Beltex sheep breeders enjoyed a sound trade at the breed’s two-day show and sale at Carlisle with averages up on the year and for a 94.6% clearance.
Such was the demand for big shearling rams with shape and that all-important hard, back-end muscle that no fewer than 17 sold at prices of 5000gns or more with the cream selling to 60,000gns, 22,000gns, 18,000gns twice and 10,000gns on two occasions.
Furthermore, it was pedigree and commercial producers who fuelled the trade, according to Harrison and Hetherington auctioneer Jimmy Little.
“The adaptability and the versatility of the Beltex breed really shone through this week,” he said.
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“The prime lamb market has dictated that weight has paid this year. We have seen the strong, tight-skinned, well-boned sheep displaying the ability to produce weight into their progeny find favour with commercial and pedigree breeders alike.
“A clearance rate of 94.6% for the shearlings is seldom seen within pedigree sheep sales, and coupled with a rising average has resulted in two fabulous days of trading for the Beltex.”
It was nevertheless late on the second day before breeders were able to catch a glimpse of the 60,000gns sale leader from Brian Ryder’s Ryders flock from Newton, Moffat. His pen leader, Ryder Jordan, a natural-born lamb brought out by Les Charlton, is the first son sold by Tanqueray Gladiator, a Woodies Edgy son bought from Grant Dinnie for 6200gns at Lanark in 2022. The dam, Ryder Gabby is sired by the Aviemore Casual-sired Ryder Forest, that was retained for breeding.
Jordan more than quadrupled the 75-ewe flock’s previous best of 14,000gns when selling to three Shropshire flocks, buying the tup for his carcase and character: Paul and Christine Tippetts of the Hackney flock, Shifnal; Liam Swinnerton of the Lipley flock from Market Drayton; and Mr Tippetts and Gerwyn Jones of the Pager flock.
Hackney and Lipley, alongside David Thornley of the Dooley flock from Wartoft Grange, Leics, also went in partnership to buy Dan Towers’ third shearling from the 30-ewe Curwen Hill flock from Scale House, Wray, Lancs, which made 10,000gns. This was Curwen Hill Jericho, an ET bred from the Rathbone Desperado daughter Curwen Hill Glam Girl which is a full sister to the 18,000gns Curwen Hill George. The sire was Airyolland Goin’ Gets Tough.
Lancs-based breeder Sue Wilkinson, who runs just 15 ewes in her Langlands flock from Barningham, Richmond, also achieved a flock record when selling Langlands Jack The Lad for 22,000gns. An ET-bred shearling, he is the result of a flush from the Swffryd Express daughter Ardstewart Gaynor, and sired by Smart Ass Alfie which was bought as a lamb for 4200gns. A team of five purchased this big lad to include: Robert Cockburn, Hill of Errol, Perth; Ian Hunter, Dalchirla Farms, Crieff; Gordon and David Gray, Ettrick, Selkirk; Neil Harvey, Blackadder, Duns; and Grant Maxwell, Faughhill, Melrose.
Mr Maxwell was another in buying mode, taking a half share of Andrew Baillie’s No 2, Callacrag Jesus ET, which made 18,000gns in a two-way sale with Andrew Morton and family of the Lochend flock from Denny, Stirling. The tup, which was placed at the Royal Highland last year and sired this year’s second prize ram lamb at Ingliston from Kingledores, is the result of a flush from the Mortons Cheeky Boy-sired Callacrag Erma which has bred sons to 11,000gns. The sire of this tup from Carstairs Mains, Lanarkshire, is Callacrag Hot Shot, a son of the 8000gns Wannop’s Firecracker retained for breeding.
Faughhill also bought the pen leader at 5000gns. Carstairs Jagerbomb ET, owned by son Cameron Baillie (18), is another by Callacrag Hot Shot.
Financing those transactions, Faughhill sold shearling rams to 9000gns, 7000gns and 6000gns, and the previous night received 16,000gns for a ram lamb.
His dearest shearling was the last lot in the pen, Faughhill Jackal, an ET bred from Faughhill Full Swing, a daughter of Faughhill Elephant in the Room which was used as a lamb and sold the following year for 8000gns. The sire is the 11,000gns Kingledores Godzilla which has bred sons to 8000gns. Jackal was purchased over the phone by Paul Slater, Macclesfield, Cheshire.
Godzilla was also behind Mr Maxwell’s pre-sale champion Faughhill Julius ET which also stood second in his class at the Royal Highland and was knocked down at 7000gns to Jonathan Wales, Thackwood, Carlisle. His dam is Faughhill Frangipan, a daughter of Faughhill Elliot and one of 60 ewes in the flock.
Just behind on 6000gns, Faughhill Jackpot ET, bred from Eildon Carol and sired by Kingledores Hercules, sold in a two-way split to Borders breeders, Rob Rennie, Attonburn, Kelso and Stuart Robson, Buckholm, Galashiels.
Earlier in the day, James Wannop took 18,000gns for Wannop’s Jetski, a naturally-born shearling from the 500-cow Holstein dairy unit at Heaton Hall, Morecambe that runs alongside a 50-ewe Beltex flock. Reserve male at Penrith Show, he is sired by the £6500 Aviemore Festival, a tup owned in partnership with Rosie Boden that has since been sold to Dan Towers. The dam, Wannop’s Gucci is sired by Brotherton Fynley. Brian Ryder was the final bidder on Jetski.
The final consignment of the day also produced a five-figure sale when William McMillan’s Carse Jump Start from Garheugh, Port William, made 10,000gns selling to Aberdeenshire breeders Ross and Kirsty Williams, Aboyne and Rory Gregor, Inverurie. For their money they get this year’s breed champion at Dumfries Show and reserve at Stranraer, which was the result of the 2200gns in-lamb female purchase, Matt’s Gillyflower, served to Buckles Fizzy Pop.
