New kids on the bloc Jack and Alfie Moses, took the Dark Diamonds sale of pedigree Suffolk females by storm, producing the top priced gimmer at 13,000gns and flock average at £3622 for six.

The youngsters who own just six Suffolk ewes in their Blackstown flock run alongside their father Andrew Moses' Texel flock from Aldergrove, Crumlin, Co Antrim, topped the sale with an ET gimmer. She is bred from a Forkins ewe by Mountford Mustang bought from Alastair Gault for 2600gns and is by the 8000gns Rhaeadr Rio, a tup that has bred sons and daughters to 9000gns. Placed at Balmoral Show, the gimmer sold scanned for a pair to Blackstown Rascal, a tup retained for breeding that is a full brother to the 20,000gns Forkins Dizzy Rascal. The buyer at 13,000gns was Dennis Taylor, buying for his Ballynacannon flock from Macosquin, Coleraine, Co Londonderry.

The Blackstown Suffolk flock which was established in 2015 and was selling here for the first time, also received 3000gns for another from the same flush. Champion at Lurgan Show, she sold due with a single to Forkins Big Brother, a Mullaghboy Goliath flock retained for breeding by Mr Gault, whose full brother made 8500gns at Stirling in July. She also sold back across the Irish Sea, this time with Darragh McMenamin, Killygordon, Lifford, Co Donegal.

After a flying trade at the Aberdeen Christmas Classic at Thainstone, the Stuart family from Milltown of Birness, Ellon, were back in the money with two gimmers at 9000gns, and a cracking trade throughout to average £3612 for 10.

First to hit the big bucks here was the pen leader, a gimmer by Crewelands Megastar, a tup bought at Stirling in 2017 that bred a 10,000gns Birness lamb at Stirling, out of a ewe by Meikleson Square Up. She sold carrying a single to the 16,000gns joint purchase, Castleisle Capaldi, to Mark Priestley buying for his Limestone flock from Seaforde, Downpatrick, Co Down.

The same buyer alongside Fred Smyth of the Windyhill flock from Kingscourt, Co Cavan, went in partnership to buy the second 9000gns Birness gimmer, which was also by Megastar and sold due with a pair to Castleisle Capaldi. She is out of a ewe by Middlemuir Maserati.

All the Birness gimmers sold due to Capaldi, with the No 2, a daughter of the 9500gns Limestone Legacy out of a ewe by Thurston Urastar, making 3800gns to Craig Paterson, Cranna Bridge, Aberchirder, Huntly. She sold carrying a pair.

Later, the breeder of Capaldi, Andrew Wilson, Shannagh, Raphoe, Co Donegal, bought back some of his own genetics, forking out 2800gns for another Birness gimmer by Legacy out of a ewe by Redbrae Rambo, that changed hands carrying a single.

Just behind on 2700gns, Orkney breeder, David Delday, Quoybelloch, Deerness, bought a Birness gimmer by Limestone Legend carrying a pair. She is bred from a ewe by Ardlea Champion.

Jimmy Douglas' small but select entry from Woodhead of Cairness, Fraserburgh, sold well with sales at 4600gns and 3400gns to Jonathan Lucas, Cavan, Killygordon, Co Donegal and RB and G Morgan, Llangeview, Usk, Gwent, respectively. The former, a daughter of Cairness Agent bred from a ewe by Cloontagh Chieftain, sold due with a pair to Cairness A Star, a Millhouse Remarkable son.

The same service sire was behind the 3400gns gimmer, with the sire being Cavanagrove Catalyst onto a Thurston-bred ewe by Cairness Stirling.

Top priced ewe lamb at 3800gns was Lesley Liggett's pen leader from the Carony flock from Drumquin, Co Tyrone, purchased by Charlie Boden, Mellor Hall, Stockport. Second prize at Balmoral and first at first at Omagh Show, she is by Rookery Ringmaster and out of a ewe by Rhaeadr Red Bull.

Mr Liggett's ewe lambs were all by Rookery Ringmaster, with his next best seller at 2300gns purchased by Sion Jones, Frongoy, Pennant, Dyfed. She is bred from a ewe by Rhaeadr Vodka.

Ewe lambs sold well throughout with Devon-based breeder, Ross Lawrence, taking 3000gns for a triplet-born lamb by Birness Bang Tidy, from HT Turner, Alltyffynnon, Newtown, Powys. She is bred from a home-bred ewe by Strathisla Speed.

Mr Turner also bought the pen leader from Alastair Gault's Forkins flock from Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, at 2200gns. This ewe lamb is by Malinhead Maverick and out of a home-bred ewe by Cairness New Approach that is the dam of a previous 2400gns ewe lamb and grand-dam of the 9500gns Limestone Legacy.

Top price for Graeme Christie's Balquhain flock from Inverurie, was 3000gns for a ET gimmer bred from a home-bred ewe by Strathisla Stiffler. Full sister to the male champion at the Highland in 2018 that sold for 4200gns at Stirling, she is by the 6000gns Lakeview Under the Radar and sold carrying a single to Strathbogie Strongbow, to Shetland-based breeder, Bruce Johnson, Vinjara, Baltasound, Hunts.

Averages: Blackstown flock – Six gimmers, £3622.20; Birness – 10 gimmers, £3612; Cairness – three gimmers, £3115.00; Carony – nine ewe lambs, £1790.83; Balquhain – eight gimmers, £1095.94; Roundacre – three gimmers, £1277.50, three ewe lambs, £1803.33; Forkins – five gimmers, £1501.50, four ewe lambs, £1110.38; Benrafton – six gimmers, £1172.50; Knockem – five ewes, £655.20; four gimmers, £971.25; Cairnton – three gimmers, £728.00; Lakeview – six gimmers, £677.25.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.