There was a strong entry of just under 100 quality females catalogued for the NI Charollais sheep society female export sale held in Dungannon Farmers Mart.

There was a large crowd of buyers in attendance from across Ireland and the UK.

Demand for quality lots was high, with bids flying in from all directions.

Topping the sale selling for 4,800gns (€5,721) was a super ewe lamb from Graham Foster’s well-known Newtownstewart-based Springhill flock.

This super ewe lamb was sired by Springhill Crackerjack, a son of one of the breed greats Boyo Bravemansgame.

Her dam was Fosters renowned Oakchurch ewe, the dam of the 10,000gns Spinghill Casino Royal and Springhill Coco Chanel the 2025 Balmoral Interbreed champion, as well as many more top class males and females.

This sale topping ewe lamb had also been a member of Springhill show team, where she picked up first in a strong pair of ewe lambs class at the Northern Ireland Charollais sheep National Championships.

It was young up-and-coming Donegal breeders Wilson and Gallagher that purchased the ewe in a two-way split after extremely competitive ringside bidding.

Another ewe lamb from the Springhill flock followed close behind, selling for 4,400gns (€5,246) to JP Graham and son from Cumbria.

This second highest priced lot was also a daughter of Springhill Crackerjack, this time out of a homebred Boyo Walk this Way-sired Springhill ewe.

This ewe lamb was also a member of the show team, winning first prize ewe lamb at Omagh Show.

The next ewe lamb to come from the Springhill pen was a serious bodied Springhill Aston Martin daughter.

She was picked up by H. Keys from Fivemiletown with a winning bid of 2,800gns (€3,336).

Another super Springhill ewe lamb went on to breach the 2,000 mark when she sold for 2,600gns (€3,098).

This flashy ewe lamb was sired by southern ram Bolinaspect Captain Morgan, the top priced ram lamb from Blessington 2024.

It was Welsh breeder H. Turner that placed the winning bid to secure this proud ewe lamb.

On the day, Foster achieved the highest pen average of 2,265gns (€2,699) for his 10 ewe lambs sold.

Other top priced ewe lambs

Bushmills-based breeder David Anderson also came to Dungannon with a serious consignment of ewe lambs.

The cracking Ballyhunsley pen was topped at 3,000gns (€3,575) by a seriously well-built Springhill Bobby Dazzler daughter.

This lamb was also a full sister to the 2025 Dungannon premier sale female champion.

Paying out on this occasion was Graham Foster to add this carcass machine to the mighty Springhill flock.

Anderson went on to achieve a strong pen average of 1,270gns (€1,513).

In-lamb shearling ewes

The large shearling ewe section was topped by Beechview 24PQ00579 from Co. Tyrone-based breeders George and Jason Booth.

This powerful Beechview Boom daughter was scanned in-lamb carrying twins to Tullyear Amazon.

It was Co. Armagh-based breeder Nigel Flanagan that placed the winning bid of 2,800gns (€3,336) to secure the top priced in-lamb female of the sale.

Glen Baird of the Co. Armagh-based Aghavilly flock also had a great day with a strong pen of quality in-lamb females.

The quality was well rewarded, with Bairds first lot into the ring selling for 2,200gns (€2,621).

This pen topper was sired by Aghavilly Belvedere, a Rhaeadr Orlando son, and she was scanned carrying a single to Iskeymeadow Courthouse.

It was A. Killion from Co. Roscommon that purchased the Aghavilly pen topper.

The second Aghavilly shearling into the ring sold for 2,000gns (€2,384) to A. Crothers from Newtownabbey.

She was also scanned in-lamb to Iskeymeadow Courthouse, this time carrying twins.

She herself was sired by Loanhead Virgil Van Dijk and out of a Logie Durno-bred Foxhill Va Va Voom daughter.

Baird went on to achieve a strong average of 1,400gns (€1,668) for his pen of in-lamb shearling ewes.

Also having a strong day selling was the McAllister family of the Artnagullion flock - a flock that needs no introduction.

It was Artnagullion 24ZGQ06222, a shearling ewe with a super carcass, that topped the family’s pen when she sold for 2,000gns (€2,384) to H. Keys.

She was sired by Artnagullion Bushwacker and scanned in-lamb, carrying twins to the highly admired Artnagullion Bandit.

Overall sale averages

Overall the sale was a great success, with the clearance rate up considerably on the 2024 sale.

Sale averages where also up considerably on the 2024 sale, with in-lamb shearling ewes averaging £991.20 (€1,125) (up £46.53) and ewe lambs averaging a strong £1,431.60 (€1,625) (up an extremely impressive £544.06).