A top price of £4100 for a Ballynacannon ewe lamb was achieved at the timed online Black Magic Sale of Suffolk females.

The sale, through Harrison and Hetherington, was led by a lamb from Northern Ireland breeder, Dennis Taylor, Macosquin, Coleraine, purchased by Messrs Evans, Ffestiniog, Gwynedd. She is by Tolgus Pretty Boy and out of a Malinhead Maverick-sired ewe.

The Ballynacannon flock sold three to average £3000, with another ewe lamb by the same sire making £2750. Messrs Nee, Belgium, forked out the cash for this lamb bred from Greenan dam by Mountford Mustang.

Second top price was £4000 paid for a Strathbogie gimmer from Jim Innes, Dunscroft, Huntly. His Crewelands Kingpin-sired entry, out of a dam by Castleisle Knockout, was purchased by Messrs Kirkbride, Keswick, who bought several of the lead priced lots.

Another from the same home made £3300 selling up to Orkney with Messrs Delday, Deerness. This ewe lamb is from the same dam line as the last but sired by Strathbogie Twenty Twenty.

Messrs Kealy, Meath, Eire, forked out £3000 for another Strathbogie gimmer, ensuring Mr Innes secured the lead average of £3433 for three. She is by Castleisle Capaldi and bred from another Castleisle Knockout daughter.

Welsh breeder, Paul Delves, Churchstoke, Powys, was also in the money when his Bridgeview flock received £3550 for a gimmer. The breeding here includes Salopian Scuderia onto a Forkins ewe by Forkins Black Gold. She stays in Wales with Messrs Medforth, Caernarfon.

Another Bridgeview gimmer by the same sire realised £2300 when selling to Messrs Thompson, Ballybofey, Donegal. She is out of a home-bred dam by Lakeview Harbinger.

Messrs Nee, Belgium, purchased the top two from the Carony flock of L and M Liggett, Drumquin, Co Tyrone, at £3050 and £2650.

Dearest was the first gimmer sold by the 30,000gns Birness Bees Knees, bred from a Rookery Ringmaster daughter. Selling at £2650 was a daughter of the 8000gns Birness Balboa, out of a ewe by Rhaeadr Readymix.

Darragh McMenamin’s Mullinvale flock from Mullinagor, Lifford, Co Donegal, also received £3000 for a gimmer from Messrs Kirkbride, Keswick. She is a Strathisla Schumacher daughter and bred from a Lakeview Lumberjack-sired dam.

Messrs Storder, Belgium, forked out £2700 and £2200 for two gimmers from Andrew Wilson’s Castleisle flock, Shannagh, Raphoe, Co Donegal. The first, by the 20,000gns Castleisle Kilteskin Prince, is out of a Cairness Liam-sired dam. The second is also by Kilteskin.

Aberdeenshire breeders, the Stuart family, Milltown Of Birness, Ellon, sold their best at £2500. This gimmer is by Limestone Legacy, out of a Ballynacanon Commander sired-dam, was another heading down to Keswick with Messrs Kirkbride.

In an all Eire transaction, John Doherty, Malinhead, Westown, Malin Head Po, Co Donegal, sold a gimmer for £2500 to Messrs McMenamin. A Strathbogie A Kind Of Magic daughter, she is out of a ewe by Malinhead The Special One.

LEADINGflock averages

Flock (No) Top (£) Ave (£)

Ballynacannon (3) 4100 3000.00

Bridgeview (3) 3550 2383.33

Castleisle (3) 2700 2300.00

Finnvale (3) 1400 1216.66

Malinhead (4) 2500 1875.00

Strathbogie (3) 4000 3433.33

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.