Prices peaked at 1500gns for the pre-sale champion from Samantha Allen and Allen Short’s Derg flock, Co Tyrone, at a society sale of Blue Texel females at Dungannon.

The sale leader, an imported daughter of Van de Brake, is bred out of A Westerhuis-bred ewe. She changed hands carrying twins to Matts Firetrap, a tup that has produced sons to 11,000gns and daughters to 8500gns, to new breeder Pluincéid Donnelly, buying for his Alt Na Mona flock, based in Co Tyrone.

Another entry from the Derg flock attained 800gns. This was a full sister to the sale leader, purchased by John Monks, Dublin, which sold carrying a single pregnancy also to Matts Firetrap.

Andrew Cowan sold two females from his Tullyear flock, Banbridge, Co Down, at 1000gns apiece. First was the gimmer Tullyear Fifi, sired by Sunnybank Excalibur and out of an Innishmore-bred ewe. She was knocked down to Douglas Nisbet also from Banbridge.

The second 1000gns bid came for the pre-sale show reserve champion, a ewe lamb. This entry, also sired by Sunnybank Excalibur and out of the home-bred Tullyear Debra, was knocked down to William McAllister, Co Antrim.

Top price for Thomas Kerr’s Mullaghmeen’s flock from Co Fermanagh was 720gns paid for the gimmer, Mullaghmeen Faith. A daughter of Derg Dictator – which stood male champion at the 2019 August sale – she is out of the Saltire A Topper-sired Fyfin Blues Dianthe. She was snapped up by Robert Gilmore, Co Tyrone, carrying with twins to Cleenagh G-Unit.

averages: 14 in-lamb ewes £679.35; 18 ewe lambs £341.25.

Auctioneers: Dungannon Farmer’s Mart.