Despite a top price of £35,000 and a further 16 selling at £10,000 and above, overall averages fell £305 on the year at a sale of Blackface shearling rams at Lanark.

Topping the trade was the pen leader from Donald and Jimmy MacGregor's Dyke consignment from Milton of Campsie, which sold in a three-way split to the Wights, Midlock, Crawford; Ian Hunter, Dalchirla, Muthill, Crieff and Malcolm Coubrough, Hartside, Lamington. Backed by home-bred genetics on both sides, he is sired by a £160,000 Dyke lamb sold in 2021 of which a share was retained, and out of a ewe by a £38,000 Dyke.

Dyke also sold shearlings at £18,000 and £16,000, with their pen of seven averaging £11,985.

Ian Campbell's Glenrath consignment from Peebles brought out by Steven Renwick, also had a great day selling the second and third highest priced lots and £26,000 and £24,000. Both were sons of a £16,000 Blackhouse lamb of which a part share was bought here in 2022. The dearest and pen leader, out of a ewe by a £15,000 Dyke, was knocked down to Burncastle Farming Co, Lauder, managed by Alan Rogerson; Billy and Andrew Renwick, Blackhouse, Yarrow and Derek Redpath, The Yett, Kelso.

Selling at £24,000 to Angus Kennedy and son also Angus, Mitchellhill, Broughton, Biggar, was a son of a £75,000 Dalchirla-sired ewe. Glenrath averaged £7540 for 10.

From the 322 shearling rams forward for sale, 273 sold to average £2648 – down £305 on the year for 11 fewer sold.

Auctioneers: Lawrie and Symington

For full report and pictures see next week's Scottish Farmer.