A lead price of 18,000gns, coupled with another six five-figure sales made for a cracking sale of pedigree Suffolk ram lambs for the Northern Ireland breed sale at Ballymena.

Add to that, averages more than double that of 2020, combined with an 82% clearance and breeders had plenty to smile about.

In contrast to last year’s event which saw a lead price of 2800gns and an average of £819 with a 79% clearance, this year’s event cashed in at £2065 for 143, with the sale leader coming from Alastair Gault’s Forkins flock from Newtownabby, Co Antrim, selling to Robin McAdoo buying for his Threeways enterprise from Co Tyrone.

“The sale in Ballymena has set the season off to a blistering start,” said Robin McIlrath, chief executive of the Suffolk Sheep Society.

“With an 82% clearance, more than 45% of sales exported from Northern Ireland and an excellent average of £2065, the sale started well and just kept on going.

“There was the full mix of buyers on the day both in person and on-line, with high value sheep going to some of the top pedigree flocks in Scotland, England and Wales, as well as the South of Ireland and Europe. It was also great to note that there was a good steady commercial trade to keep things moving along as well,” added Mr McIlrath.

Topping the trade was Mr Gault’s No 5 lamb, a January-born son of last year’s 26,000gns Birness Freedom, bred from a home-bred show ewe and former champion winner at Ballymena Show. She is by Forkins Fandango and is a maternal sister to the 20,000gns Forkins Dizzy Rascal.

Two other Forkins lambs by Birness Freedom made their mark selling at 6000gns and 5400gns. The former and pen leader bred from a ewe Forkins Black Gold and a maternal sister to the 26,000gns McCoy and Legacy, was bought by John McKay, Ballymoney, Co Antrim.

Minutes later, Mr Gault’s 5400gns lamb, bred from a Birness Bacardi-sired dam, sold across to Belgium with Stev Nee, Grande Route De Hans.

Michael Smyth’s Theviews flock from Limavady, produced the second top seller at 15,000gns, which sold to Seamus Browne, Parkhouse, Letterkenny, Donegal. Star performer here was a January-born ET lamb and the result of a flush from a Ballynacannon ewe by Ballynacannon Discovery. The sire is Tolgus Pretty Boy, a Knockem Northern Lights son which Dennis Taylor of the Ballynacannon flock purchased at Shrewsbury.

Mr Taylor also sold a cracker by Tolgus Pretty Boy at 13,000gns to Downpatrick breeders, Alfred and Norman Robinson, Summerhill House, Ballyrolly. His dam, a home-bred ewe by Oldmill Lieutenant, is a maternal brother to Ballynacannon Beleza, the 2019 overall NI champion.

Another Ballynacannon lamb bought as an ET pregnancy at the Three Nations sale, made 11,000gns for Mr Taylor when selling to Belgian breeder, Stev Nee. His dam, a Ballynacannon ewe by Lakeview Innuendo, was sold at the Borderway Beauties sale for 6000gns, while the sire is Bridgeview Joker.

Another selling across the Channel, this time into France with Charlotte Storder, Vaux-sur-Sure, was the No 1 from William Tait’s Burnview flock from Lislap, Co Tyrone, which made 14,000gns. This naturally born entry boasts Jim Innes’ Strathbogie genetics on both sides, with the sire being last year’s 13,000gns Strathboge Joel, while the dam, which is a sister to the 13,000gns Burnview Barracuda and the 8500gns reserve champion at Stirling, in 2017, is by Strathbogie I’m Invincible. The grand-dam on the female side has produced sales in excess of £67,000.

Mr Tait also received 13,000gns for his No 3, a son of the 30,000gns Salopian Scuderia, bred from a home-bred ewe also by I’m Invincible, whose half sister sold privately to the Mullinvale flock. He sold in a three-way split to Martin Butler and Danny McKay, both Rathkenny and Michael McNally, Dungiven.

Stephen Sufferin’s Crewelands flock from Maghera, also came up with the goods with a 12,000gns sale to Scottish breeders, Craig Paterson, Cranna Bridge, Aberchirder and George and Melvin Stuart, buying for the family’s Birness flock from Ellon, Aberdeenshire. Their joint purchase, a triplet-born ET, is the result of a flush from a home-bred ewe by Birness Playboy and sired by the 17,000gns Solwaybank Champion.

Another bred the exact same way from Crewelands, made 7500gns to P Grant, Kilcoo, Newry, Co Down.

Top price for Mark Priestley’s Limestone flock from Seaforde, Downpatrick, was 9000gns paid by Robert Barkley, buying for the Blackbrae flock from Dunloy, Ballymena. Best here was a son of the 26,000gns Forkins McCoy, bred from a Graeme Christie, Balquhain-bred ewe by Deveronside Doodlebug that is a maternal brother to the 5000gns Limestone T Rex.

On the income side, Blackbrae received 7500gns from RC and JC Watson, of the Bannview flock from Rasharkin, Con Antrim, for a son of €31,000 Cloontagh Chieftain, bred from a ewe by Drimmie Blackisle.

On the other side of the coin, Bannview sold their best at 6000gns to Welsh breeder, Paul Delves, buying for his Bridgeview flock from Powys. This lamb also boasts Scottish genetics, with the sire being Middlemuir Commander, onto a home-bred ewe by Malinhead Jumping Jack.

David Duncan’s flock from Crumlin, Co Antrim, peaked at 5000gns for a lamb by Blackbrae Balconi, bred from a ewe by Lakeview Leader. The buyer was Patrick McVerry, Camlough, Newry, Co Down.

Auctioneers: Ballymena Livestock Auction Mart.