Big Bang Export Sale

A Suffolk gimmer from Dennis Taylor's Ballynacannon flock from Macosquin, Coleraine, sold for the top price of 14,000gns – more than double that of the next best at 7000gns at the Big Bang Export sale of pedigree sheep staged at Balmoral Park, Northern Ireland.

The sale which included Dutch Spotted entries was topped by a grand-daughter of Ballynacannon Beyonce, the Reserve Champion at Balmoral Show in 2017, which is bred from a ewe by the 20,000gns Rhaeadr Rolls Royce, and sired by Birness Freedom. She sold carrying a pair of lambs to the 40,000gns Lakeview Fury, to Messrs Williams, Portugal.

Alastair Gault's Forkins flock, Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, also had a great day with gimmer sales at 7000gns and 6000gns and ewe lambs at 5000gns. Top class genetics were again behind these entries, with the former being a maternal sister to the 26,000gns McCoy, a 17,000gns ewe lamb, a 10,000gns ram lamb to name but a few, being bred from a home-bred Birness Bacardi daughter and sired by Birness Freedom. She changed hands due with a pair to Cairness Kanine a son of Cairness Just the Best, to Messrs Kealy, Co Meath, Eire.

The same dam bred the 5500gns ewe lamb, purchased by Messrs Wilkinson, Cookstown, Co Tyrone. The sire was Ballinatone Show Stopper, purchased at Blessington last year for €44,000 which went on to stand male champion at Balmoral in May, 2022.

Minutes later, Messrs Short, Co Tyrone, went to 6000gns for a triplet-born gimmer by Forkins Big Brother – a full brother to McCoy – bred from a ewe by Forkins Customised that has already bred females to 4000gns and 3800gns. She also sold due with a pair to Kanine with her triplet sister making 5500gns at a previous event.

Glenrothes-based breeder, Stewart Craft of the Lakeview flock from Fife, also forked out 6000gns for the top priced ewe lamb from Lesley Liggett's Carony flock from Northern Ireland. She is result of a flush from a 5000gns Lakeview ewe by Strathisla Stoner, that has bred the 25,000gns Mullinval and sired by Ballinatone Show Stopper.

Helping to finance that transaction, Mr Craft sold a gimmer fro 5000gns to James Alexander of the Jalex flock from Randalstown, Co Antrim. Her pedigree features a Birness ewe by Lakeview Gold Rush, with the sire being Mullinvale Munro. The service sire was Ballynacannon Gypsy King and she sold carrying a single.

Dutch Spotted females were also in demand peaking at 12,000gns, 8000gns and 6000gns for entries from Emma and Allen Shortt's Diamond flock from Castlederg, Co Tyrone. Dearest was a ewe lamb purchased by Henry Jewitt, Barnard Castle, Co Durham. Living up to her name when selling at this price was Diamond Fairy Tale ET, the result of a flush from Glencoy Chelsie, a Challoch Bearskin daughter, and sired by Carlaustan Extrovert, a tup that has bred progeny to 28,000gns. Full sisters sold to 7000gns and 6100gns earlier in the year.

Another ewe lamb from the same home, Diamond Foxtrot ET, the first daughter to be sold from the reserve female champion at Balmoral Show in May and sired by Extrovert, made 6000gns selling to an undisclosed buyer who also went to 8000gns for Diamond Eleanor, a gimmer which has been successfully flushed. Champion at the Three Counties Show and another bred from Chelsie, she is by by Drumhirk Decider and sold due to Extrovert carrying a single.

Next best amongst the Spotties was a 4000gns sale for P and O Grant's Craigdoo Fergie ET, a ewe lamb from Kilcoo, Co Down, purchased by Messrs Braithwaite, Malvern. She is the first female to be sold from Kilroot Electric, a Challoch Bearskin daughter that was overall champion at Castlewellan Show in the summer and sired by Extrovert.

Averages: 12 ewe lambs, £2086; eight aged ewes, £1220; 55 gimmers, £2041.