The second of three Christmas Texel sales took place in Cootehill Mart, Co Cavan, on Tuesday night.

Fifty-two catalogued pedigree Texel ewes went under the hammer in the Texel Twilight Sale, with online bidding and ringside bidding available.

In line with Monday’s Texel sale in Carrick-on-Shannon, bidding was brisk and an almost 100% clearance rate was achieved, with only one hogget going home unsold and 51 finding new homes.

Topping the trade on the night was Pat and Barry Farrell’s Oberstown flock from Co Meath. Having topped last year’s sale, it was a similar story in 2020, with the father and son duo achieving nine out of the top 10 prices.

Leading the prices was their March 2019-born hogget by Knap Arthur Daley going back to a Teiglum Windfall ewe. She was scanned in lamb with triplets to the €6,700 Tamnamoney Denzil.

This smart hogget has stacks of breeding, with her granddam being a full-sister to the famous €7,350 2014 Blessington Champion Oberstown Usain Bolt.

After a bidding frenzy, she was eventually knocked down at €2,850.

Next highest call also came from the Oberstown flock for their Auldhouseburn Bullitt hogget going back to a Cowal Rising Star ewe.

This hogget was scanned with twins to the 15,000gns Knock Yardsman and sold for €2,550. The 10 hoggets forward from the Oberston flock averaged €1,765 each.

Monaghan breeder Malachy McMeel from Emyvale also had a great night’s trading.

Top price in his pen went to a Feb 2019-born hogget by Deveronvale Aftershock in lamb with a single to Lawn Del Boy. She was knocked down at €1,300.

Malachy’s seven hoggets sold to an average price of €1,002.

Malachy McMeel had a good night, with his lot 11 being sold for €1,000. \ Mullagh

Next highest pen average went to Charlie Clarke’s Mullaghrafferty flock. The Monaghan man averaged €903 each for his pen of six hoggets.

Top of his pen went to a Gailey Bold hogget going back to a Hillcrest Topshot ewe. She was scanned in lamb with twins to Kilclammon Dontrell and sold for €1,060.

Robert and James Dunne from the Kilduff flock, Belturbet, Co Cavan, also had a good night’s trading, with the Cavan men’s pen of six hoggets averaging €779 each.

Top call in their pen went to their Strathbogie Boss-sired hogget going back to a Procters Yabba Dabba Do ewe.

She was scanned in lamb with two lambs to Arkle Crackerjack and was sold at €960.

For a full sale report, read the pedigree section of next week’s Irish Farmers Journal.