Hethpool Banger matches £18k high
THE £18,000 centre record price for a North Country Cheviot hill-type ram at Lockerbie in 2021, was equalled at this year’s event, when David and Alison Rock, and son, James, took the same money for a two-shear Hethpool ram.
The family, who took over flock two years ago in the College Valley, Northumberland, topped the trade with the Hethpool Banger – a son of the homebred Hethpool X-Rated which led the 2020 Lairg sale at £12,000 when selling to Bob and Kay Adam, Auldallan.
Out of a home-bred ewe, he sold in a two-way split to Rob Bennett, of the Plasucha flock, Wales, and David Baillie, Calla, Lanark.
A few moments later, another two-shear, Hethpool Bam Bam, made £8000 to Norman and David Douglas, Whitehope, Selkirk. He is by the Northhouse Reliant-sired Sorbietrees Victor.
On the debit side, Hethpool forked out £16,000 for Woodside Bourbon, from Michael and Lillias Elliot, from Yetholm, Kelso. A son of Intack Vodka Shot, a ram purchased at Dingwall in 2019 for £4500, he is bred from an Attonburn-sired home-bred ewe.
Robert and Becca Rennie, of the Attonburn flock, based in the Bowmont Valley, near Kelso, sold their pen leader, Attonburn Bittersweet, for an impressive £10,000. This two-shear is by the £1300 Heatherhope Vicious Stu – bought here in 2018 – and headed home to join the Elliots’ Woodside flock.
His similarly aged pen mate, Attonburn Banshee, was knocked down at £4500 to RS Flintoff of the Sourhope flock, based at Kelso. He is a son of an Elsdonburn ram and out of a home-bred ewe.
Despite being second last in the ring, Norman and David Douglas’ Whitehope flock, from Catslackburn, sold to £8000 for the threeshear ram, Whitehope Asterix. Second in his class at this year’s Royal Highland Show, he is by Suisgill Vanguard – bought at Lairg in 2018 – and headed home with RS Flintoff.
Four tups hit the £7000 mark, including an entry from Gareth Price’s Cymraeg flock, from Wales. His Hownam Grange Valiente son was purchased by Hugh and Sandy Wilson, Newbank, Beattock.
George Irving’s Benger flock, from Yarrow, sold two at £7000 – Benger Beirne and Benger Barbarian, both of which are by the £1800 Hethpool Wattie, bought here in 2019. The former sold to Ian and Katherine Hepburn, Northhouse, Hawick, with the latter purchased by CM Reid, Boreland, Peebles-shire.
Benger Batman, another by Wattie, then made £5000 to Robert and Becca Rennie, Attonburn.
The last of the £7000 bids came for Newbank Blizzard from Hugh and Sandy Wilson. This son of Hethpool Vandal was bought by Messrs Mullholland, Shaws Farm.
Blizzard’s pen mate, Newbank Brutus, made £4500 to R and M McIntosh, Borthwickshiels, Roberton, Hawick. He is by the Bailenacraobh-sired Keppoch ram.
Drew Oliver’s two-shear ram, Sorbietrees Bravo, from his Newcastleton-based flock hit £6000. A son of Whitchesters Salvo – a sire purchased at Lairg in 2017 for £3500 with Commonside – he headed home with RJ and L Acton, Bradley Farm, Bardon Mill, Northumberland.
Portmore Cannonball, from CM Reid’s Peebles-shirebased flock also attracted a bid of £5000 when selling to Annandale and Lochwood Estates, Lockerbie. Backed by home-bred genetics on both sides, he is a son of the Hethpool Wildcard-sired Portmore Banksy.
On the credit side, Ian and Katherine Hepburn’s North House flock sold its best for £4500. Northhouse Banner, by Whitehope Vagabond, was knocked down to the Rocks, from Hethpool.
Two rams matched that £4500 bid, the first being Hartside Hill Bugle from Linhope Farming Partnership, Alnwick. Shaws Farm, Ettrick Valley, were the final bidders on this Elsdonburn Warrior son.
Also making £4500 was Buchtrig Brigadier from Pete Tweedie, Jedburgh. He is by a £550 Clebrig tup bought at Lairg in 2019 and sold to Newbank.