Ballymena South type Ram Sale 2025

NI Blackies soar to 34,000gns

By Patsy Hunter

Averages:

South-type – 110 ram lambs, £2939.05 (-£754.99 for eight more sold); 279 shearling rams, £1338.47 (+£177.70 for 15 more). North-type – 100 ram lambs, £2227.05 (+£517.44 for the same number); 43 shearling rams, £743.55 (-£219.53 for 11 fewer).

Blackface sheep breeders selling at the Ulster Ram Breeders’ Association sale at Ballymena on Monday, enjoyed a cracking trade with prices peaking at 34,000gns and a further nine selling at or above the 10,000gns bracket.

With producers in Ireland unable to buy on the mainland due to the ban on live exports, competition for the top end of breeding stock was as fierce as ever, particularly amongst the ram lambs in both the south and north-types.

Following last year’s record-breaking sale which saw a new Irish high of 40,000gns paid for a south-type lamb from John and Patrick Harkin, with others at 38,000gns and 25,000gns, section averages fell £755 to level at £2939. Nevertheless, it was still the south-type ram lambs that led the trade, attracting seven of the 10 top sales to include the 34,000gns lead.

Setting the trade alight this year was the pen leader from Mike and John Grant, Craigdoo, which sold jointly to Kieran Donaghy, Clonmany, with the breeders paying the remaining half to retain a share. The lamb, a son of last year’s 12,000gns Loughash which goes back to a £55,000 Auldhouseburn bought at Dalmally, is out of a ewe by a £35,000 Auldhouseburn.

Another by the same sire made 7000gns selling to Willie Dunlop and sons Quintin and William, Elmscleugh, Dunbar, and Ian Campbell and family, Glenrath, Peebles.

At 20,000gns, Argyllshire breeders, Iain and David McArthur, Arnicle, Glenbarr, Campbeltown, bought Gordon Crawford’s lead entry from Aghanlane, Ballymena. A son of an £18,000 Auldhouseburn, he is bred from the show gimmer that was reserve champion at Limavady and Ballymena Shows which is sired by a 3000gns Aghanlane.

Despite being one of the last lots sold, James McCurdy’s Correen flock from Broughshane reached 13,000gns for a son of Titan – a Crossflatt-bred lamb by £160,000 Dyke – out of a ewe by a £16,000 Auldhouseburn. He was purchased by Robert Loughrey, Gortnarney, Limavady.

Two lambs made 12,000gns with the first from Brian and Conor Devine, Stroanbrack, Donemana, being sired by an £8000 Auldhouseburn and bred from a ewe by a 12,000gns Rock. Buying back some of their own genetics, he sold to Charlie, Cathal and Eoghan Harkin of the Rock, Donemana, and Barry Devine.

Almost financing that purchase, The Rock sold their pen leader, a son of the 18,000gns Rock sold here last year, bred from a ewe by a 12,000gns Glenbeg, for 10,000gns to Willie and Ewan Bennie, Merkins, Gartocharn.

Co Down breeder, Colm McAteer, was another in the money, selling a lamb at 12,000gns and the top priced south-type shearling at 22,000gns. The former, another by Titan, is bred from a ewe by John Murray’s McCoy Lookalike that stood champion at Castlewellan Show. Final bidder was Conall Lynn, Armoy, Co Antrim.

Mr McAteer who is a builder to trade with 150 ewes in his Drumboy flock topped the south-type shearlings with a son of a £12,000 Lurgan lamb bought at Dalmally. A full brother to the 15,000gns lamb sold last year to Davie and Jock Jackson, Pole, the £22,000 shearling is bred from a ewe by a £160,000 Elmscleugh. He sold jointly to Perthshire breeders, William and Andrew Walker, Cramie, Glenprosen and breed newcomers Gert Van Dyke and sheep vet Ann Van Eetvelt, Lurgan, Aberfeldy.

The last of the five-figure south-type sales at 11,000gns came for a lamb by last year’s 40,000gns Loughash from Damian McSwiggan, Gortin, which sold in a two-way split to Brian Curran, Glackmore and Michael McFaul. The dam, a gimmer is sired by a £28,000 Auldhouseburn.

Another heading across the Irish Sea at 8000gns, was the No 3 from John and Patrick Harkin, Loughash, Donemana. A son of last year’s 40,000gns sale leader out of a ewe by a £24,000 Dalchirla, he sold to David Morrison, Dalwyne, Girvan.

Matching that price was a £15,000 Dalchirla-sired lamb from Darryl Branagan, Kilcoo, purchased by Hugh and Shaun Crawford, Glenhead Farms, Glenarm.

Second top amongst the south-type shearlings was 8500gns paid for a son of an £8500 Craignell from Nevin McEldowney, Draperstown. His dam is sired by a £6500 Dyke. The buyers were A and A Devine.

LEADING SCOTTISH BUYERS:

South-type shearling rams - 2000gns - P Harkin, Loughash to C Little, East Bracklinn, Callander. 1200gns - C Phillips, Finglen to D Morrison, Dalwyne. 1100gns - Glenhead Farms to Chesterhall Parks, Biggar. 1000gns - P Harkin to A and D Frame, Dullator, Amulree, Dunkeld.

South-type ram lambs - 5000gns - P Harkin to A and D Frame, Dullator. 1000gns C Toner, Fern Hill to A Walker, Crammie; C Harkin, The Rock to C Little, East Bracklinn.