Another sale and another cracking trade. Once again records were broken and averages were up £75 for the shearlings and a massive £275 for lambs, as buyers bid against each other to take home the best bloodlines available to them. The sale reflected the ever growing popularity of the Mule in the province, and the desire of the breeders to breed the best.

Smashing the centre record was a tup lamb from the 5 strong flock of Eamon McKeegann. The lamb, which was placed 1st in its class and reserve champion overall by the judge, James Porter from Riddings, was out of a ewe bought privately from M/s Lord of the Hewgill flock by the noted N34 Hewgill, which was purchased in lamb 2 years ago. This stylish lamb was by Y1 Orravale, last years top price at the centre, and sold for 4800gns to Scottish breeders Jimmy Bell, Cottage and Stewart Park, Dalpeddar. They were impressed with the lambs outlook and bloodlines, which go back to Midlock and Riddings. The lambs twin also sold well, fetching 2200gns, and a shearling out of the same ewe by the V45 Hewgill sold for 1150gns, so all in all not a bad day for the McKeegans, who will no doubt be giving that ewe extra rations for a while!

Earlier in the sale it was Robert Loughbridge who was setting the pace, when his pen of 20 shearlings levelled out at 1100gns, with a top of 4000gns for a Ty-Gwyn bred Shearling by W22 Midlock. He had been tried successfully as a lamb on Blackie ewes, which helped persuaded Alistair Christie, Ballymoney to splash the cash. Oliver Loughran was a welcome visitor into the Orravale pen too, when he bought Roberts first shearling into the ring, a homebred tup by the £3300 X8 Macqueston which sold for 2500gns and then he also went on to buy a Midscales bred shearling out of the same pen for 3100gns, sired by V15 Lunesdale.

Champion on the day was a tall, smart shearling from the McCormick Bros, Brablagh, hot on the back of taking 1 st prize with their mule lambs at the Cushendall and Cushendun sales. Their shearling, which has gained Elite status, was by X2 Firth, a son of the 17,000 Bull and Cave, which was bought at Carlisle. He sold for 1600gns.

M/s Coulter, Carrick Rock had a great day too, seeing their pen leader in the lamb section sell for 3400gns bought by Seamus O'Kane , and they also sold a shearling for 2000gns.

All in all it was a good day for the breed, which continues to thrive in Northern Ireland and beyond, demonstrating the versatility of the breed in all areas and amongst all types of sheep.

Shearlings:
R Loughridge, Armoy - 4000gns, 3100gns, 2800gns, 2500gns, 1000gns
T Crowe, Castlederg - 2200gns, 1600gns, 1200gns
C A Coulter, Castlederg - 2000gns, 1900gns
S J Duncan Crumlin- 1700gns
McCormick Bros, Cushendun - 1600gns
McCormick Bros, Brablagh - 1350gns
J Holden, Larne - 1200gns
E McKeegan, Cushendall - 1150gns
A & H Christie, Ballymoney - 1000gns.

Ram lambs:-
E McKeegan, Cushendall - 4800gns, 2200gns
C Coulter, Castlederg - 3400gns
S Hammond, Cookstown - 2000gns, 1300gns, 800gns, 520gns
McCormick Bros - 1700gns, 750gns, 600gns, 520gns
A & J Minnis, Comber - 1600gns
T Wray, Carnlough - 1200gns, 950gns
A Montgomery, Glenarm - 1100gns
M Wright, Carnlough - 500gns.

Females:-
J Brown & Sons, Banbridge - 200gns
R Loughridge - 190gns, (2) 160gns, 150gns, 140gns
R Mulligan, Banbridge - 140gns
S J Duncan, Crumlin - (4) 140gns.

Shearling judging