First-time consignor Tegwyn Jones, Carmarthenshire, was another in the money, taking 9000gns from the Ingram family, Logie Durno, for his sole entry Teg Jelly Baby ET. He is the result of a flush from the Dooley Bulldozer daughter Sinclair’s Fantasia which was bought at the flock dispersal and sired by the popular Gyffin Dexter.
Top price for Alan Miller of Miller Farms, Inverurie, was 8000gns paid by Messrs Bell, Carluke, for Lurg Judgey ET, bred from Ardstewart Crazy Angel and sired by Woodies Explosive that has sired lambs to 50,000gns and 45,000gns for the 30-strong ewe flock.
Neil Harvey is better known for Texel sheep, but he produced a 7000gns Beltex shearling for Blackadder Jaws, a natural born lamb by the 18,000gns Curwen Hill George out of Blackadder Ella. The tup, from Blackadder Mains, Duns, was bought by W, J and I Dinsdale, Highfield, Morland, Penrith.
Andrew Wainwright, Cupar, who topped the sale last year at 42,000gns, saw his consignment peak at 6500gns for Todhall Jude ET, purchased by WD Stephen, Meikle Geddes, Nairn. Their purchase, a son of Airyolland Goldmine, is bred from Todhall Freya which bred the 5000gns Todhall Hammer Thrower.
The same home also produced the lead-priced aged ram at 5000gns when Airyolland Goldmine ET, a 2021-born ram by Ardstewart Dare Devil, was knocked down to John Green of the Greenall flock, Lilliesleaf, Selkirk.
There were plenty of celebrations too when young Cameron Cormack, Oxnam, Jedburgh, received 6000gns for his second year selling here. His pen leader, Dunrod Jack Sparrow ET, is sired by the 4500gns Woodies Heman and bred from the 4000gns Belvoir View Floella which goes back to the prolific Corra Agnes. The buyers were Messrs McAulay, Wauchope, Bonchester Bridge, Hawick.
Two other shearlings made 5000gns. Northern Ireland breeder Matthew Burleigh’s Matt’s Jalapeno ET, a son of Murrays Expert out of Brilley Fancy Pants, made that money when selling to Ronnie Black and sons Mike and Pete, Newton of Collessie, Ladybank, Fife.
Kevin Buckle and sons Jack and Tom, Buckles Farm, Kirkby Stephen, took the same money from Sue Wilkinson of the Langlands flock for Buckles Jericho ET. He is bred from Buckles Flash in the Sky and sired by the 50,000gns Buckles Goliath.
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
Averages: Six aged rams, £2590.00 (+£1286.25 for the same number); 477 shearling rams, £1765.54 (+£43.83 for 55 fewer sold)
Flock Averages
Flock (No) Top (Gns) Average
Ryder (10) 60,000 7549.50
Callacrag (6) 18,000 5215.00
Carse (4) 10,000 3648.75
Lurg (10) 8000 2971.50
Blackadder (10) 7000 2730.00
Curwen Hill (10) 10,000 2499.00
Todhall (10) 6500 2142.00
Buckles ((8) 5000 2113.13
Pentland (5) 2800 2016.00
Tercrosset (9) 3000 1936.67
Tiree (8) 4000 1640.63
Glenturk (4) 3000 1627.50
Bronic (3) 2000 1575.00
Bodoney (6) 2500 1557.50
Ainstable (10) 3800 1538.25
Lochend (6) 2000 1461.25
Borderesk (8) 2000 1417.50
Culsh (9) 3200 1353.33
Corstane (4) 1400 1338.75
Tullylagan (3) 1700 1260.00
Rachael’s (7) 2500 1245.00
Pointhouse (6) 2600 1233.75
Atherton (6) 2500 1181.25
Woodwick (10) 1600 1076.25
Askwith (3) 1200 1050.00
Rhyd (5) 1200 1008.00
Cybi (5) 1800 966.00
Padkin (3) 1000 910.00
Aviemore (7) 1800 870.00
Glencoe (9) 1900 822.50
Shrivindale (3) 900 805.00
Bimbister (4) 800 751.25
Cree (9) 900 670.83
Myna (5) 700 588.00
Ring 3
Langlands (5) 22,000 7035.00
Faughhill (8) 9000 5118.75
Wannops (9) 18,000 3803.33
Logie Durno (7) 4599 2625.00
Murrays (10) 4500 2331.00
Lakeview (6) 3800 2222.50
Matt’s (10) 5000 1837.50
Airyolland (6) 2200 1785.00
Mellor Vale (4) 2200 1522.50
Quarrymount (10) 2000 1344.00
Ochtermuthill (3) 2000 1295.00
Rathbone (6) 1800 1277.50
Keasden (3) 2500 1225.00
Redlands (3) 1400 1155.00
Kingledores (9) 2000 1108.33
Meadowside (3) 1800 1085.00
Brickrow (10) 2600 1071.00
Padkin (3) 1800 1050.00
Weeddale (10) 1400 1029.00
Espley (4) 1200 1023.75
Lipley (10) 1500 1008.00
Titanium (3) 1000 980.00
Highfield (10) 1500 976.50
Edendiack (5) 1500 945.00
Muirton (9) 1500 945.00
Heber Park (4) 1599 918.75
Rookwith (9) 1500 863.33
Criffel (3) 950 805.00
Tanqueray (4) 1500 800.63
Thackwood (3) 700 735.00
Dragon (3) 800 735.00
Kininmonth (3) 700 717.50
Murrays (4) 840 800.00
Glenpark (6) 1000 682.50
Rocks (7) 700 547.50
Rich’s (4) 600 406.88
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