Record Prices at Ballymena Lleyn Sheep Society Sale

The 3 rd Annual Show and Sale of Lleyn Sheep at Ballymena Mart , Northern Ireland , was held on 12 th September 2009. Despite the fine weather, buyers turned out to witness centre record-breaking prices for yearling hoggets and rams.

The top seller, a yearling ram from Robert and Eileen Edwards, Carrowdore, took first prize in the show before the sale and later sold for 1500gns to Aiden McConville, a new breeder from Newry, County Down . Also going home with Mr McConville was the top priced pen of five yearling hoggets from RJ Johnston, 12 The Cedars, Antrim, which sold for £290. Ten yearling ewes, bought in 2008 at the Lleyn Sale in Ballymena, impressed Mr McConville so much with their "great maternal instincts, good carcases and ability to produce more lambs per ewe", that he has decided to start his own pedigree flock.

Some super quality sheep were put forward for the show, to be judged by Ivan Belton, Blackditch, Brittas Bay, Co Wicklow. A pen of five yearling ewes from RE & I Edwards, Carrowdore, took the top spot, and went on to sell for £170 to M Fitzsimmons, Toomullin, Co Clare. Also buying the Edwards' stock was E Magee , a commercial sheep farmer from Moybridge Farm, Newry, who took home a pen of five yearling ewes at £150 per head, to start a new pedigree flock for his 15-year-old son.

First prize in the Ewe Lamb class went to a pen of five lovely lambs from Hugo Warden, 17 Ballyhaft Road , Newtownards. These later sold for £87 to Peter and Margaret McKeon, Collon, County Louth . The McKeons took home 36 females in total, to join the ten pedigree ewes bought from Simon Brown, Ballyogan, Co Kilkenny in 2008. They currently farm 80 acres, and run a 250-strong flock of crossbred ewes. The new ewes, along with the second placed ram, a well-bred yearling from Charles & Andrew Kennedy, Mileview, Skilganaban, Ballyclare bought for 580gns, form the beginnings of their new pedigree flock, which they intend to replace all the commercial ewes with in the future.

The McKeon's were part of a large contingent of breeders and buyers from the Republic of Ireland that attended the sale, and as interest in the breed grows rapidly it bodes well for the new Lleyn Sheep Society sale in Tullow this year, to be held on 3 rd October at Tullow Mart.

A pen of five ewe lambs from Aubrey Bothwell, Derryvree House, Maguiresbridge, which were placed third in the show, went to established breeders RJ Johnston, 12 The Cedars, Antrim for the top ewe lamb price of £94.

The average prices for yearling hoggets was £116.70, with stock selling to both pedigree breeders and commercial men. Aged ewes saw a strong trade, averaging £87.03 and ewe lambs averaged £70.59. There was strong demand for the rams, which sold well, to average £542.91.

The Auctioneer, Tom Symington, was very happy with the day saying that it was "a fantastic sale, with very satisfactory prices. Yearling ewes, aged ewes and rams sold well."

The Northern Ireland Lleyn Breeders Club would like to thank animal feed manufacturer John Thompson & Sons Ltd. for generously sponsoring the Lleyn Sheep Society Show and Sale at Ballymena.

Show before the Sale Results:

Yearling Hoggets

1 st   R & E Edwards, 12A Manse Road , Carrowdore

2 nd   J Johnston , 12 The Cedars, Antrim

3 rd   N Johnston , 12 The Cedars, Antrim

Ewe Lambs

1 st   H Warden, 17 Ballyhaft Road , Newtownards

2 nd   G & J Newell, 82 Tullynore Road , Hillsborough

3 rd   A Bothwell, Derryvree House, Maguiresbridge

Rams

1 st   R & E Edwards, 12A Manse Road , Carrowdore

2 nd   C & A Kennedy, 45 Templepatrick Road , Ballyclare

3 rd   H Warden, 17 Ballyhaft Road , Newtownards

Notable Prices

Aged Ewes

Yearling Hoggets

Ewe Lambs

Rams