A new breed record for a North Country Cheviot female was set at Caithness Livestock Centre, when a gimmer from Biggins sold for £5000.
The society's park-type sale, held at Aberdeen and Northern Marts' Quoybrae centre, saw 60 rams cash in at £1385.83 with a £6000 top, while the eight females levelled at £1156.25.
With 11 rams selling at £3000 or above, the day's top seller at £6000 came from Shetland breeder and first-time consignor Robert Poleson, Findlins Farm, Hillswick.
His sale leader, Swinister Delphinus, from the 30-ewe flock, is by Overacres Big Lad – a tup bought from Peter Hedley for £4500 at Lockerbie. Bred out of a home-bred ewe by Biggins Valiant, he sold to Andrew Polson of the Smerlie flock in Aberdeenshire.
Swinister also took £3000 for Swinister Dabih by the same sire, this time out of a home-bred ewe by Durran Pappa, which was knocked down to Jim Baillie, and sons Hamish and Balfour, from Sebay Farm, Orkney.
Andrew Polson's Smerlie flock based at Glenfinnan, Findon, Aberdeenshire, sold shearlings to £4000, £3500 and £3000.
Dearest from the 200-ewe flock was Smerlie Dollar, by Durran Baccarat, purchased by Henry Mill, Achscrabster, Thurso.
Minutes later, Smerlie Dazzler, sold in a two-way split for £3500 to Jonnie Campbell, Bardnaclavan, Thurso, and Messrs Smith, Upper Cornquoy, Orkney. This shearling is by the £6000 Bardnaclavan Blacksmith.
Selling for £3000 to N Mackay, 110 East Kirtomy, Bettyhill, was Smerlie Deluxe, a Garson Bruno son.
Neil Barclay's Harestone flock from Insch and Banchory, brought out by Robert Marshall, also sold to £3000 for Harestone Dambuster. This lad is by Bardnaclavan Blacksmith, and was knocked down to R and T Dun, Gilston, Heriot.
The Biggins flock had a day to remember when James Mackay and his daughter Jacqueline, not only secured a new female breed record, but also stood champion at the pre-sale show with a shearling that went on to sell for £4200.
Their gimmer and new record holder stood second at this year's Caithness County Show, and is by Biggins Xerick, out of a Biggins Watchman dam. She sold south to James Bruce, who was buying females for his 50-ewe flock based in Scarborough.
James and Jacqueline's champion tup, Biggins Dictator, is one of the first shearling sons by Cairnside Craftsman, out of a home-bred ewe by Wester Warrior. The buyer was Alan Mackay, South Balkeith, Tain.
The reserve champion and third prize winner from the Royal Highland Show from Jonnie Campbell, Bardnaclavan, Thurso, made £3500 to Caithness Livestock Centre's manager, Andrew Gunn, Upper Dounreay. This was Bardnaclavan Dazzler, by Cairnside Action Man.
Another Bardnaclavan ram by the same sire made £3500 to the Fletts from Nistaben, Orkney, while the best of the flock's ewe lambs peaked at £800 for a Biggins Bravo daughter which sold to David Bruce, Scarborough.
The Baillies Sebay flock sold two shearlings both by Longoe tups for £3000 apiece. Sebay Defender, by the £4000 Longoe Blockbuster, sold to Messrs Mitchell, and Sebay Director, by Longoe Blinding Light, was bought by Mark Ratcliffe, Burnley.
Henry Mill's Achscrabster flock set a new centre record for a North Country Cheviot ram lamb when it sold for £1200 to James Mackay, Biggins.
This was a son of Cairnside Crusader, out of a home-bred ewe, which stood first prize in his class at the Caithness County Show.
Leading Awards
Shearling rams (Judges: N Robinson, Ballyrolly and J Metcalfe, Edale). Shearling ram – 1 and champion, J Mackay, Biggins; 2 and reserve, DN Campbell and Son, Bardnaclavan; 3, J Baillie, Sebay.
Groups (Judges: B Baker and Katy Davies, Wales). Group of 3 – 1, J Mackay, Biggins; 2, A Simpson, Cairnside; 3, R Poleson, Swinister. Group of 5 – 1, DN Campbell and Son, Bardnaclavan; 2, H Mill, Achscrabster.
Females (Judges: B Baker and Katy Davies). Gimmers – 1 and champion female, J Mackay, Biggins; 2, DN Campbell and Son, Bardnaclavan; 3, J Mackay, Biggins.
Ewe lambs – 1 and reserve female, DN Campbell and Sons, Bardnaclavan.
Other Leading Prices
Shearling rams – £2800, Tankerness to K Davies, Golygfar Dyffryn
£1800 – Bardnaclavan to L Gallier, The Sheiling, Daviot.
£1500 – Harestone to A McNeill, Toomebridge, Co Antrim; Oldfield to JR Westall, Breicliffe; Cairnside to J Mackay Achow; Cairnside to JI Forbes, Boultach.
£1200 – Cairnside to E Pritichard, Longtown; Achscrabster to J and W Mackay, Biggins.
£1100 – Biggins to Queen Mother Castle of Mey; Wester to W and S McCarthy, Myrelandhorn; Boultach to F M Cormack, Buldoo
£1000 – Bardnaclavan to AG Simpson, Cairnside.
Leading Flock Averages
Flock (No) Top (£) Average
Findlins (4) 6000 3325.00
Biggins (5) 4200 1440.00
Bardnaclavan (10) 3500 1365.00
Roadside, Smerlie (5) 3500 2760.00
Sebay (6) 3000 1433.33
Achscrabster (7) 1200 571.42
Oldfield (3) 1500 658.33
Cairnside (6) 1500 1066.67
Boultach (3) 1100 816.67
Averages: 59 rams £1385.83 (+£100.12 for 26 fewer sold), four gimmers £1156.25 (+£474.59).
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