A flying trade for pedigree Suffolk females saw Northern Ireland breeders Alastair and Jack Gault, sell two of the three highest priced lots at 17,000gns and 10,000gns at the Dark Diamonds sale at Carlisle.

The father and son duo who also own a pedigree flock of Texels, based at Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, sold the dearest from their Forkins flock, a ewe lamb at 17,000gns to relatively new breeder, Robert Jones, Dromonby Bridge, Northallerton.

Backed by the best of bloodlines, this ET is a full sister to the 26,000gns Forkins McCoy sold earlier in the year and the 8500gns Forkins Formidable, being bred from a ewe by Birness Bacardi. The sire is the Rhaeadr Rolex son, Mullaghboy Goliath.

%image('12108165', type='article-full', caption='Top priced lot at 17,000gns was this ewe lamb from Alastair and Jack Gault's Forkins flock', alt='Top priced lot at 17,000gns was this ewe lamb from Alastair and Jack Gault's Forkins flock')

Top priced lot at 17,000gns was this ewe lamb from Forkins

The same buyer also bought the lead priced gimmer at 10,000gns from Forkins. This was another ET bred from a different Birness Bacardi ewe and sired by Goliath. Maternal sister to the 9000gns Forkins Tan, she sold carrying a pair of lambs by the 26,000gns Birness Freedom, bought at Lanark, in July.

%image('12123913', type='article-full', caption='Lead gimmer from Forkins sold for 10,000gns', alt='Lead gimmer from Forkins sold for 10,000gns')

Lead gimmer from Forkins at 10,000gns

The next two gimmers from the Gaults made 4000gns and 4500gns, selling to Messrs Williams, Penmynydd, and Messrs Jones, Pennant, Llanon, respectively.

The former, and No 2 gimmer by Malinhead Maverick, out of a ewe by Cairness New Approach, sold carrying a pair to Freedom, while the latter, by Beechbrook Bombastic and bred from a Cairness Customised daughter, was bought for 4500gns scanned for a single to Freedom.

Jimmy Douglas' Cairness flock from Fraserburgh, was hot on their heels with gimmers at 10,000gns and 9000gns. These two ET-bred females are bred from a flush from a Cloontagh Chieftain-sired ewe and by Millhouse Remarkable, a Cairness Liam son bred by Angus Howie of which a half share bought privately at the Royal Highland Show in 2018. Messrs Bowdler, Ellesmere, Shropshire, bought the 10,000gns gimmer which sold scanned for a pair to Rookery Real McCoy, a Limestone Aston Martin tup bought privately from Chris Holmes, in June.

%image('12123916', type='article-full', caption='Sale leader from Jimmy Douglas' Cairness flock at 10,000gns was this gimmer', alt='Sale leader from Jimmy Douglas' Cairness flock at 10,000gns was this gimmer')

Sale leader from Jimmy Douglas' Cairness flock at 10,000gns

Keen to see the progeny, Mr Holmes who owns the Rookery flock from Broadway, Worcs, bought her full ET sister at 9000gns which also sold carrying a pair to McCoy. Mr Douglas retained embryos from this entry for his own use.

%image('12123914', type='article-full', caption='Full ET sister to the 10,000gns Cairness gimmer made 9000gns for Mr Douglas', alt='Full ET sister to the 10,000gns Cairness gimmer made 9000gns for Mr Douglas')

Full ET sister to the 10,000gns Cairness entry - this one made 9000gns

Stewart Craft's Lakeview flock from Little Balquhomrie, Leslie, Fife, also enjoyed a good day selling 19 gimmers to average £1624.74 with a top price of 5000gns paid by Northern Ireland breeder, Lesley Liggett, buying for his Carony flock from Drumquin, Co Tyrone. Selling at this price was the pen leader, a Strathisla Stoner daughter out of a ewe by Cairness Classic Fyvie. She sold carrying a pair of lambs to Strathbogie Stradivarius, a tup that has bred sons to 26,000gns and this year won the reserve Sire of the Year.

On the other side of the equation, Mr Liggett, sold one of the dearest ewe lambs at 3000gns to Forkins. This January-born ET is bred from a ewe by Rhaeadr Red Bull that has already bred sons to 3000gns, and by Rookery Ringmaster.

Matching that ewe lamb price tag was Ross Lawrence's No 1 from the Roundacre flock from Devon, purchased by Messrs Jones, Pennant. She is by the Lavenham Aven'um son, Roundacre Manu and bred from a Kings ewe bought here in 2018 for 3600gns, by the 11,000gns Burnview Ballistic.

Top price for Jack and Alfie Moses' Blackstown flock from Aldergrove, Crumlin, Co Antrim, was 4900gns paid by fellow Northern Ireland breeder, Mark Priestley, buying for his Limestone flock from Downpatrick. This was another extremely well bred ewe lamb with the dam being a home-bred ewe by Rhaeadr Rio whose full sister made 13,000gns here last year. She is sired by Malinhead Maverick.

Just behind, on 4500gns, Stewart Craft, Lakeview and Lilia Hutchinson, Howgillfoot, Kirkby Stephen, went in partnership to buy the lead gimmer from Graeme Christie's Balquhain flock from Inverurie. A daughter of the 6000gns Lakeview Under the Radar, she is bred from a flush from a Strathisla ewe by Strathbeg Stan The Man and sold carrying a single to the 5500gns Howgillfoot Sniper.

Following a flying trade for Suffolk females from the Birness flock at a pedigree female sale at Thainstone the previous week, the Stuarts from Milltown of Birness, Ellon were again in the money with gimmer sales at 4300gns and 4000gns for daughters of Crewelands Megastar. The dearest, bred from a ewe by Middlemuir Maserati, sold scanned for a pair to Limestone Legacy, to Messrs Paterson, Aberchirder, Huntly.

Selling across the Irish Sea to Inishowen, Co Donegal, with Messrs McLaughlin, at 4000gns was a gimmer bred from a Thurston Urastar-sired ewe and due with a pair to Forkins Firecracker.

Also heading across the water to Co Donegal with the McMenamins from Lifford at the same money was a ewe lamb by Limestone To-tal, from Bryden Nicolson's Knockem flock from Duns. She is bred from a Knockem ewe by Rhaeadr Rolex, that was cahmpion at Balmoral in 2017.

Averages: Forkins – five gimmers, £4809.00; Cairness – four gimmers, £6090.00; Lakeview – 19 gimmers, £1624.74; Balquhain – five gimmers, £2562.00; Birness – 10 gimmers, £2352.00; Knockem – 11 ewes, £1250.45; 10 gimmers, £1428.00; five ewe lambs, £2184.00; Carony – six ewe lambs, £1566.25; Benrafton, four gimmers, £1942.50; Cairnton – six gimmers, £1207.50; Redbrae – three gimmers, £1295.00.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.