Gimmers from Dennis Taylor's Ballyncannon flock from Macosquin, Coleraine, led the way at the '3 Nations' Suffolk sale at Carlisle, securing three of the top six prices to include the two highest.

Mr Taylor, who earlier in the year lifted the reserve championship at the National ram sale at Shrewsbury for the second year in succession and stood third in the open at Stirling, sold his dearest at 6500gns to Stephen Cobbald, Acorn Hall, Acton, Sudbury.

Bred from one of the best ewes in the flock, by Limestone To-Tal, which is also the dam of Ballynacannon Beyonce, this Ballynacannon Discovery-sired gimmer changed hands carrying a pair to Rhaeadr Rio.

Another by Discovery - the 2016 reserve sire of the year which has bred sons to 20,000gns - but bred from the flock's top flushing ewe,  a Strathisla Shadrach daughter that has bred sons to 20,000gns, 7500gns and 5500gns and gimmers to £6000, made 6000gns to Michael McNally, Mulnavoo Road, Draperstown, Northern Ireland. She sold served to Lakeview Innuendo and scanned for a single.

Another top breeding female from Ballynacannon sold to Northern Ireland, when Michael Smyth, Terrydoo Road, Limavady, went to 5000gns for a full sister to the flock's overall champion at the NI championship. Bred from a home-bred ewe by Limestone To-Tal that has produced sons well into double figures, this gimmer is again by Discovery and sold scanned for two to Lakeview Innuendo.

With another female at 3000gns, Mr Taylor produced the lead gimmer average selling 11 at £2541.

Mark Priestley's Limestone flock from Seaforde, Downpatrick, Co Down also came up with the goods, with sales at 5500gns; 3300gns and 3000gns twice.

Dearest here was a 2015-born ET ewe bred from a 3000gns Forkins ewe by Forkins Figo, bought at the Strathisla dispersal. Sired by the 15,000gns Castleisle Knockout, bought at Stirling which has bred daughters to 10,000gns and 7000gns, she sold carrying a pair to Burnview Hitman, to Southern Ireland breeder, Ronan McLaughlin, Malin Stables, Co Donegal. Flushed successfully in August, with five embryos retained, this sale also included one guaranteed pregnancy which will be a maternal sibling to the 9500gns Lakeview Legacy.

Top priced gimmer from Limestone at 3300gns was a Muirton One Direction daughter bred from a ewe by Rhaeadr Ring A Ding, that was first prize ewe lamb at the NI championships. Nicky Lowry, Garlandstown Road, Crumlin, Northern Ireland, forked out the cash for this entry carrying a pair again to Hitman.

Mr Priestley also produced the lead priced ewe lambs at 3000gns twice. First was an ET sister of Limestone Legacy – a daughter of Strathbogie A Kind of Magic, bred from a ewe by Limestone Brigadier. She sold to the Llavandera and Williahs Suffolks from Spain and Portugal, respectively.

Her full ET sister made the same money selling to A and N Johnson, Heather Brae, Baltasound, Shetland.

Matching the 5500gns bid was the best from William and Stephanie Tait's Burnview flock from Eskradooey, Lislap, Co Tyrone, purchased by Shropshire breeder, PW Poole, Beaconsfield, Shrewsbury. A full sister to the 8000gns reserve champion tup lamb at Stirling, last year, this gimmer is by Birness Murray – the 2016 National Sire of the Year having bred sons to 14,000gns, 13,000gns and 11,000gns – and out of a home-bred ewe by Forkins Ferrari that bred two of the first prize pen of three at the National this year and the champion ewe lamb at the NI championships. Triple-born, she sold carrying a pair of lambs by Burnview Hitman.

Another from Northern Ireland, Stephen Sufferin's Crewelands flock from Maghera, Co Londonderry, hit a top of 5000gns for another gimmer by Ballynacannon Discovery. Her dam, a ewe bought privately from Ballynacannon, is by Birness Barcardi. The sire of the two lambs she is carrying, is Ballynacannon Booty Hunter, a tup bought at Stirling for 3700gns.

Flying the flag for Scotland, Stewart Lathangie who owns the Pyeston flock from Glenrothes, Fife, sold his best at 3600gns to Jim Innes, Dunscroft, Huntly. This was a Sitlaw Samurai-sired gimmer out of a home-bred ewe by Birness Bollinger, and sold due carrying a single, to Limestone Legacy.

OTHERLEADINGprices

3000gns – Ballynacannon gimmer, by Ballynacanon Discovery, due to Lakeview Innuendo, to AW Evans, Lower Bwlchyn, Trefeglwys, Caersws, Powys; I and J Barbour's Solwaybank ewe by Lakeview Harbinger, due to Strathbogie Sirius, to G Killilea, Cregcarragh, Co Galway, Eire; I an J Barbour's Solwaybank ewe by Solwaybank Casino Royale, and due to Strathbogie Sirius, to G Killilea, Cregcarragh.

Averages: Ballynacannon flock – 11 gimmers, £2541.00; four ewes, £774.38. Bridgeview – Three ewes, £437.50. Brijon – Eight gimmers, £640.50. Burnview – Six gimmers, £1697.50. Crewlands – 13 gimmers, £1304.42; 10 ewes, £736.05. Limestone – Five gimmers, £2341.50; eight ewe lambs, £1614.38. Pyeston – Five gimmers, £2026.50. Solwaybank – Three gimmers, £1582.00; three ewes, £1645.00.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.