Friday the 13th proved anything but unlucky for sheep breeders selling at the Kelso Ram Sales, where an increased demand for good commercial shearlings resulted in a record breaking trade grossing just shy of £4m.

In all, 3254 rams were sold to average £1229.19 – up £186 on the year – with gross takings of £3,999,770.00. Out of the 3764 rams entered, 310 were not forward and 200 were turned out of the ring unsold. The clearance was 86%.

The organisers were absolutely delighted.

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“We did think we would get a good sale with increased averages and we got it,” said David Neill, chairman of the Border Union Ram Sales Committee.

“No one would have gone home disappointed when the sale exceeded all expectations. We did have fewer tups forward but they were of better quality, so we hope entries will be up next year.”

He added that higher entries help reduce entry costs when there are no fewer than 14 covered sale rings to be paid for to stage the event.

While Texel shearlings from Gordon and David Gray’s Ettrick flock from Selkirk, stole the show selling at £35,000 and £18,000 to Paul Sclater, Whitley Hey and Michael James, Duhonw, respectively, there were also two other centre breed records.

Bluefaced Leicesters and Beltex sold to a new high of £18,000, with the former from Malcolm Thornborrow, son Gary and his fiancée Marion Porter’s Dawyck flock from Peebles, selling to Martin Allan buying for the Greenhow flock from Appleby.

Northern Ireland Beltex breeder, Gary Beacom, Lakeview, also took £18,000 for a shearling from Anne and Rachael Storey of the Borderesk flock, Longtown.

Texel shearlings secured the lead average at £1844.50 for 547, followed by Bluefaced Leicesters at £1557.65 for 347. Suffolk shearlings balanced out at £1330.48 for 250.