Dark Diamonds Suffolk Sale

The Dark Diamonds Suffolk sale this year has consignments from thirteen noted breeders, namely - Balquhain flock (Graeme J Christie), Benrafton flock (AJ & NAJ Robinson), Birness flock (George L Stuart), Blackstown Flock (Jack & Alfie Moses), Cairness Flock (JG Douglas), Cairnton flock (John A Gibb), Carony flock (L & M Liggett), Forkins flock (Alistair R Gault), Knockem Flock (B Nicolson), Lakeview flock (Stuart Craft), Maidenstone flock (Finn J Christie), Redbrae Flock (James Cannon) and the Roundacre flock (Ross Lawrence).  The sale attracted interest from all over the country with buyers from as far away as the Republic of Ireland.

Topping the sale at 17,000gns was a ewe lamb from Alastair Gault’s Forkin’s flock. This lamb was sired by Mullaghboy Goliath and out of Forkins 15:01430 making her a full sister to 26,000gns Forkins McCoy. AOR:20:02708 was purchased by Dromonby Bridge Farms from Northallerton.

[caption id="attachment_31756" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Lot 289 17,000 gns A Gault Forkins[/caption]

The Forkins flock also sold a gimmer at 10,000gns to the same buyer. This was Forkins 19:02629 who was again sired by Mullaghboy Goliath and this time out of AOR:13:036. She sold scanned in lamb to Birness Freedom who was purchased for 20,000gns this year.

[caption id="attachment_31757" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Lot 239 10,000 gns A Gault Forkins[/caption]

Jimmy Douglas’ Cairness flock sold a gimmer for 10,000gns. This was 33H:19:03118 sired by Millhouse Remarkable and out of a Cloontagh Chieftain daughter whose dam was full sister to 21,000gns Cairness Great Expectations. She had been scanned in lamb to Rookery Real McCoy and was purchased by Messrs Bowdler from Ellesmere, Shropshire.

[caption id="attachment_31758" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Lot 246 10,000 gns J Douglas Cairness[/caption]

A full ET sister to the previous lot sold for 9000gns, she was also in lamb to Real McCoy and this time purchased by Messrs Holmes from Broadway, Worcestershire.

[caption id="attachment_31759" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Lot 245 9000 gns J Douglas Cairness[/caption]

Stewart Craft’s Lakeview flock topped at 5000gns for JFF:19:01044 that was purchased by Messrs Liggett, Co Tyrone. This gimmer was sired by Strathisla Stoner and out of the Cairness Classic Fyvie daughter 13:020. 1044 had been scanned in lamb to Strathbogie Stradivarius who won Reserve Sire of the Year this year.

Ewe lambs from Jack and Alfie’s Moses’ Blackstown flock sold to 4900gns to Messrs Priestley from Co Down. This was for their first lot UKL:20:00673 who was sired by Malinhead Maverick and out of Blackstown 18:00389, whose full sister sold for 13,000gns to top this sale last year.

[caption id="attachment_31760" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Lot 291 4900 gns J & A Moses Blackstown[/caption]

The Balquhain flock sold a gimmer for 4500gns that was purchased in a half share between Messrs Craft, Fife and Messrs Hutchinson, Kirkby Stephen. This gimmer, PDN:19:00984 was sired by the 2018 Royal Highland Show 1^st prize winner Lakeview Under the Radar and out of a Strathisla bred dam sired by Strathbeg Stan The Man. This gimmer had been scanned in lamb to the flock’s new ram Howgillfoot Sniper who was purchased jointly for 5500gns this year.

[caption id="attachment_31761" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Lot 249 4500 gns G Christie Balquhain[/caption]

4300gns was the best price from George Stuart’s Birness flock. This was for 1W:19: 02506 a gimmer sired by Crewelands Megastar and out of a homebred ewe by Middlemuir Maserati. She had been scanned in lamb to 9500gns Limestone Legacy and was purchased by Messrs Paterson from Huntly, Aberdeenshire.

[caption id="attachment_31762" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Lot 229 4,300 gns Birness G Stuart[/caption]

Byden Nicolson’s Knockem flock sold the best of his run SUP:20:15010 for 4000gns. This ewe lamb was sired by Limestone To-Tal and out of a Rhaeadr Rolex sired dam who won Supreme Suffolk Champion Balmoral Show 2017. She was purchased by Messrs McMenamin from Co Donegal.

Two ewe lambs sold for 3000gns, the first was from Lesley Liggett’s Carony flock and she was a Rookery Ringmaster daughter out of one of the strongest ewes in the flock. This lamb was purchased by Messrs Gault from Co Antrim.

The other lamb at 3000gns came from the Roundacre flock of Ross Lawrence’s. His first lamb NHL:20:00372 was sired by Roundacre Manu and out of a Kings bred ewe who was purchased at this sale in 2018 for 3600gns and is sired by 11,000gns Burnview Ballistic.  The successful bidder on this lot was Messrs Jones from Llanon, Dyfed.

Averages: Forkins Flock 5 Gimmers £4,809.00; 2 Ewe Lambs £9,555.00; Cairness Flock 4 Gimmers £6,090.00; Lakeview Flock 19 Gimmers £1,624.74; Blackstown Flock 2 Gimmers £2,047.50; 2 Ewe Lambs £3,937.50; Balquhain Flock 5 Gimmers £2,562.00; Birness Flock 10 Gimmers £2,352.00; Knockem Flock 11 Ewes £1,250.45,10 Gimmers £1,428.00, 5 Ewe Lambs          £2,184.00; Carony Flock 6 Ewe Lambs £1,566.25;Roundacre Flock 2 Ewe Lambs £2,887.50; Benrafton Flock 4 Gimmers £1,942.50; Cairnton Flock; 6 Gimmers £1,207.50; Redbrae Flock               3 Gimmers £1,295.00; Maidenstone Flock 2 Gimmers £1,207.50

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