Dumfriesshire breeders, Iain and Judith Barbour of the Solwaybank flock from Annan, came home in style from the Stephen Sufferin’s Crewelands Suffolk dispersal staged at Ballymena Auction Mart, having purchased the lead priced lot at 16,000gns, creating a new Northern Ireland record price for a Suffolk female.

Guest auctioneer, Archie Hamilton of Lawrie and Symington, conducted the proceedings and knocked the hammer down on the 16,000gns entry – a gimmer by the 2021 Sire of the Year, Solwaybank Rock Solid. Bred from a ewe by Birness Playboy, she changed hands due with a single to Tolgus Top Gun, a £12,000 private purchase.

Another by the 26,000gns Rock Solid, a 2019-born ewe sold to Belgium with Harnick Josephine, Desslegem, made 8500gns. She is out of a home-bred ewe by the 20,000gns Ballynacanon Taylor Made, and is scanned with a pair again to Top Gun.

Travelling to Wales with Dafydd Jones, Frongoy, Pennant, Credigion, was the top priced ewe lamb at 7500gns. January born and sired by the 6000gns Shannagh Lonestar, her dam is by Birness Playboy.

Playboy was also behind a 2019-born ewe that made 6000gns to Dennis Taylor of the Ballynacannon flock from Coleraine, Co Londonderry. Bred from a home-bred ewe by Ballynacannon Taylor Made, she is scanned carrying twins to Top Gun.

Mr Taylor also gave 4000gns for another similarly aged and bred ewe carrying a pair to Top Gun and 3800gns for a ewe lamb by Crewelands Regal out of a Birness Playboy sired dam.

Also making 3800gns was a gimmer by Solwaybank Rock Solid, with the dam again going back to Birness Playboy. Adding to her future potential she is scanned a pair to Top Gun, and sold to Steven Caldwell, Glenquilly, Moneymore.

Philip Kennedy, Hamiltonsbawn, Co Armagh, went to 5000gns for a gimmer scanned with a single to Top Gun. A Playboy daughter she is out of a Castlewood dam that goes back to Sitlow Sergeant.

Back among the ewe lambs and M McNally, Dungiven, gave 4500gns for the resultant mating between Crewelands Regal and a home-bred dam that goes back to Birness Playboy.

Portuguese breeder, Eduardo Filipe Costa, Rua, Manuel, forked out 3800gns for a gimmer carrying a pair of lambs to Cairnton Chaos. Another by Rock Solid, she also features Birness Playboy genetics on the dam side.

average: 19 donor ewes, £2800; 46 gimmers, £2095; 63 ewe lambs, £1429; 92 recipient ewes, £999; four rams, £1815.