Northern Ireland breeders, Kevin and Anna McCarthy, Mossbank, Ballycreelly, produced the top price lot at £1670 at Harrison and Hetherington’s timed online auction sale of Hampshire Down ewes and rams.

Sale leader was a December-born ram lamb, a son of Ballycreelly 007, out of a home-bred ewe by Clogherny Eric. This 78.5kg entry sold across to the Netherlands with Arjan Van Der Vlis.

Ballycreelly also received £1150 for another tup lamb by the same sire. This 110kg lamb out of a home-bred ewe by Yarcombe Flashman, was bought by fellow Irish breeders, Messrs Murray, Newtownards, Co Down.

Second top price was £1520 paid for a ram lamb from Judith and Graham Galbraith, Endmoor, Kendal, which sold down to Cornwall with RA Rundle, Newquay. A full brother to Graylen the Maverick, the HDSBA National champion last year, he is by Graylen Laird and out of a home-bred daughter of Graylen Harley.

The same home also sold a tup lamb at £1180 to Messrs Miller, Basingstoke, Hants. He is by Graylen Laser and bred from a Clogherny Hogan daughter.

Another continental transaction, saw the best from Northern Ireland breeder, Peter Lawson, Glenbrook, Bailliesmills, Lisburn, sell across to Belgium with Nuno Rocha at £1200. The ram lamb is a son of Glenbrook Jack The Rip Ear, which is out of a Loughbrae ewe by Ballycreelly Top Tup.

Leading the female trade at £930 was a December-born ewe lamb weighing 62kg, from Janet and Brian Hill, Wester Campsie Farm, Lintrathen, Kirriemuir. This Graylen Romeo daughter which is bred from a full sister to last year’s show gimmer sold to Messrs Jones, Saint Botolph, Wymondham, Norfolk.

Next best was a £910 bid for a 61kg ewe lamb from RA Rundle’s Treworthal flock from Newquay, purchased by Messrs Johnston, Aghalee, Antrim. She is by Treworthal Warlord and out of a home-bred ewe by Chaddlehanger Samurai.

averages:

21 ram lambs, £715.00; seven shearling rams, £607.14; seven ewe lambs, £692.86; seven gimmers, £445.71

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.