The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Lively trading across the spectrum of sheep breeds
BLACKNOSE SALE Valais Blacknose sheep sold to a top of 7,100gns at the Blacknose Beauties national show and sale in Carlisle.
Breeders from across the UK, including Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis and Tomintoul, Glenlivet, flocked to the event to show off their stock and make purchases for the future.
Auctioneers Harrison and Hetherington took the top bid for the reserve supreme champion from the pre-sale show.
This was March-born ram lamb Westmorland Edward from Tim Dunne’s Westmorland flock in Appleby. The buyer was Amazing Valais Blacknose Sheep, Little Foley, Bluebell Road, Earlswood, Monmouthshire.
They also paid the second best price of the day, 4,500gns, for a gimmer named Prendwick Dancer from Jamie Wood’s Prendwick flock in Alnwick, Northumberland.
Next best at 4,200gns was April 2016-born tup lamb Highland Duke from Raymond Irvine and Jenny Mcallister’s Highland flock at Tomintoul. He heads to Northern Ireland with R Beattie of 109 Glenpark Road, Omagh, Co. Tyrone.
Other leading prices include 3,800gns for January-born ewe lamb Prendwick Dandelion from Jamie Wood, and 3,600gns for March-born ewe lamb Westmorland Elsie from Tim Dunne. The buyer for both was Amazing Valais Blacknose Sheep.
BELTEX SALE Scottish breeders were out in force at the Beltex Beauties Sale in Carlisle.
The top price of the day at the sale of pedigree Beltex gimmers was 7,500gns for Buckles Babybel from K and R Buckle and J and T Buckle at Buckles Farm, Barras, Kirkby Stephen.
An embryo transfer daughter of Plumtree Wonderful and out of Woodies Natasha, she was breed champion at the Cumberland Show earlier this year. The buyer was Stuart Wood, who runs the Woodies flock at Woolhillock Croft, Skene, Westhill.
Mr Wood also paid 2,600gns for Kingledores Beatrice, from Richard T Wood at Kingledores Farm, Biggar. She is by Woodies Williams and out of Kingledores Pearl. The Aberdeenshire breeder was also selling stock at the sale, achieving a top price of 6,500gns for Woodies Buttermilk.
By Double O Seven and out of Nelly Furtado de Noblehaye, she sold to Rosie Boden, Mellor Hall Farm Cottage, Mellor, Stockport, Cheshire.
Meanwhile, Huntly breeders Ross and Kirsty Williams, who run the Blackjack flock at Upper Tullochbeg, achieved a top of 2,600gns for Black Jack Bang Tidy, by Padkin Sugar Daddy and out of Black Jack The Crocodile. She sold to Zoey Rennie, 4 South Street, Newmill, Keith.
Lastly, Huntly farmers G and L Carroll, of Edendiack, paid 7,000gns for Airyolland Betty Boo from Neil and Janet McQuistin, at High Airyolland New Luce, Newton Stewart.
She is by Airyolland Pagan and out of Airyolland Rihanna.
The Carrolls also paid 1,800gns for Black Jack Bambi, by Lugate Arex and out of Black Jack The Devil.
BLUE TEXELS SALE Blue Texels sold to a top of 4,000gns at the breed’s northern supreme show and sale at Carlisle.
The sale topper was the pre-sale show supreme champion, February-born ram lamb Pistyll Buck Shot from GA and HM Francis, from Pistyll Uchaf, Abergorlech, Carmarthen.
By imported sire Pistyll Xtreme, he sold to Eastbury Livestock, 2 Bussey Stool Farm, Blandford, Dorset.
In the female section a top price of 1,900gns was paid for gimmer Glanfaron Blues from MR Sivill, Plas Coch Farm, Denbighshire.
By Blue Stone and out of Beili Blues Alice, she sold to Neil Barclay, South Road, Insch.
FEARN FARM SALE Award-winning Highland sheep farmer John Scott enjoyed a record average at his on-farm ram sale.
Mr Scott farms in partnership with his parents and his wife Fiona at Fearn Farm, near Tain.
The on-farm sale of rams, conducted by Dingwall and Highland Marts, attracted buyers from across Scotland and beyond.
Aberfield shearlings led the charge with 38 selling to an average of £860.72 and two selling for the top price of 1,300gns each.
Texels were also in demand, selling to a top of 1,250gns three times and averaging £822.44 for 34 sold.
New Zealand Suffolk shearlings topped at 1,050gns, and the 24 sold averaged at £815.94.
Lastly, a small number of Beltex and Beltex cross rams sold to a top of 550gns and an average of £504 for the five sold.