Northern Ireland’s Matthew Burleigh, Matt’s flock, Co Fermanagh, secured the pre-sale championship and the top price of 4000gns at a Beltex show and sale at Skipton Auction Mart.
He claimed the top award with the shearling ram, Matt’s Jackson, a son of the 16,000gns Muirton High and Mighty, that has sired ewe lambs to 5000gns. Bred from a Hackney ewe by Airyolland Asulam, which bred a 4000gns tup here last year, Jackson sold to the pre-sale judge, Paul Slater of the Whiteley Hey flock, Macclesfield.
All bar two of the 10-strong Matt's shearlings sold at four-figure prices, with a brace of Murrays Expert sons away at 2500gns and 2000gns respectively, the former snapped up by Paul Simpson, Wigglesworth, the latter a joint purchase by Adrian Leach, Owlers flock, Hebden Bridge, and Dick and Watson Harrison, Clifford House flock, Skipton.
Two High and Mighty sons from Mr Burleigh sold at 2200gns, again to the judge, with the other selling at 2000gns to John McTear, Cockermouth. The 10 Matt’s shearlings levelled at £1984.50.
Second top price was 3800gns paid for the third prize shearling from Co Tyrone’s Gary Scott, Bessy Belle flock, Mountjoy, Omagh. His Bessy Bell Jigalo, by Tullyagan Figo, out of a Mortons Charles-sired dam, joined Frank and Sue Towers, Hornby, Lancaster.
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Reserve champion was the second prize shearling from John Green's Greenall flock, Lilliesleaf, Selkirk. His Greenhall Just William, a son of the privately purchased Riverview Havoc, made 1800gns when falling to Harry Wood, Dean Brow flock, Dutton, Preston.
Top price for the Greenall flock was 2600gns paid for Greenall Juggernaut, another by Havoc, purchased by Paul Slater.
Matching that price was Buckles Jaguar, from Jack, Tom and Kevin Buckle, Buckles flock, Barras, Kirkby Stephen, which sold locally to AR Rigby, Slaidburn. The same home received 2000gns for a home-bred Buckles Hercules son which headed home to Co Durham with GW Lee and Sons, Frosterley.
The Wannop’s Farms flock, Heaton-with-Oxcliffe, Morecambe, sold to a top of 2000gns for Wannop’s Justify, purchased by HL Donaldson, Great Busby, Middlesborough.
Female champion was a gimmer from David Brown's Brownville flock, Bessbrook, Co Down. Shown by grandson, Mark Latimer, Brownville Joop topped its section at 1200gns when claimed by Rosie Boden, Sportsmans, Stockport.
Aberdeenshire breeder, Alan Miller, Miller Farms, Inverurie, produced the first and second prize ram lambs, both January-born singles. The class winner, Lurg Kenny Rogers, topped the ram lambs at 1500gns selling to William McMillan, Newton Stewart, the runner-up making 1,000gns.
The Lurg consignment brought out by shepherd Finn Christie, also produced the reserve female champion, Lurg Jaws of Death, the second prize gimmer which made 700gns, while another Lurg gimmer made 850gns. Shearling rams from Mr Miller sold to 1600gns.
Auctioneers: CCM.
Averages: 240 head met a 87% clearance. Shearling rams, £968 (+£17); gimmers £503 (-£10); ram lambs £694 (-£396).
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