TEXELS females continued to be in demand at the recent Northern Stars sale of in-lamb gimmers at Ballymena Livestock Mart, last week, when more than a third of those on offer reached four figures, with a top price of 10,000gns paid for the best on offer from Alastair and Jack Gault’s Forkins and Cherryvale flocks.

This much fancied gimmer from the duo’s Cherryvale flock is by Duncryne Uber Cool and bred from a Knock Papoose daughter. She was snapped up by Charlie Boden for his Sportsman flock at Mellor, Stockport, and changed hands carrying a single to Usk Vale Warlord. 

Her full ET sister then sold to John Greene, Larhill, Co Conegal, for 5000gns. The pair were full of bloodlines from this year’s successful show team, and this girl sold scanned with two to the joint purchase, Halbeath Woody. 

It was another from the Gault family – who sold 18 to average £1867 – that secured the third highest price when John Greene paid a further 4200gns for a Duncryne Uber Cool daughter. She was another served by Usk Vale Warlord and this time was out of a ewe by Duncryne Ringmaster. 

Roger Strawbridge’s Tamnamoney flock from Coleraine, Co Londonderry, was next in the trade stakes when a Tamnamoney Tuborg Gold daughter sold to HJ Wilson, Raphoe, Co Donegal, for 3800gns. A full sister to the 8000gns Tamnamoney Ultimate, which has bred lambs to 20,000gns, she is out of a ewe by Knock Travis and was scanned with triplets to Tamnamoney Yolo, himself a full brother to a 9000gns lamb. 

Read this week's issue of The Scottish Farmer, out December 24, for the full report and averages from the Northern Stars sale