Guest consignors Donald and Sarah MacPherson and family, Berwick-Upon-Tweed, enjoyed the pick of the trade at the January Gems Sale, Ballymena, when taking the top call of 8000gns for their gimmer MZH2000659.
This Procters Chumba Wumba daughter is out of a dam by Castlecairn Vavavoom and sold carrying to Coniston Equinox. She headed back across the Irish Sea to join Berwickshire breeder Wesley Waite for his newly established Summerskye flock.
The same vendor-buyer combination was responsible for the next best sale too, when Mr Waite paid 4400gns for MZH2000673, another Chumba Wumba daughter, but this time from a Drumpark Unique mother who is maternal sister to the 9000gns Hexel Blockbuster. She also sold in-lamb to Coniston Equinox.
Leading the way for the Farmhill consignment of Adrian Liggett and Brian Williamson was WBO2000224, an Auldhouseburn Crackpot daughter out of a Drumgooland Advertiser dam. Purchased by Marcus Johnston, Co Fermanagh, for 3000gns, she sold in-lamb to Midas Elvis, a Hexel Born to Be Wild son.
From the same pen this gimmer’s full sister WBO2000227 came in close behind selling at 2800gns to Mauris Breen, Augher, Co Tyrone. She was also offered in-lamb to Midas Elvis.
Also featuring in the top six leading prices for in-lamb gimmers was C and M Mullan’s Blue Gates Flock with MUC2000721. Out of a Drumgooland Aga Khan-sired dam which sold at last year’s January Gems sale for 8500gns, this gimmer is a Fairywater Columbo daughter and moves South to join Arthur O’Keefe’s flock in Co Cork for 2400gns.
Also featuring in the buyers’ favourites was John Trimble’s Curley pen, with his Garngour Challenger daughter, TYC2001007. She is out of a Plasucha All Rounder dam and sold in lamb to Garngour Easyjet to P Donnelly, Ballymena, for his Donrho flock at 2000gns.
Ewe lambs
The sale saw breeders go to 4000gns twice for ewe lambs from the Hexel and Corbo Flocks.
From the MacPhersons’ Hexel pen was MZH2100746, a March born Procters Chumba Wumba daughter out of a Garngour Alabama dam purchased for 10,000gns at the Glanllyn Dispersal sale.
For the same money was the Corbo favourite LIG2100626, a Sportsmans Cannon Ball daughter out of Strathbogie Best Bet dam. Both ewe lambs headed to Berwickshire with previous buyer Wesley Waites.
Heading South to join the Enniscrone Flock of Ronan Gallagher was another from the Hexel pen, MZH2100716. Selling for 3100gns she is a Haymount Crackerjack daughter out of a Procters Bobby Dazzler mother.
Continuing with the leading prices was Hexel MZH2100774. This Crackerjack daughter is out of a Drumcryne Uber Cool dam and is maternal sister to the 8000gns Hexel Born To Be Wild, the 65,000gns Hexel Django and the 14,000gns Diamond Joe and sold for 1900gns to Alan Glendinning, Draperstown, for his Lylehill Flock.
Averages; 48 gimmers £1142, nine ewe lambs £1849 (J A McClelland and Sons).
