Despite a lead price of 52,000gns and a further 10 selling at five-figure prices, ram lamb averages slipped £574 on the year and for 21 fewer sold at the Scottish Area Pedigree Suffolk sheep sale at Lanark.

Breeders had to wait until virtually the end of the sale to catch a glimpse of the leader when Stewart Craft's No 1 entry from Glenrothes, an ET bred from a home-bred Lakeview ewe going back to Queen of the Maze, went under the hammer. Sired by last year's 40,000gns Strathbogie Stallone, he sold jointly to Charlie Boden of the Sportmans flock from Stockport and Paul Delves of Bridgeview Suffolks, Powys.

Second top price was 28,000gns paid for Andrew Wilson's first Castleisle lamb from Co Donegal which is a full brother to his €33,000 Castleview Kingsman sold last year that bred Mark Priestley's top priced lambs at Ballymena. A son of Kells T-Rex, he was knocked down in a three-way split selling to Aberdeenshire breeders, Graeme and Finn Christie, Inverurie; Lilia Hutchinson, Howgillfoot, Kirkby Stephen and Ross Lawrence, Roundacre, Devon.

The champion from Iain and Judith Barbour's Solwaybank flock from Annan, made 22,000gns selling to American breeder, Bill MacCauley, who will be able to import semen through AB Europe from the tup. He is by the 60,000gns Sportmans Golden Moments.

First time consignors, Jeremy and Bennie Sharp of the Sharps/Hawshill flock from Frith Farm, Worcs, had a field day with sales at 17,000gns, 20,000gns and 18,000gns.

Welsh breeder, Myfyr Evans' Rhaeadr flock from Denbighshire was also in the money selling a son of Dunfell Dynamite for 20,000gns.

Three lambs from Northern Ireland made their mark, with Philip, Ryan and Riley Gurney's Oakbridge lamb selling for 16,000gns, a price matched by Mark Priestley's No 1 Limestone lamb. Dennis Taylor, Ballynacannon also took a five-figure bid for his best, selling his No 2 for 12,000gns.

The last of the big sales came for Aberdeenshire breeders, Melvin Stuart and family's No 2 lamb from Milton of Birness, Ellon, which made 13,000gns.

Overall, 147 ram lambs averaged £3364.29 with an 84% clearance

 

For full report and pictures, see next week's Scottish Farmer

Auctioneers: Lawrie and Symington.