South-type Blackface rams sought after at Stirling sale

Significantly more Blackface rams were traded at the breed's sale at Stirling on Saturday of north and south-types.

The 1,203 sold to gross £767,641 – a £113,981 increase on last year when there were 998 put through the two rings at United Auctions.

South- types favoured better than the northies. The average for the 753 shearlings was £ 661, against £669 for 589 in 2011. The 235 ram lambs sold to average £532. Althoughdown£18aheadon 2011, the trade this year involved 45 more rams.

Flockmaster Ian Hunter, of Dalchirla, Muthill, Crieff, led the south- types at £14,000. Four from his pen, all by a £30,000 Aitkenhead, sold for in excess of £2,500.

His leader, out of ahomebred son of a £28,000Midlock which also sired Mr Hunter's £90,000 Blackface record- priced ram, was acquired by Allan Wight, of J. Wight and Son, Midlock, Crawford, Biggar.

At£4,800 from Dalchirla was one out of a ewe by an £11,000 Connachan which was split four ways. Taking a share were J. D. Patterson, of Glenree, Arran; Andy Woodburn, ofNetherwood, and Sanny Blackwood, Greenside, both Muirkirk; and W. Stevenson, of Balrazzie, Ballintrae.

Mr Hunter also sold at £3,000 and £2,500.

Jake and Betty Aitken and son, Robert, of Overton, Fintry, Glasgow, were next best at £10,000 for a shearling, by a £300 Dyke and out of a ewe by a £7,000 Dyke. They had the sire on loan as a lamb and then bought him as a shearling. They run 700 ewes, of which 400 are pure. Buyers of the shearling were David and Jock Jackson, of Pole, Lochgoilhead, and the MacArthurs, of Nunnerie, Elvanfoot.

A lamb, by a £ 17,000 Dyke and out of a ewe by a £ 36,000 Drumgrange, fromHugh Blackwood and son, Alan, of Auldhouseburn, Muirkirk, was bid to £8,000 by DavidMurray, of Lurgan, Aberfeldy, and Jim Fairlie, KindrumPark, Harriotfield, Logiealmond, Perth.

The Wights topped at £5,000 with a shearling. It was by the Connachan loan, Chuckie, a £16,000 Connachan, and out of a ewe by a £5,000 Dalwyne. Northern Irishman Brendan MacAllister was the buyer.

Alan Smith, who runs 1,600 ewes at Crosswoodburn, West Calder, had his best trade yet at £4,500 for a shearling by a home-bred

“South-types favoured better than the northies”

son of a £1,000 Overton and out of a ewe by a £3,200 Gosland. He was bought by R. and M. McIntosh, of Outer Huntly, Ashkirk, Selkirk.

Going for the same price was a shearling, by a homebred grandson of a £9,000 Blackhouse and out of a ewe by a £9,000 Pole, from Willie Graham, of Craigdarroch, Sanquhar, to Ken and JohnMatheson, ofMilton of Aberarder, Dores, Inverness.

J. W. Bennie and Sons, of Merkins, Alexandria, accepted £4,500 for a shearling, by a £9,000 Elmscleugh, from Peter Junor, of Ballaggan, Dores, near Inverness. The Bennies also sold at £3,000 a shearling by a £4,500 Nunnerie, to Peter Menzies, of Corrylorn, Kilninver, Oban.

At £3,800 was a shearling, by a £28,000 Dyke, from C. C. MacArthur and Co, of Nunnerie, Biggar, to Mr Henderson.

Tommy Renwick, of Williamhope, Clovenfords, Galashiels, sold at £3,600 to Malcolm Coubrough, of Whelphill, Crawford, a shearling, by an £11,000 Dyke.

Jimmy and DonaldMacgregor, of Dyke, Milton of Campsie, received £3,200 from Billy Macpherson, of Blackford, Croy, Inverness, for a shearling, by the £8,000 Jumpin' Jack.

The Dunlops, Willie and sons, Quintin and William, of Elmscleugh, Innerwick, were bid to £ 3,000 by crofter Donald John Macdonald, of Braes, Portree, for a shearling, by a £2,000 Greenside and out of a ewe by a £10,000 Elmscleugh.

The same price was paid for a shearling, by a £1,300 Allanfauld, from Ben Cluckie, ofLochRyanFarm Partners, to Mr Couborough.

James Duncan Millar, of Remony Estate, Aberfeldy, sold at £3,000 a shearling, by a home-bred son of a £ 6,000 Dyke and of a Kingledores-sired ewe, to Alnwick'sBurncastleFarming Co and Prof W. A. Penny, Harehead, Duns.

Among other prices were: