A new record for a Bluefaced Leicester was achieved at United Auctions’ multi-breed sheep show and sale at Stirling when a shearling ram from Obie Sharp, Newbigging Walls, Lauder, sold for £6000.
The sale which saw 1301 heads sold, was topped by a son of the £65,000 record-priced Riddings of which a share was purchased at Hawes in 2021 alongside the Happrew, Glenrath, and Dawyck flocks, and which also bred her £6200 sale leader at Kelso. Brought out with the assistance of Alan Rogerson and James Brady, he was knocked down to Dougie Fleming, Nisbet, and Allan and Ben Wight, Midlock.
The second top price was also paid for a Bluefaced Leicester, when Alan and Louise McArthur, Cretlevane, sold a shearling for £5000 to Davy Gray, Drumnessie, and Duncan MacGregor, Burnhead, Queenzieburn. His pedigree features the £37,000 Midlock, onto a ewe by a £9000 Dalpeddar.
A buoyant trade throughout saw most averages improve on the year, with the Beltex Society sale coming out top with 60 shearlings levelling at £1165.50, up £91.47.
The top price here was 3600gns paid for the reserve champion, a shearling from Alasdair MacLean, Heylipol, Tiree, purchased by Alan Wright, St Mungos Farms.
The champion Beltex, a shearling from Jimmy and Mrs. Christine Taylor, Easter Ochtermuthill, made 1900gns.
Texel shearlings were topped at £2300 for an entry from David MacArthur, Nunnerie which sold to Pitlochie Farming, while Neil and Stuart Barclay, Harestone, led the Texel ram lambs at £1600 when selling to Bryden and Johanna Nicolson, Highfield Farming, Duns.
Suffolks reached £1500 from Tom Sands, Southfield, who sold a shearling to Colin Telfer, Little Raith.
Non-accredited sheep hit £1900 for a Beltex shearling from Rob Hamilton, Laigh Balernock purchased by G and J Davie, Harviesmailing, with the lead priced Texel in this section reaching £1800 for J More, Townhead selling to Messrs Jardine, Upper Hardland.
Other society sales of Blue Texels and Lleyns were also staged which saw the former sell to 2000gns for a gimmer that stood champion at the pre-sale show from Stuart and Wendy Hunter, West Cairnhill. It was knocked down to Alexander Crombie, Southfield.
Lleyns were topped at 1300gns by a shearling from Ian and Tom Walling, Farmstock Genetics, Over Whitlaw, Selkirk, which sold to Roseneath Farms Ltd.
Flock Averages
Farm (No) Top (£) Average
Bluefaced Leicester shearlings
Kinaldy (5) 600 540.00
Kype Hill (3) 950 733.33
Easter Dawyck (6) 1400 933.33
Allanfauld (11) 1400 909.09
Greenfield (4) 850 700.00
Claylands (10) 2100 1375.00
8 Limekiln Rd (5) 1000 800.00
Whitcastle (5) 1000 690.00
Hartside Lammermuir (11) 2800 1172.73
Bridgehouse (5) 750 530.00
Posso (6) 2300 1300.00
Hamildean (7) 1500 978.57
Cretlevane (9) 5000 1983.33
Tintoside (7) 2600 1507.14
Woodhall (6) 900 775.00
Dreva (3) 860 716.67
Beldhu (3) 1299 933.33
Townhead (10) 2300 1240.00
Blarnavaid (11) 4000 1618.18
Middle Weachyburn (5) 750 640.00
Knowes (8) 1000 756.25
Lochend (8) 2600 1487.50
Greenhead (4) 1300 900.00
Kingledores (10) 2000 1245.00
Over Finlarg (10) 1500 1110.00
Beeches (8) 2400 918.75
Lilyburn (8) 1400 768.75
Dykeneuk (5) 1200 800.00
Newbigging Walls (13) 6000 1600.00
Carroch (3) 500 466.67
Clunebeg (18) 2400 1327.78
Overburns (8) 1700 1181.25
Kerry Cottage (4) 1050 812.50
Arnicle (3) 800 716.67
Pitcairn (5) 2400 1680.00
Easter Happrew (4) 1400 825.00
Wedderburn (6) 2000 1333.33
Kepculloch (11) 1900 972.73
Craigton (6) 1800 1191.67
Midlock (5) 900 760.00
Newton of Hassiewells (6) 800 666.67
Barr (5) 1500 900.00
Leadburnlea (8) 750 643.75
Kennieshillock (3) 1000 783.33
Dunbrach (8) 1800 1262.50
Corsbie (5) 2200 1520.00
Auchans (6) 1600 975.00
Craig (6) 600 550.00
Bluefaced Leicester ram lambs
Sorn Mains (9) 1900 691.11
Hamildean (3) 700 466.67
Overburns (4) 900 687.50
Non-accredited Texel rams
Merkins (3) 1400 866.67
Headshaw (4) 1200 962.50
Grange of Connon (4) 160 155.00
Kerry Cottage (4) 800 637.50
Blarnavaid (3) 900 833.33
Townhead (5) 1800 1240.00
East Bracklinn (7) 1700 1100.00
Millhouse (7) 1400 1150.00
Craigfarg (4) 650 337.50
Threepwood (4) 850 600.00
Non-accredited Beltex
East Bracklinn (6) 1400 1116.67
Laigh Balernock (5) 1900 1230.00
Ballingall Mill (4) 300 197.50
Lephinchapel (6) 900 616.67
Newfield Mains (4) 900 687.50
Threeburnford (3) 180 150.00
Non-accredited Suffolk rams
Whitcastle (6) 800 641.67
Accredited Texel shearlings
Strawfrank (3) 1100 900.00
Lochlands (7) 500 362.86
Craig Douglas (6) 900 775.00
Scrogtonhead/Cowgrove (20) 1300 942.50
Muircleugh (6) 1100 925.00
Kerry Cottage (3) 700 583.33
Invercharron Mains (6) 650 612.50
Nethermill (10) 1500 1180.00
Howgillside (6) 600 583.33
West Carse (6) 500 475.00
Duncairnie (5) 600 480.00
Nunnerie (Daer) (4) 2300 1150.00
Tintoside (6) 700 550.00
Carriston (9) 1800 1150.00
Floors (7) 1300 664.29
Elmscleugh (15) 2000 1220.00
Midlock (8) 1600 1262.50
Halbeath Farm (5) 1000 750.00
Lower Bardrain (7) 350 240.00
Viewforth (4) 400 337.50
Blackhouse (6) 2000 1216.67
Leemeadow (3) 850 666.67
Springfield Leadburn (8) 1000 593.75
Carstairs Mains (8) 1800 1225.00
South Mid Frew (4) 700 612.50
Southfield (4) 1000 825.00
Allanfauld (5) 1700 1320.00
Greenfield (3) 1100 1000.00
Chalmerstone (10) 1700 1010.00
Riddell Cottage (11) 700 477.27
Hilton of Culsh (8) 1500 956.25
Over Finlarg (10) 2000 1290.00
Accredited Texel ram lambs
Hill of Errol (6) 900 683.33
Sunnycroft (3) 700 516.67
Letter (4) 350 287.50
Strawfrank (8) 700 562.50
Overburns (6) 900 650.00
North Dorlaithers (6) 1000 575.00
Carse of Trowan (4) 650 487.50
Harestone (7) 1600 742.86
Accredited Suffolk shearlings
Springfield Leadburn (8) 1100 635.00
Chalmerstone (16) 1300 825.00
Carwood (11) 1400 915.45
Barbarafield (3) 700 533.33
North Balloch (10) 1400 730.00
Southfield (10) 1500 815.00
Dairsie (3) 180 160.00
Wester Oathlaw (5) 550 396.00
Accredited other breed shearlings
Beltex cross
Borgie (5) 500 500.00
Hilton of Culsh (6) 1100 750.00
Upper Auchenlay (4) 500 500.00
Chalmerstone (10) 1000 720.00
Three-quarter Beltex
Chalmerstone (6) 1100 700.00
Texel cross
Nether Pratis (5) 450 366.00
Suffolk cross Beltex
Chalmerston (5) 1300 1080.00
Dutch Spotted
Champany (3) 400 300.00
Suffolk cross Texel
Springfield Leadburn (4) 700 637.50
Beltex Society sale
Flock (No) Top (Gns) Ave (£)
Shearlings
Mortons (9) 2200 1394.17
Auchenlay (6) 1000 752.50
Tiree (16) 3600 1719.38
Broughton and Corstane (6) 1000 918.75
Balnacree (4) 550.00 433.13
Ochtermuthill (17) 1900 982.06
Blue Texel Society sale
Gimmers
Dreva (3) 800 595.00
Carsaig (3) 600 507.50
Glenrock (4) 600 472.00
Millside (4) 1000 945.00
Hunters (5) 2000 1155.00
Ram lambs
Deryn (3) 100 105.00
Averages: Shearling rams – Bluefaced Leicesters, £1067.61 (+£79.89 on the year); Texels, £875.34 (+£16.40); Suffolks, £684.24 (-£4.47); crossbreds, £601.91 (-£0.43).
Ram lambs – Bluefaced Leicester, £646.00 (+£247.67); Texel, £580.85 (+£49.40).
Society sales – Beltex – 60 shearlings, £1165.50 (+£91.47). Lleyn – 211 gimmers, £157.43; 50 ewe lambs, £100.00; 26 shearling rams, £698.65. Blue Texels – 13 shearlings, £558.92; eight ram lambs, £374.07; 26 gimmers, £654.23.
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