DEMAND for North Country Cheviot females continues to grow with the second annual Northie Sparkler Sale being held at Beatties Pedigree Centre on Friday February 3 by Leamlivestock and the Kilvaddy flock.
It was the first time to be held as an export sale which had guest consignments from the Benrafton and Ross flocks. Interest in the sale was high with viewers and bidders from GB and Ireland tuned in.
The sale started well with females steadily making over 500gns for flock ewes from the Stragole and Benrafton flocks, with the first highlight of the sale coming with Lot 5 from the Benrafton flock, a one crop Humbleheugh Xtra Special daughter, carrying twins to Wester Certainty selling for 1600gns to the Doorat flock in Donemana, Co. Tyrone.
The second highlight came quickly after with Lot 12, a big long correct gimmer from the Kilvaddy flock, a Broomhillbank Alert daughter carrying twins to Kilvaddy Warrior, joining the Liddlesdale flock in Co. Fermanagh for 2100gns which was a sale record for an in-lamb gimmer. This was quickly surpassed when lot 16, which had gained a lot of interest before the sale for her size, length and correctness, was sold for 2200gns.
She was sired by the proven sire Allanshaws Xackeri which has bred ewe lambs to 1700gns and bred the female champion and reserve overall champion at the club sale in September. She is carrying a single to Stragole Diamond and she sold to the Crockataggart Park flock.
Demand continued with trade for breedy females steadily making between 500 and 900 guineas.
The sale peaked at 2500gns for lot 28, a new sale record for a North Country Cheviot in-lamb ewe in Ireland. She was a one crop ewe from the Ross flock, picked for her size and length, she was sired by Nisbet Mill Warrior and in-lamb to Allanshaws Bombay, carrying twins, and has joined the Rosehill flock in Co. Londonderry.
In the ewe lamb section of the sale picked females met a strong trade with show standard females peaking at 1000gns for a Carruthers Birra Moretti daughter from a great female line in the Stragole flock selling to the Kilvaddy flock.
Next two highest prices for ewe lambs were again from the Stragole flock, both sired by Humbleheugh Xtra Special, selling for 780gns and 520gns, both joining the Fingerpost flock in Co. Tyrone. The Kilvaddy flock’s ewe lambs topped at 500gns. She was sired by Kilvaddy Captain and is joining the Benrafton flock.
There was a 95% clearance on the night with records broken several times and six females heading to England and two joining flocks in southern Ireland. It was great to see new and returning customers finding females for their flocks.
The sale organisers would like to wish everyone well with their purchases and a successful lambing in 2023.
Sale averages: 17 aged ewes – 801gns; 14 gimmers – 865gns; 9 ewe lambs – 515gns.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.
