Ram lamb averages improved by almost £200 per head on the year and for 15 more sold at the Northern Ireland National Texel sale at Ballymena, where trade peaked at 6000gns.

Leading the trade was Tamnamoney Denzil from Roger Strawbridge and family, Coleraine, Co Londonderry. A son of Procters Cocktail, out of a dam by Scotsman Ace, he sold to Pat and Barry Farrell for the Oberstown flock, Co Meath, Eire.

Another bred the same way, Tamnamoney Double Barrel, made 3500gns selling to Neil McIlwaine, Newtonstewart, Co Tyrone.

Second top price was 4400gns paid for Gary Beacom’s Lakeview Duke, Co Fermanagh. The result of a bought in Sportsmans ewe by Fordafourie Amalert purchased at the Christmas Stars sale at Carlisle, he is by the 65,000gns Garngour Craftsman, and sold to John Leitch, Castlederg, Co Tyrone.

Lakeview Dirty Dancer, a son of the 15,000gns Harestone Commander out of a Plasucha-bred dam by Plasucha All Star, then made 3200gns. He sold to Alastair Gault, Forkins flock, Newtonabbey.

Shearling rams sold to 2000gns for John Watson’s Duvarren Cantona, a son of Duvarren Aston Martin, out of a dam by Duvarren Testarossa. He was knocked down to Fraser Tweed, Glenarm, Co Antrim.

Alastair Gault’s Forkins flock topped the gimmers at 2300gns, with a Scotsman Avicii daughter bred from a dam by Glenside Valhalla. She sold to Sean Burns, Rathfriland, Co Down.

Auctioneers: JA McClelland and Son.

averages:

145 ram lambs £805.10; 46 shearling rams £919.89; 23 gimmers £801.20.