Ballymena Harvest Sale hits 880gns

The NI Texel Club held their final tup sale of the season in Ballymena Mart recently. This sale saw shearling ram prices peaking at 620gns with ram lambs peaking at 880gns.

During the pre-sale show kindly sponsored by S H Coleman, Glarryford, the Judge, James Wilkinson picked his champion from Richard Henderson’s Ballynahone pen.  This Scotsman Avicii son out of a Tophill Yankee Boy dam went on to secure one of the sales leading prices at 620gns, selling to Stanley Hepburn, Draperstown.

Mr Wilkinson chose his reserve champion from Patrick Donnelly’s Donrho pen.  A Knap Bright Spark son out of a Milnbank Womaniser ewe, this late March born lamb sold to Pat Garrivan, Warrenpoint, to top the sale at 880gns.  Mark Patterson, Alderview Texels, accepted the judges third place rosette for his homebred ram lamb, a son of Alderview Barrister out of a Sportsmans YaYa dam.  Selling late in the sale for 480gns he moves to join the flock of the McCusker Bros, Maghera.

Standing first in the shearling ram class was John Watson’s Duvarren exhibit. Duvarren Boomshakalaka, a homebred Whizz-Kid son out of a Millcomb Van the Man ewe, he later went on to lead the shearling ram prices at 620gns.

Claiming the second place rosette was a Forkins exhibit from Alastair Gault. Sired by Millar’s Windbrook and from a Duncryne Uber Cool dam, this shearling went on to sell to J McCormick, Armoy, for 450gns.  Taking third place in the pre-sale judging were M  and J Watson, Hillhead Texels, with another Duvarren Whizz-Kid son.  This strong shearling changed hands to Cecil Warwick, Ballymena, for 520gns.

At the close of the sale 68 pedigree texels sold to average 387gns with 92% clearance.

Show Results Kindly Sponsored by SH Coleman, Glarryford.

Overall Champion: Richard Henderson Ballynahone with Ram Lamb

Reserve Champion: Patrick Donnelly Donrho with Ram Lamb

Shearling Ram Class                                                  

1^stJohn Watson Duvarren

2^ndAlastair Gault Forkins

3^rdMessrs M&J Watson Hillhead

4^thS&M Warnock Straidarran

5^thMurray Annett Milestonehill

6^th RS &RT Robinson Cloughbane

Ram Lamb Class

1^stRichard Henderso Ballynahone

2^ndPatrick Donnelly Donrho

3^rdMark Patterson Alderview

4^thMessrs B Bell & Sons Kiltariff

5^thNigel Ross Glenross

6^thAlastair Gault Forkins

Leading Prices

P Donnelly 880gns

J Watson 620gns; 600gns; 550gns

R Henderson 620gns

JK Currie 550gns

M&J Watson 520gns; 520gns

M Annett 520gns

N Ross 520gns; 520gns

M Warnock 500gns

RT Robinson 500gns

A Fyffe 500gns