Females from the Howgillfoot and Strathbogie flocks proved the star attraction at the Three Nations Suffolk sale at Carlisle, securing the majority of the lead prices to include the top two at 18,000gns and 15,000gns.
The entry of 98 registered females from 18 flocks saw prices peak at 18,000gns for the pre-sale champion, an ET-bred gimmer from Lilia Hutchinson and her father Richard's Howgillfoot flock from Kirkby Stephen. Backed by the best of breeding she is the result of a flush from a home-bred ewe by Forkins Dizzee Rascal out of a Strathisla ewe, that is a sister to Limestone Action Martin. The sire is the Solwaybank Major son, Howgillfoot Major Mark.
A maternal sister to the 2500gns female sold to Paul Delves at the Black Magic online sale, the sale leader sold due in January carrying a pair of lambs to the Shrewsbury purchase, Rookery Mean Machine, to Charlie Boden of the Sportsmans flock from Stockport.
Howgillfoot had a flying trade, selling five to average just shy of £9000, with others selling at 8000gns and 7000gns twice.
Selling at 8000gns to Chris Holmes and his daughter Sally, of the Rookery flock from Worcester was a sister to Lakeview Innuendo, Armani, Heart of Gold and I'll be Back. Bred from the same family as Harbinger and Hith the Diff, this natural-born gimmer which made up the first prize pair at the pre-sale show, is by Howgillfoot Sniper, a son of Limestone Limited Edition, and out of a Lakeview ewe by Lakeview Lyphard. She sold due with a pair of lambs to Rookery Mean Machine.
The other half of the winning duo from the Hutchinsons, made 7000gns to Rory and Pat Machray of the Middlemuir flock from Inverurie. Another backed by Mark Priestley's Lakeview genetics, this natural-born gimmer is bred from a Lakeview ewe by Rookery Rodeo that is a full sister to the pre-sale Shrewsbury champion, Lakeview Bob, and sired by Crewelands Captain Crusader. She also sold in lamb to Mean Machine carrying a single.
Matching that 7000gns sale was the last lot from the Howgillfoot consignment, another gimmer by Captain Crusader but bred from a home-bred ewe by Birness Buckshot and due with a pair of lambs to Mean Machine. She headed home with Robin Irwin of the Kings flock from Umberleigh, Devon.
On the debit side, Howgillfoot bought the lead priced ewe lamb at 5000gns from Mark Priestley's Limestone flock from Seaforde, Downpatrick, Northern Ireland. This was an ET entry bred from a ewe by Limestone Aston Martin which is an ET sister to the 5000gns Trex that bred the 25,000gns Kells Blessington champion and sired by Forkins McCoy.
Aberdeenshire breeder, Jim Innes and shepherd Michael Leggat, Dunscroft, Huntly, also had a great day with sales at 15,000gns and 5500gns from the Strathbogie flock.
Their best, an ET gimmer that stood second in her class at the pre-sale show, is the result of a flush from a Strathisla ewe by Strathisla Stiffler that bred AK Magic and Twenty Twenty. A daughter of Forkins McCoy, she sold scanned with a single lamb to Muirton the Joker, to Stephen Cobbald, Acton, Suffolk.
Charlie Boden bought the 5500gns Strathbogie gimmer, an ET from a home-bred daughter of the Strathisla ewe and sired by Crewelands Kingpin. She changed hands carrying two lambs to Frongoy Explosion.
Heading up to Dumfriesshire with Messrs Austin, New Abbey, at 4200gns was the lead gimmer from Dafydd Jones' flock from Wales. Bred from the best female line in the flock from Pennant, Llanon, her dam, a home-bred ewe by Ballynacannon Black Diamond, was overall champion at the Royal Welsh in 2019, while the sire is Morris Assassin. The service sire of the two lambs she is carrying is Strathbogie Never Say Never.
Just behind, on 4000gns, the first prize ewe lamb and reserve overall champion from Myfyr Evans' Rhaeadr flock from Denbighshire, was knocked down to Messrs Oare, Brynford, Holywell. Her pedigree features the 30,000gns 2020 Sire of the Year, Salopian Scuderia onto a Lakeview ewe by Limestone Limited Edition
OTHERLEADING prices
Ewe lambs – 3200gns – Rhaeadr, by Ardlea Arbennig, to Messrs Oare, Brynford. 3000gns – Morris, by Solwaybank Pound Stretcher, to S Lathangie, Pyston, Glenrothes
Gimmers – 3000gns – R Roth, Tolgus, by Howgillfoot Hugo Boss and due to Ballynacannon Trilogy, to Messrs Cobbald, Acton; I and J Barbour, Solwaybank, by Crewelands Carolus and due to Sportsmans Golden Moments to D Jones, Frongoy.
averages: Howgillfoot flock – Five lots, £8988; Stratbogie – three lots, £8050; Frongoy – four lots, £2730; Limestone – four lots, £2677; Solwaybank – three lots, £2455; Rhaeadr – six lots, £2275. Overall – five aged ewes, £1134; 44 gimmers, £2880; 24 ewe lambs, £1631.
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
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