Birness Suffolk tops Thainstone Christmas Classic at 3800gns

A event which included entries from no fewer than eight breeds, was led by the champion Suffolk from the Stuart family's Birness flock from Ellon. Their show stopper, an AI daughter of the top breeding ram, Limestone Legacy, is out of a ewe by Ballynacannon Commander and sold due with twin lambs to Mogford Major, a son of Mullaghboy Goliath, bought at Shrewsbury. Paul Delves, of the Bridgeview flock from Shropshire, was the final bidder, buying over the internet.

Birness enjoyed a cracking trade with their reserve winner, the second prize gimmer by the same sire, making 2000gns to the same buyer. Her dam, one of 200 ewes in the flock, is by Middlemuir Maserati, while the service sire was the 30,000gns Salopian Scuderia.

The first Suffolk gimmer into the ring made 2200gns for Jim Innes' Strathbogie flock, Huntly. Third in her class at the pre-sale show, this big girl brought out by Michael Leggat, sold to Kilmarnock-based breeder, Helen Goldie buying for her Harpercroft flock. Her pedigree features Castleisle Capaldi onto a ewe by Redbrae Real Deal which is a full sister to the 12,000gns Strathbogie Starman. She sold due to Crewlands King Pin.

Jimmy Douglas, Woodhead of Cairness, Fraserburgh, also had a good night taking 2000gns for a Creagislay-bred gimmer by Birness Boris. Local breeders, C and G Thomson, Wester Tulloch, Midmar, forked out the cash for this girl which sold carrying twin lambs to Annakisha Helluva Good.

Champion Texel from Strathbogie sold for 2500gns Ref:RH291121116 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Jim Innes was back in the money amongst the Texels, selling his pre-sale champion for the equal top breed price of 2500gns to Wilson Peters, The Cuilt, Crieff, buying an early Christmas gift for his partner, Kim Stretch. The sire is Deveronvale Aftershock, a ram retained for breeding by Graham Morrison, which is still going strong as a four-shear having bred sons to 48,000gns and numerous other high priced rams. From the same family as the 48,000gns Strathbogie Untouchable, she sold carrying twins to the 38,000gns Cressage Enforcer.

Best from Harestone at 2500gns was this Texel gimmer Ref:RH291121122 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Matching that price was a gimmer by the 16,000gns Midlock Bright Spark, from Stuart Barclay’s Harestone flock from Insch, brought out by shepherd Eoin Cumming. She is bred from an Ettrick ewe bought privately by Shannagh Won-O-Won, and sold due to Mellor Vale Déjà Vu.

Top price for Graham Morrison’s Deveronvale flock from Inchbruich, Cornhill, was 2200gns paid for a half sister to his top breeding ram, Deveronvale Aftershock. She is by Carran Crackerjack, bred from a ewe by Strathbogie Terminator, and sold carrying twin lambs to Cressage Enforcer to Keith Park, Wyrebeck, Scorton.

Read more: Bridgeview Suffolk tops Balmoral Big Bang sale at 11,000gns

Texel ewe lambs sold to 2400gns for the reserve champion from Turriff-based breeder Robbie Wilson. His Milnbank entry is a daughter of Teiglum Dancing Brave bred from a ewe by Strathbogie Yes Sir.

Grant Dinnie led the Beltex trade with his reserve winner selling at 1400gns Ref:RH291121128 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

The reserve champion led the Beltex prices at 1400gns for Grant Dinnie, Birdgeton, Muir of Fowlis. His gimmer by Woodies Edgy changed hands due with a pair of lambs to Ryder Eddie, to G and L Carroll, Edendiack, Huntly.

Blue Texels were also in the money, peaking at 1500gns from Stasa Moyes’ Saltire flock from Broadwater, Skene, when purchased by K Mackay, Smithy House, East Mey, Thurso.

Stasa’s partner, Stuart Wood enjoying a trade for Beltex and Badgerface Texels too, with the latter peaking at 1400gns for a ewe in lamb to the imported sire, Full Monty. The buyer was K Mckeague, Baldoukie, Tannadice.

Averages: Beltex – 12 gimmers, £578.33; four ewe lambs, £370.00. Bluefaced Leicester – Five gimmers, £520.00. Blue Texels – 16 gimmers, £650.00; five ewes, £770.00; three ewe lambs, £406.67. Other breeds – 10 ewes, £835.00; 11 gimmers, £523.66; four ewe lambs, £687.50. Suffolk – 22 gimmers, £1320.45; 10 ewe lambs, £633.00. Texel – Three ewes, £316.67; 89 gimmers, £768.76; 12 ewe lambs, £570.00. Bluefaced Leicester – Five gimmers, £520.00. Overall, 209 head, £749.24.

Auctioneers: Aberdeen and Northern Marts