in a strong line up earlier in the day, this Forkins O Driscoll, GAF080008, daughter was bought by J Neville.

Just a few lots earlier the Hanthorn Family sold their Knock Powerhouse, HAK090189, daughter for 1800 guineas to Mr Ellis. The maternal sister to this shearling sold in 2010 for 4600 guineas.

Gordon Gray, Texel Sheep Society makes a presentation to Barclay Bell and sons Elliott and Jonathan after their ram lamb, BBK1100262 KILTARIFF STIG, was placed Supreme Champion at the National Show & Sale at Ballymena Mart

John Currie is pictured receiving the award for Female Champion from John Yates and Gordon Gray, British Texel Sheep Society

Robert Gamble won the Young Breeder’s ram class. He is congratulated by Gordon Gray, Texel Sheep Society Chairman

Jim Wilson, Blackstown, secured 5200 guineas for Blackstown Shrek, WWB1100162, a son of Springhill Outlook. Buyers here were Robert & Kim Mulligan, Brague.

The Reserve Supreme Champion and winner of the performance recorded class HBN1100274 - Mullan Supremacy, realised 4400 guineas for the Hanthorn Family, Armagh.

HBR1000036 – A Mullan Playboy, HBN09052, sired gimmer from Richard Henderson, Ballynahone which changed hands at 2400 guineas

HBN1100291 – Mullan Superfly Guy, from the Hanthorn family Mullan flock sold for 2600 guineas

The Kermode Family, Isle of Man paid 5500 guineas for Forkins Stevey G - GAF1100328, from Alastair Gault, Forkins.

John & Richard Currie enjoyed a good day’s trading at the NI Texel National Sale. Their top price was 4500 guineas for Tullagh Squire, CJT1100210 selling to The Kermode family, ORRISDALE flock, Isle of Man.

Joint top price of 1600 guineas in the shearling ram ring was Forkins Rambo, GAF1000059, from Alastair Gault, Newtownabbey

Foyle View Scorpion – SMV1100005. It took a 2600 guineas bid to secure this son of Straidarran Ranger from Michael Smyth, Foyle View.

HBN1000070 - It took 1800 guineas to secure this Knock Powerhouse, HAK091089 - daughter from the Hanthorn Family, Armagh.

Springhill Supersonic – FTS1100457 - Jonathan McKinney, Heathmount paid out 2500 guineas to secure this son of Springhill Outlook, FTS08088, from John Foster

Robert gamble young breeder class winner

Judging

Alastair Gault Judging

Judging in progress

HBN1100274 MULLAN SUPREMACY - Reserve Champion from the Hanthorn family - Mullan

Robert Gamble winner of the Young Breeder class with John Henning – Northern Bank

In the Ring

Knocknamuckley – RDK100008, One of the last lots through the ring was this shearling ewe selling at 1900 guineas for Nigel Ross, Larne

Derryvore Solid Rock – XOD1100042, Owen Donohue sold his son of Ballynahone Raider, HBR1000084, for 2800 guineas

Leading Prices
Ram Lambs
Andrew Fyffe 9000, 1700
John Foster 8800, 2500, 2000, 1800
Alastair Gault 5500, 2000
Jim Wilson 5200
John & Richard Currie 4500, 2400
Brian Hanthorn 4400, 2600
Owen Donohue 2800
Pat Garrivan 2700
Michael Smyth 2600
Alan Cochrane 2500
Millar & McComb 2500
Stephen & Jean McCollam 2300
JW Trimble 2100
Andrew Kennedy 1900
Barclay Bell 1900
Evan Allen 1900
Alex Thompson 1800
Henry Gamble 1600
Simpson & Calvin 1600

221 Ram Lambs averaged £861

Ram Lamb pen averages
Andrew Fyffe 5 @ £2919
John Foster 7 @ £2745
John & Richard Currie 4 @ £2297
Alastair Gault 5 @ £1861
Brian Hanthorn 5 @ £1808
Jim Wilson 4 @ £1688
Pat Garrivan 3 @ £1383
Andrew Kennedy 3 @ £1313
JW Trimble 4 @ £1260
Barclay Bell 4 @ £1139
Millar & McCombe 3 @ £1078
Henry Gamble 7 @ £1007

Shearling Rams
Alastair Gault 1600, 950
John Foster 1600, 1550, 1450, 1250, 980, 800
Adrian Liggett 1400
John Young 1200, 950
RT Robinson 1150
Henry Gamble 1000, 800
John Watson 950, 920, 880
JM McKinney 920, 800
ME Clarke 900, 850
Beth & Jack Gault 900
Cynthia Aiken 880
PJV Hamilton 850
M&J Watson 820

94 Shearling rams averaged £727

Pen averages for Shearling rams
John Foster 8 @ £1185
Alastair Gault 4 @ £1110
Adrian Liggett 3 @ £987
Mary Clarke 3 @ £858
John Watson 5 @ £844
RT Robinson 4 @ £814
M&J Watson 6 @ £753

Females
Alastair Gault 2800 guineas
Andrew Fyffe 2500, 1700, 1100, 1000, 1000
Richard Henderson 2400 guineas
John & Richard Currie 2000, 1250, 800 and 620 guineas
Nigel Ross 1900, 850 guineas
Brian Hanthorn 1800, 880 guineas
RJR Kennedy 1500 guineas
Beth & Jack Gault 1200 guineas
Edna Corbett 950 guineas
68 Shearling Ewes averaged £702.

Pen averages for shearling ewes

Andrew Fyffe 6 @ £1409
John & Richard Currie 4 @ £1226
Alastair Gault 4 @ £1071
Richard Henderson 4 @ £989
Brian Hanthorn 5 @ £782

Results from the judging ring - kindly sponsored by the Northern Bank

Judge: Alastair Gault - FORKINS

Auctioneers: JA McClelland, Ballymena Livestock Mart