Gems blow away the January blues

Prices held very well with a strong Cowal Viceroy daughter in lamb to Haddo Yoyo from the Curley flock of John Trimble topping the sale at £3,045. She sold to local breeders James Owens and Luke Finlay for their Ballynulto flock.

The Curley flock also secured joint second highest price of the day with a Brackenridge Transformer daughter selling in lamb to Glenside Valhalla. She changed hands for £2,205 and joins the Glenroe flock of Sean McCloskey, Claudy. Also selling to £2,205 was a Springwell Vieira daughter out of a Waen Maraddona dam bred by Brian Williamson and Adrian Liggett. She comes in lamb to Glenside Wild Boy and joins the Derryvore Flock, of Owen and Liam Donohoe, Co Fermanagh.

Next in the list of top prices was another Curley gimmer, a Knock Ursus ewe also in-lamb to Haddo Yoyo. She was purchased by D Sandall for £1,680 on the day and travels south of the border to Naas.

Stanley and Martin Warnock’s Straidarran flock form Limavady, enjoyed a strong days trading with a Stainton Victor daughter, in lamb to a home bred tip, Straidarran Yakubu, topping their pen at £1470. Purchased by Alistair Breen for his Drumderg flock, she travels home with a Straidarran pen mate by the same sire. The Straidarran flock stayed in the four figure bracket with a pair of Stainton Victor daughters making the £1,050 mark.

Leading the way for the ewe lambs was another entry from the Williamson and Liggett partnership, a Kiltariff Wannenburg daughter she sold to Co Monaghan breeder Michael McMeel for £1,200. The Curley flock also experienced good trade for ewe lambs with a Knock Trident daughter selling to £1,050.

Chris and Martin Mullan’s Bluegates flock saw a steady day’s trading with a top flock price of £840 twice for a pair of Millcomb Vindicator daughters in lamb to Sandelford Wolverine selling to Sean Hamill, Donald’s View and Eamonn Conway, Paramor.

Adrian Liggett’s Corbo flock realised £420 for a smart ewe lamb by Usk Vale War-Lord, while the Kilrail House and Redford flocks bred by John and Leona Young respectively also experienced steady trade throughout the sale with a Botera Unstoppable gimmer from the Kilrail House flock securing £788 selling to Mr Staunton, Co Mayo, who also purchased a ewe lamb by Mullan Windsor for £682. The Redford flock secured a top price of £578 for a Far Hey Victorious gimmer selling to J McCreesh, Dungannon.

Averages: Curley £1,020 for 14 sold, Straidarran £967 for seven sold, Blue Gates £496.50 for 14 sold, Kilrail House £487.70 for nine, Redford £366.18 for eight sold and £1,285 for three sold by the Williamson and Liggett partnership

The January Gems sale certainly blew the January blues away with a lively day trading which keeps this sale firmly placed as one of the leading sources for quality Texel females. The vendors wish all customers every success with their purchases and thank all sponsors for their continued support.