Aberdeenshire breeder, Stuart Wood's Woodies flock was back in winning form amongst the gimmers, selling the equal highest priced lot at 7000gns.

Mr Wood who produced three of the top four highest priced shearling rams, sold his best, Woodies Earwig, at this price to Rosie Boden, Mellor Vale, Stockport. A naturally-born daughter of the retained tup, Woodies Cookie Monster, a Loandhu Bonzo son whose full sister sold for 7500gns, Earwig is out of Artnagullion Butterfly, by Ardstewart Armani.

Matching that 7000gns call was Lakeview Earn Your Keep, from Northern Ireland breeder, Gary Beacom. His pen leader, a naturally born entry by Langlands Bruiser which sold last year for 5200gns as an aged ram also boasts Loandhu Bonzo in her pedigree with the dam, Aviemore Curie which was bought at Lanark after standing pre-sale champion, being a daughter. Earn Your Keep was purchased by Neil Laing, buying for his children, Euan, Fiona and Kirsten’s Perryflatts flock from Lanark.

Two gimmers also realised 5000gns to include Alan Miller’s Lurg Ella ET, from Midmar, Inverurie, which sold in a two-way split to Lanarkshire breeders, Alfie Taylor, Heatheryhall, and Gordon Harrison buying for his Gordy’s flock from Carnwath. Their purchase is the result of a flush from the Carrigans Bob Lee Swagger daughter, Woodies Classy Girl ET, and sired by the 5000gns Bailey Brook CR7.

Also making 5000gns was John Cowan’s Brickrow Emma from Ayr. She is by the privately purchased Beckbred Crusader which sold for 1900gns as an aged ram on Thursday, out of the Loandhu Bullet-bred Brickrow Coca Cola and sold to Wannops Farms, Morecambe, Lancs

At 4800gns was Alasdair MacLean’s Tiree Early Bird ET, all the way from the island of Tiree, purchased by Welsh breeders, Michael and Heulwen Owens, buying for their Glantre flock. By Skiddaw View Del Boy, Early Bird is out of Alasdair’s proven brood ewe, Tiree Spice, a Woodies Ringleader daughter that has bred sons to 15,000gns.

Irish breeders, Wade and Alison McCrabbe saw their Ardstewart Evoke sell to Andrew Wood, Withy Trees, Preston, Lancs, for 4000gns. Her pedigree features the 27,000gns Kingledores Crusader, on to the Dooley Napal daughter, Ardstewart Clipso.

Strong demand throughout ensured 81% of the gimmers forward for sale found new homes.

Averages: 246 gimmers £922.35 (+270.97 for 443 fewer).

OTHERLEADING prices

Gimmers – 3000gns – J Ferguson’s Vicky’s Emerald, by Bailey Brook Chief, to S Wood, Woodies; CG Mair and Partners’ Aviemore Ella ET, by Kingledores Destroyer, to H and R Owen, Wye Valley; A MacLean’s Tiree Elise ET, by Skiddaw View Del Boy, to J Ferguson, Vicky’s.