A NEW Northern Ireland record for a Texel female of 19,000gns was set at the Northern Stars sale at Ballymena on Saturday, where nearly half of the females on offer hit the four-figure mark.

With a 98% clearance rate when 85 females cashed in to average £1368.71, it was gimmers from Richard Henderson's Ballynahone that led the trade with his number one setting that record when sold across the water to Scotland's Jim Innes, who runs the Strathbogie flock at Duncroft, Huntly. That was an ET-bred gimmer by Duncryne Uber Cool out of a home-bred mother by Braehead Touch of Class, making her a full ET sister to the 7500gns Ballynahone Yorkie – the 2017 Stock Ram of the Year in the Scottish Club Flock competition that went on to sire two of the top three tup lambs at Kelso Ram Sales. Furthermore, the record setter is an ET sister to the reserve champion at last year's Antrim Show, and a maternal sister to this year's champion at the same event. She attracted a frenzy of bidding to be crowned the priced Texel female sold in the UK this year, and sold to Mr Innes along with an embryo pregnancy and scanned with a pair by Halbeath Woody.

There were more celebrations to come for Mr Henderson when the very next lot, another gimmer by the Scottish-bred Duncryne Uber Cool, sold to the team at Procters Farm, Lancashire, for 5000gns. Again carrying a pair to Halbeath Woody, she is out of a Springhill Silverstone daughter that stood second in her class at Balmoral Show as a gimmer.

The same breeding was behind the 3200gns Ballynahone gimmer, by Uber Cool and out of a Silverstone daughter, which heads south of the Border when sold to M Grant, Duncrana, County Donegal. She was also served by Halbeath Woody.

Hitting 2800gns when sold to local breeder John Foster, of the Springhill flock near Castlederg, was another Uber Cool-sired Ballynahone gimmer, this time out of a Knock Travis-bred ewe and again carrying twins to Halbeath Woody.

The third highest price of 3400gns was shared by gimmers from both Alastair and Jack Gault's Cherryvale and Forkins entries, and Paul and Baillie O'Connor's Drumgooland and Windermere flocks.

First to sell was a Windermere gimmer from the O'Connors, which sold to R Hughes, Llanfairwll, Anglesey, scanned with a pair to the 10,000gns Milnbank American Sniper. Bred by ET and sired by Usk Vale War-Lord, this champion from Newry Show in 2016 is out of a Cressagh-bred Garngour Upperclass daughter bought at the English National Sale.

Also making 3400gns was the dearest from the Gaults' Cherryvale pen in the shape of another Usk Vale War-Lord daughter which was part of the 2017 show team and stood reserve champion at Ballymoney as well as third in her class at Balmoral. Bred out of a home-bred Baltier Thunderbird daughter, which is a maternal sister to the 5000gns Cherryvale Touch of Class, she was in lamb to Scotsman Ace and was knocked down to HJ Wilson, Raphoe, County Donegal.

Later on, the Gaults sold another Usk Vale War-Lord-sired gimmer, this time from their Forkins flock, for 2400gns to WT Watson for the Findrum flock near Dungannon. Carrying a pair to the 14,000gns Millar's Windbrook, she is out of a Duncryne Uber Cool daughter that is considered one of the best in the flock and is a sister to the 2017 Balmoral Show champion as well as a 10,000gns gimmer sold to Sportsmans.

Back to Cherryvale and 2000gns was paid by John Sherratt, Shropshire, for another by War-Lord, this time out of a Baltier Thunderbird-sired mother and scanned with twins to Scotsman Avicii.

Another to welcome a good run of prices was Roger Strawbridge, who received 3000gns for the best from his Tamnamoney pen from Stewart Ferris, of the Bellefield flock near Dromore, County Down. She goes back to an inter-breed champion from Limavady Show, being by Knap Wot a Nut and out of a Knock Travis daughter, and changed hands carrying a pair to Millar's Windbrook.

The very next lot, another Tamnamoney gimmer by Knap Wot a Nut, sold to James Kane, Castlewellan, for his Stangmoy flock, for 2200gns. Bred from an Annan Limmy daughter, she is a maternal sister to the dam of the 9000gns Tamnamoney Young Willie McBride, and was scanned with a pair to Scotsman Ace.

A full sister to that Young Willie McBride then achieved a 2000gns price tag when sold to Lancashire breeder, Graeme Surtee, of the Ardachy flock. By Knap Wot a Nut, out of a Knock Travis mother, she was carrying a single to Millar's Windbrook.