Cheviot rams command top price of £3,800 at Dingwall

Farming News

Trade hit a top of £3,800 at the annual sale of North Country Cheviot rams at Dingwall yesterday.

Sale leader was a home-bred two-shear by the £2,400 Rawburn Niagara from Bill and Fanny Elliot’s 900-ewe Hethpoolflock near Wooler, Northumberland.

Bred out of a home-bred ewe, he sold to Philiphaugh Estate, Selkirk.

Next best at £3,500 when sold to James McCaig Farms, Falkirk, was the pen leader from Suisgill Estate, Kildonan, Helmsdale. Brought out by shepherd David Henderson this home-bred two-shear is by Bailenacraobh Model – a tup bought for £7,000 at Lairg in 2013, which sired a £13,000 Suisgill tup sold at Lairg last year.

Messrs MacGregor, Shieldaig, Strathcarron, paid £2,900 for another home-bred two-shear from Suisgill, this time a son of Achentoul Rooter – a tup bought for £900 at Dingwall in 2015.

Two others from the flock peaked at £2,000 apiece, including a son of the £3,000 Torrish Peller, which sold to WJC and SJ Weir, Mainside Farm, Hownam, Kelso, and another son of Bailenacraobh Model, which was bought by D Bruce, 27 Portgower, Helmsdale.

Shearlings from Dingwall and Highland Marts’ auctioneer, Paul Spencer of Rhifail Farms, Strathnaver, also proved popular when they peaked at £2,400 twice.

Both by Badanloch Warlord, one sold to Sorbietrees Farm, Hillend, Newcastleton, while the other went home with Joyce Campbell, Armadale.

Also selling for £2,400 was the pre-sale champion from the Thomsons at Hownam Grange, Kelso.

This was the reserve champion from the Royal Highland Show, a four-shear tup bred at Keppoch. He sold to Dunbeath Farms.

Just behind on £2,100 was another from the Thomson family, this time a two-shear from their Kelsocleugh flock, which sold totheAttonburnflockat Yetholm.

“Two others from the same flock peaked at £2,000 apiece”

The £3,800 North Country Cheviot tup from Hethpool at the Dingwall North Country Cheviot ram sales