Ballymena was the venue for the final The NI Texel Club ram sale of the season, with shearling ram prices peaking at 1300gns and ram lambs hitting 1550gns.
Leading the prices was a ram lamb from Elliot Bell’s Willsborough flock. This Mellor Vale Déjà vu son stood second in the pre-show judging under Michael Reynolds and was in demand with the hammer falling at 1550gns to James and Austin Morgan, Newry.
Topping the shearling ram trade was another of the day’s second prize winners, this time from Pat and Ros Garrivan. This Ballydesland shearling is sired by Ballydesland Eddie and out of an Orrisdale Viking daughter and sold for 1300gns to B and A McCammon.
Back in the ram lambs Andrew Fyffe’s champion from the pre-sale show from his Fairywater flock moved home to join fellow breeder Owen Donohoe’s flock for 1150gns. He is a March-born Craighead Eyecatcher son out of a Garngour Alabama daughter.
Next to secure a leading price in the shearling trade was Mr Reynolds third prize winner, a Heathmount exhibit from the McKinney Bros pen. This Fairywater Enhance son out of a Hexel Yukon Gold sired dam headed to Dungiven to join the flock of A M McFarlane for 1100gns.
The Ballydesland pen was popular among the buyers with a full brother to the shearling leader selling for 1000gns to I White.
Selling late in the ram lambs was J Wilson and J and A Moses’ Blackstown flock with a Midlock Firefly son out of a Kiltariff Donkey Kong daughter. He changed hands to Leslie Turtle for 1000gns.
Also selling from the same pen was a Ballygroogan Freelander son out of a Knock Classic sired dam to S and B Jamieson for 900gns.
Selling for the same money was a Rhaeadr Entrepreneur son out of a Hexel Diamond Joe daughter from James Wilkinson’s Ballygroogan pen to Martin Brogan Omagh.
And warpping up the leading trade in the shearlings was Murray Annett cwhen he took 950gns with one from his Milestonehill flock. He is another Ballydesland Eddie son out of a Watchknowe Yangtse daughter. He joins S and B Jamieson’s flock at Ballycastle.
Averages; 23 shearling rams £730.43, 46 ram lambs £606.72 (Ballymena Mart).