A Badger Face Texel ewe lamb from Northern Ireland breeder, Russell Millen, attracted the lead price of 7500gns at the May Fair sale at Carlisle, when selling to Henry Jewitt, of the Sunnybank flock from Barnard Castle.
The sale which included Badger Face Texels, Beltex, Blue Texels and Dutch Spotted, was topped by the weaned January-born ewe lamb Knockmult Eternal ET. She is the result of a flush from Mr Jewitt's own Sunnybank Colorful that bred the 10,000gns Sunnybank Cover Girl, and sold for £4500. The sire is an 8000gns Duhonw ram by Sunnybank Attack.
Mr Millen who owns the Knockmult flock from Coleraine, Co Londonderry, also received 1800gns, 1700gns and 1600gns for weaned lambs. Selling for 1800gns was the ram lamb, Knockmult Edgar, an ET brother to Eternal, purchased by Messrs Gallagher, Portsalow, Co Donegal.
Mr Millen's 1700gns and 1600gns lambs were also bred from Sunnybank Colorful, with the former, Knockmult Earl, another ram lamb this time sired by a Drumkirk ram, heading home with Messrs Pedley, Kirkby Stephen.
His full ET sister, Knockmult Evie, made 1600gns, selling to Messrs Jackson, Killybawn, Saintfield, Co Down.
Matching that 1600gns sale amongst the Badger Face Texels was Woodies Ding Dong, a ewe hogg from Aberdeenshire breeder, Stuart Wood. She is backed by imported genetics on both sides and sold down to Huddersfield with Messrs Booth, New Mill.
Dutch Spotted also sold well and to a ceiling of 7000gns for the weaned ram lamb, Milltown Grizzly Grant ET, from T Jackson, Saintfield, Co Down. He is the result of a flush from the 9000gns Glencoy Cherry which was bought at the Springtime Sparklers sale, and sired by Carlaustan Extrovert. The buyers were Messrs Middleton, Carnforth.
Minutes earlier, his full ET sister, Milltown Good Girl, from the same home made 3500gns to Messrs Johnston, Aghalee, Antrim.
A recipient ewe with lambs then made 2000gns to M and R McCornick, Barquhill, Newton Stewart, Wigtownshire. Carlaustan Goofy was a triplet-born ram lamb that was twinned on to the recipient carrying the ewe lamb, Carlaustan Genevieve. Consigned by Stirling-based breeders breeders, Andy Kennedy and his daughter, Lauren Beattie, Carlaustan, Kippen, they are full brother and sister to Carlaustan Extrovert, a tup that has sired lambs to five figures with both being bred from an imported ewe and by Tiptop Diablo.
On the other side of the equation, the McCornicks, sold an ET-bred ewe hogg for 1800gns to Messrs Jackson, Lancaster. Her pedigree features Westbroad Diego and Williams Diamante, a Tiptop Areo, daughter.
Just behind, on 1600gns, Derek Steen, Coxhill, Moffat, sold Coxhill Fern, a gimmer by Navac Blacklaw Concrete, to Messrs Spencer and Son, Rotherham, South Yorkshire.
Beltex were topped by the first lot in the catalogue, Woodies Juicy, an ET-bred ewe lamb from Aberdeenshire breeder, Stuart Wood, purchased by Willy Davies, Usk Valley, Howey, Llandrindod, Wells. Juicy is the result of a flush from the Woodhow Dakota daughter, Kingledores Felicity and sired by Woodies Explosive. She sold with her recipient dam.
Mr Wood also sold the second highest priced Beltex at 1500gns. This was paid by Messrs Shedden and Sons, Kilmarnock, for a recipient ewe with twin-born ET ewe lambs at foot. Woodies Jellybean and Woodies Jamjar, are bred from Woodies Glitter and sired by the 30,000gns Borderesk Finders Keepers.
Northern Ireland breeders, Samantha Allen and Allen Shortt, Strabane, sold the top two highest priced Blue Texels at 2000gns and 1500gns. Dearest was the January-born weaned ewe lamb, Derg Hottie, an ET bred from Derg Dakota, which has bred progeny to 4800gns. The sire is Drumard Ed, that has produced lambs to 20,000gns. Hottie sold down to Wales with Messrs Evans, Cardiff.
Her full ET sister made 1500gns selling to Messrs Bett, Yarburgh, Louth.
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
Averages: Beltex – Five embryo lambs with recipients, £1180.20; eight ewe hoggs, £548.63. Dutch Spotted – 19 embryo lambs with recipients, £806.84; seven weaned lambs, £2080.50; 25 ewe hoggs, £1178.10. Blue Texel – Six ewes with lambs, £610.75; six weaned lambs, £1006.25. Badger Face Texel – Three weaned lambs, £3780.00; six ewe hoggs, £773.50.
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