Topping the KiwiKit Roxan sponsored Northern Irish National sale, Ballymena, at 15,000gns was Mark Priestley’s Seaforde Fergie Time, with the sale seeing a resounding demand resulting in a 91% clearance and 24 more sold than at the same fixture in 2021.
This unshown lamb is a Sportsmans Canon Ball son out of an Auldhouseburn-bred dam by Auldhouseburn Corky and caught the eye of a number of breeders. He was hard fought for before being knocked down at the sale leading price to Mark Breen, Augher, Co Tyrone, for the Ballygreenan flock.
Second best at 7500gns was Alastair Gault’s ram lamb Forkins Fancy, a Sportsmans Dare Devil son from a Cherryvale dam by Clarks Bolt which is in turn out of a ewe which was reserve interbreed champion at Balmoral. He sold to Stuart Barclay, Harestone, Aberdeenshire and Andrew Clark, Teiglum, Lanarkshire.
Darryl Branagan then took 6000gns for the reserve champion from the pre-sale show, Tullynasoo Funtime. This one is a Castlecairn Doodlebug son out of a Sportsmans dam by Garngour Craftsman and had been gifted to the Branagan family as an embryo as thanks for the family providing livery for the Boden family’s gimmers for last year’s in-lamb sales. He was also shared by Stuart Barclay and Andrew Clark.
Another 6000gns call secured Brian Hanthorn’s lead lamb from the Mullan flock, Mullan Forever. He’s by Garngour Craftsman and out of a Templepark dam by Haddo Ringleader which has bred sons to 42,000gns. Selling with an index in the top 1% of the breed he found a new home with Patrick Blee, Dunamanagh, for the Dunelm flock and Philip Bradley, Kilrea, for the Drunagarner flock.
Then making 5200gns was the best of the day from Cahir McAuley, Larkhill Frank. This son of Alderview Eldorado is out of a dam by Mullan Captian Jack and was the pick of James Cleland, Hannahstown, buying for the Rose Hall flock.
A 4800gns call followed that for Alistair Breen’s Drumderg Five Star. Sired by Mullan Eureka and out of a dam by Midlock Yorkie he sold early in the day to head south to Eire to join a consortium of Southern Irish breeders made up of James Dunne, Mark Noble, Michael Haverty and Stuart Dorran.
Alastair Gault was then back in the money, taking 4400gns for Forkins Finn McColl, a full brother to the 7500gns Fancy. He was knocked down to David and James Boyd, Crawfordslands, Ballyclare.
Making the same money was another from the Branagan family, this time from Eugene’s Lrgy flock in the form of Largy Fanucci. He has stood male champion at Balmoral back in May and sold to Richard Henderson, Ballynahone.
Then following that at 4000gns was James Wilkinson’s Ballygroogan Fairboy. This one is by the 20,000gns Alderview Explosive and is out of a dam by Deveronvale Aftershock. He had been part of th second prize group in the pre-sale show and sold to Gary Rankin for his Garvetagh Hill flock, Co Tyrone.
And making 3600gns was another from the same pen, Ballygroogan First Class. Again by Explosive, he is out of a Knock Bantastic daughter and was taken by Martin and Cyril Millar for the Millars flock, having stood fifth in the show.
Close behind at 3400gns was Cynthia Aiken and family’s Carnew Falcon. He’s by Procters El Jeffe and out of a dam by Garngour Alabama. This one was the choice of local breeder Adrian McCartney for the Gruig flock.
And a pair then made 3000gns, with the first of these being another from sale topper Mark Priestley, Seaforde Foo Fighter. He’s by Teiglum Braveheart and out of a dam by Sportsmans Cannon Ball and was taken by Messrs McPolin.
Second at this level was another from Eugene Branagan, Largy Frank The Tank. This is another by Sportsmans Cannon Ball and out of a dam by Knap Abracadabra and sold to Messrs Simpson and Calvin, Ballyhivistock, Ballymoney and Stephen Etherson, Killans.
Average; 203 ram lambs £1139.22 (Ballymena Livestock Market).
