Topping trade at the Northern Ireland Texel Breeders Club sale at Rathfriland at 1300gns was Murray Annett’s Milestone Figaro, a shearling ram which stood second in the judge’s line up.
Figaro, a Tamnamoney Drifter son is out of a Craig Douglas Buster sired dam. Coming in close behind for the money were J Wilson and J and A Moses with their shearling ram Blackstown Fireboy at 1200gns. Fireboy is a son of Lakeview Eye Catcher out of a Auldhouseburn Black Magic daughter.
The buyers then returned to Murray Annett’s Milestone shearling ram pen for Fabio, a Ballydesland Eddie son out of another Craig Douglas Buster daughter selling for 1000gns.
Topping the ram lamb sale were Messrs Barclay Bell and Sons with Kiltariff Goldman, a Melor Vale Déjà Vu son out of a Knap Bonanza daughter selling at 720gns.
At the same money were and Iain and William MacRoberts with their Magherally lamb, a Deveronvale Ditto son out of a Heathmount Bullion sired dam.
In the pre-sale judging, Neil Watson, Findrum, chose his overall Fane Valley champion from Cynthia Aiken’s Carnew pen. Carnew General is a Harestone Eldorado son out of a Sportsmans Batman daughter and later sold for 600gns.
The judge’s Fane Valley reserve champion was an exhibit from Mark Patterson’s Alderview Flock, an Auldhouseburn Fandabidozi son out of a Teiglum Bachelor dam who has bred lambs to 20,000gns. Selling late in the sale he cashed in for 620gns.