A 12,000gns top call and a 91% clearance with an average rising by more than £85 for nine more sold were the hallmarks of a ram lamb trade at the Northern Irish National Sale.
Leading the sale at Ballymena was Glenhone Galaxy, the pre-sale champion from Martin McConville, by Rhaeadr Entrepreneur and out of a dam by Mullan Awesome.
He heads to Scotland to join the Strawfrank flock of Allan Campbell, with shares taken by Andrew Clark, Teiglum and Euan MacTaggart, Rascarrel.
Next in line at 7500gns was Kiltariff Golden Boy from the Bell family, with this one being by Mellor Vale Déjà vu and out of a dam by Knap Bonanza. He stayed locally, joining Peter Boyd’s Poseyhill flock.
Also making this money was the best of the day from the Mulligan family’s Brague flock, Brague Gypsy King.
This son of Carnew Fiddler is out of a dam by Aman Bendigedig and heads south to John Greene, Donegal, for the Greenstar flock.
Following them was a 7000gns call for Mark Priestley’s Seaforde GI Joe, a son of Coniston Equinox out of a Knap-bred dam by Sportmans Cannon Ball. He sold to Bruce Renwick for the Castlecairn flock.
Young Darryl Branagan then took 6500gns for Tullinasoo Gold Dust a Haddo Fabio son out of the high yielding Knap Daisy Duke, another by Cannon Ball, with other sons already sold to 170,000gns and 100,000gns this season.
He was taken by the Chestnutt family for their Clougher and Bushmills flocks and Mark Noble.
Two then traded at 5000gns, with the first being Alan Glendinning’s Lylehill GTR. Sired by Plasucha Folklore and out of a Garngour dam by Procters Chumba Wumba, he sold to Scottish breeders Alan Blackwood and Stuart Barclay for the Auldhouseburn and Harestone flocks, respectively.
The second at this price was another from Mark Priestley, Seaforde Gentleman Jack. He’s by Coniston Equinox and is out of another Knap-bred dam by Cannon Ball. He found a new home with Stephen Etherson, Killans.
And another pair then shared the next best call of 4800gns. Leading at this price was Alan Glendinning’s Lylehill Gunshot, a son of Plasucha Folklore Garngour-bred dam by Procters Chumba Wumba.
