It was an emotional day for Allen Shortt, Samantha Allen, and Bailey Smyth with the entirety of the Derg Dutch spotted flock finding new homes all across Ireland and the UK.

The highly anticipated sale on Saturday, November 15 drew in a large crowd of Dutch Spotted enthusiasts to Ballymena Livestock Mart from all parts of Ireland and the UK, where they witnessed records fall and history being made.

It was the sale's most talked about lot, Craigdoo Firefly, that was the first lot to hit the sales ring, getting the sale off to an almighty start when she sold for a new female record of 25,000gns (€30,433).

This standout ewe was originally bred by Orla and Patrick Grant of the Craigdoo flock and was purchased by the Derg flock in 2023 at the 'Big Bang' sale.

From there she went on to do tremendously well in the Derg flock, including winning Breed Champion and Reserve Interbreed Champion at the 2024 Balmoral show.

The super ewe was also scanned in-lamb carrying twins to Derg Hat Trick, one of the flock's super stock rams. It was a UK buyer that placed the record-breaking bid on the sale's standout lot.

Derg flock dispersal

One buyer went on to purchase all five of the scanned recipients that followed carrying Firefly embryos for an average of 2,520gns (€3,004), securing this special bloodline.

Following directly after Firefly was another one of the flock favourites, Diamond Gloria. Gloria is another ewe that needs no introduction, being the mother of the super stock ram Derg Hat Trick.

Gloria is also a daughter of possibly one of the most well-known ewes in the breed, Bella II, the mother of the 28,000gns Diamond Fireball and numerous other high-profile lambs.

It was Welsh man William Price that secured this top breeding ewe with his final bid of 10,000gns (€11,922). The 2023-born ewe was scanned in-lamb to Diamond Got the Moves.

The demand for these top-quality flush ewes remained strong with Derg Homegirl following after selling for 12,000gns (€14,306) to young Northern Ireland-based breeder Liam Lynn.

This flashy 2024-born shearling ewe was a daughter of Sunnybank Geronimo and the highly admired ewe Cashel Hill Faydell.

Homegirl was also a full sister to Derg Honeybee, the 2024 NI premier sale champion that sold for 11,000gns.

Another super shearling ewe named Derg Hip Hop hit the ring next, selling for 8,000gns (€9,537) to UK-based breeder Tom Buckland. Hip Hop was scanned carrying twins to Derg Hat Trick.

Hip Hop's dam, Milltown Flossie, followed quickly after selling for a price of 4,000gns (€4,769). Flossie was a direct daughter of the well-known Drumhirk Decider.

Flossie has had a very successful career producing lambs that have sold to a high of 10,000gns. It was another UK-based breeder, Emma Barnard, that secured this proven breeder.

The Derg flock's seven flush ewes sold to a stellar average 8,871gns (€10,575) while the 41 scanned recipients carrying their embryos sold to average 1,278gns (€1,524).

Stock ewes

The slightly smaller stock ewe section was dominated by one of the flock favourites. Cashel Hill Faydell, a super 2022-born ewe that has excelled in her time in the Derg flock producing many lambs into five figure prices.

Originally bred in Co. Donegal by brothers Declan and Martin McLaughlin, she was purchased by Shortt for €5,000 at the Irish Dutch Spotted premier sale.

With a final bid of 7,000gns (€8,345) this powerful ewe will return to her native Donegal to join Dwayne Sheils' Woodtown flock.

Faydell was followed by another flock favourite, Glencloy Fannie, another 2022-born ewe. Fannie has also been a proven breeder within the Derg flock over the years breeding progeny to 12,000gns.

This tight-skinned ewe was also a daughter of the much admired Challoch Bearskin. Purchasing this super Bearskin daughter with a winning bid of 5,000gns (€5,960) was UK-based breeder Seb Ghiorghita.

The four Derg stock ewes obtained a strong average of 3,750gns (€4,470).

Shearling ewes

A strong shearling ewe consignment was topped at 4,200gns (€5,006) on two occasions. The first of the two to sell for this price was Derg Heart Throb, a daughter of Balintur Geronimo and Glencloy Desire.

She was scanned carrying two lambs to Kirkinriola I’m the Man and was purchased by Co. Wexford man, Geo Deacon.

The second to sell at the same money was Glencloy Harmony. She was sired by Merryboro Gamechanger and was also scanned carrying twins to Derg Hat Trick. She was purchased by an undisclosed buyer.

Kirkinriola Heidi was another in-lamb shearling ewe that attracted a lot of attention. She was sired by Glencloy Elliott and was scanned carrying a single to Diamond Got the Moves.

She was purchased by Seb Ghiorghita with a winning bid of 3,500gns (€4,172).

The total of 12 in-lamb shearling ewes sold to average 2,350gns (€2,801).

Ewe lambs

The temperature at Ballymena began to heat up again as the super consignment of Derg ewe lambs hit the sales ring.

The section got off to a flyer with the first ewe lamb, Derg I’m the One, selling for 10,000gns (€11,922). This special ewe lamb was sired by Diamond Got the Moves and out of the mighty Cashel Hill Faydell ewe.

Following shortly after was Derg Iconic, a classy full sister to the 15,000gns Derg Idol. This cracking March-born lamb with huge potential also went on to sell for 8,000gns (€9,536)

It was then a daughter of the sale topper Craigdoo Firefly that took to the ring. I-Catcher both by name and by nature, this girl attracted a lot of interest. However it was Seb Ghiorghita that placed the final bid of 4,500gns (€5,364) to secure the super lamb.

Derg Ice Pop followed very closely behind selling for 4,200gns (€5,006) to well-known Welsh breeder Louise Nash.

Ice Pop was an eye-catching lamb that handled extremely well. She was out of Glencloy Fannie that sold earlier in the sale for 5,000gns.

The mighty pen of 21 ewe lambs sold to average 2,648gns (€3,156).

Stock rams

The Derg flock's three stock rams where also on offer on the day. It was Derg Hat Trick that topped the stock ram consignment when he sold for 3,500gns (€4,172) to Steven Isaac.

This proven stock ram was a son of the 10,000gns Ballintur Geronimo and he was also the sire of the 15,000gns Derg Idol.

The three Derg stock rams averaged 1,833gns (€2,185).

Craigdoo guest consignment

The guest consignment from Patrick and Orla Grant's Craigdoo flock topped at 4,000gns (€4,769) for their shearling ewe Craigdoo Heart Throb.

She was sired by Merryboro Grafter and her dam was homebred ewe Craigdoo Flawless, a full sister to Firefly.

Heart Throb was scanned in-lamb to the 2025 National Show Champion Tullynagowan Iceman. It was a buyer from Northern Ireland who purchased the Grants' pen topper.