Growing demand for Suffolk females from throughout the UK and Europe ensured a buoyant trade at the 'Great Bonanza' ewe event – a production sale of females from the Burnview and Crewelands flocks, where trade peaked at 5800gns.

The export sale at Stephen Sufferin's farm, just outside Maghera, Co Londonderry, in Northern Ireland, was conducted by Lawrie and Symington and included guest consignments from several flocks.

Notably, it also attracted buyers from as far a field as Spain, Portugal, The Netherlands, Belgium and Southern Ireland, with the result that 94 lots averaged £1054.46.

It was a great sale for Stephanie and William Tait's Burnview flock, which not only produced the top priced entry but also two of the next three highest priced females at 5500gns and 3800gns.

The Northern Ireland show team of the year, Burnview's dearest gimmer at 5800gns sold to Liam Browne of Highway Suffolks, Letterkenny, Co Donegal. Maternal sister to the 10,000gns Burnview Bombay Sapphire, the third prize ram lamb at Stirling last year and the couple's show sheep, she is bred from a home-bred ewe by Oldmill Lieutenant. The sire is Ballynacannon Attitude, a tup bought at Stirling in 2015 for 18,000gns that has since bred several four-figure priced ram lambs to a top of 8000gns and daughters to 4500gns.

She sold scanned for a pair to Strathbogie I'm Invincible, a 6200gns purchase at the National Sale in 2017, which last year was NI Male of the Year.

Selling at 5500gns from Burnview to Darragh McMenamin, buying for his Mullanvale flock from Mullinagor, Killygordon, Lifford, was a gimmer by the Strathbogie tup and bred from a ewe by Ballynacannon Attitude. An ET sister to ram lambs sold at 2800gns and 2000gns at Stirling in 2018, this one changed hands carrying a single lamb to Clyda President, a Burnview One for Arthur son bought privately.

Burnview also sold the top ewe lamb at 3800gns to Michael and Caolan McNally, Benedyglen Suffolks, Draperstown, Dungiven, Co Antrim. Another backed by Strathbogie I'm Invincible and Ballynacannon Attitude genetics, on the sire and dam's side respectively, this January-born lamb was also a member of the flock's show team, standing fourth at Balmoral, third at Omagh and second at Ballymena.

Earlier, her dam made 2100gns to Co Wicklow breeder, C Waterhorn. This four-year-old is bred from a ewe by Forkins Ferrari and sold scanned with a pair again to Clyda President.

Top price for Stephen Sufferin's Crewelands flock was 4000gns paid for a five-year-old ewe that is the grand-dam of his Stirling champion which sold for 26,000gns in July to Solwaybank. A grand-daughter of Robbie Wilson's top breeding X48 ewe, she is bred from a Strathisla ewe by Cairness Kaos and by Birness Bravado. Daman Brown, Loughbeg Suffolks, Donegal, forked out the cash for this one which sold carrying a pair to Birness Hustler, a 10,000gns purchase at Stirling in July.

Hustler was also the service sire of Creweland's first gimmer which opened the event selling at 3000gns to Andrew Wilson, buying on behalf of Belgian breeders, Suffolk Elevage De Nives. This show female, which stood fourth at Balmoral, in May, is a daughter of Ballynacannon Booty Hunter and bred from a ewe by Birness Bravado. She changed hands carrying a single lamb.

Guest consignment entries peaked at 2800gns for a gimmer from Dennis Taylor's Bristol Gold Cup winning Ballynacannon flock, purchased by Williams Suffolks, Portugal. She is by Lakeview Innuendo, and out of a ewe by Ballynacannon Discovery which is a full sister to the 20,000gns Ballynacannon Taylor. She sold carrying a pair of lambs to Birness Muzza, the lamb bought for 43,000gns at Stirling earlier in the year.

Averages: Crewelands flock – 25 lots, £891.36; Burnview – 23, £1409.28; Ballynacannon, 13, £785; Beechcrest, three, £833; Bannview, six £714; Carony, three £1120; Castlewood, three £927.50; Benedyglen, five £1144.50; Islandmore, five £646.80

Auctioneers: Lawrie and Symington.