Breeders from south of the border led the trade at the Beltex Sheep Society’s Premier Show and Sale at Harrison and Hetherington’s Borderway Mart last week, but Scottish breeders made their presence felt in buying several top-priced lots.
Consigned from the north-east and marking an unforgettable tup selling debut for Gordon and Lynsey Carroll was their shearling ram, Edendiack Darius ET.
He sold for 10,000gn to Jeff and Sue Wilkinson, who will take him to work in their Langlands flock near Richmond, North Yorkshire.
The husband and wife team from Gartly, Huntly, have only recently started breeding pedigree Beltex.
Their leader from their 30-ewe flock is out of one of the foundation females, Airyolland Betty Boo, which was bought for 7,000gn at the Beltex Beauties sale in 2017, while his sire is the noted Padkin Sugar Daddy.
Also selling well from the north-east was Swffryd Dakota ET, an entry from Stuart Wood’s son, Murray, from Skene, Westhill.
Bred by and bought from Aled Groucott as a lamb, Dakota is sired by the 60,000gn Topflite Al Pacino and out of Hackney Treacle, making him a full brother to Aled’s successful show gimmer.
He sold for 8,000gn to Belgian breeders, Messrs Sprangers, Messian and Sprangers.
It was, however, the Buckles family – Kevin with sons Jack and Tom – from Kirkby Stephen, who had the most to celebrate.
They received the top price of 30,000gn for their shearling ram, Buckles Dark Dawn ET, by the 8,000gn Ardstewart Armani, from Alfie Taylor of the Heatheryhall flock near Pettinain, Lanark.
The Buckles welcomed a further 11,000gn from Angus Mutch, New Yatt, Witney, Oxon, for their Great Yorkshire Show champion, the Glantre Norris-sired Buckles Dark Intentions ET.
They also led the lamb trade when their Buckles Einstein ET, a son of the 7,000gn Artnagullion Charlie Chaplin, sold across the water to Gary Beacom for his Lakeview flock near Fivemiletown, County Fermanagh, for 12,000gn.
Selling for 15,000gns was Alasdair MacLean’s Tiree Donegal ET from the West Coast island which sold to the mainland to work in Robert and James Hamilton’s Shawtonhill and Mid Shawtonhill flocks near Strathaven as well as Alistair Meikle’s Whindyke flock near Jackton, Glasgow.
A full brother to Alasdair’s Tiree Clover – reserve champion at last year’s Royal Highland Show – Donegal is by Callacrag Wise Crack.
Heading to Lochend, Denny, to join Andrew Morton’s Mortons flock for 10,000gn was Gyffin Dexter, a Smart Ass Buster son from Welsh breeder Gethin Mathias, but bred by Edward Lewis.
Brian Ryder, from Moffat, sold his Rathbone Beckham son, Ryder DIY ET, for 10,000gn in a five-way split to Grant Anderson, Topflite flock, Dumfries; Grant Maxwell, Faughhill flock, Melrose; Alan Miller, Lurg flock, Inverurie; Stuart Wood, Woodies flock, Westhill, and John and Richard Wood, Kingledores flock, Biggar.
Ram lambs also sold to 11,000gn for John and Richard Wood’s Arkle DJ-sired Kingledores Edmund ET, which also sold to Northern Ireland, this time to Mathew Burleigh, of the Matt’s flock, and Andrew and Jamie McCutcheon for their Bodoney flock.
Heading up the aged rams at 5,200gn was Langlands Bruiser from Ross and Kirsty Williams, Huntly.
This 13,000gn purchase had bred some strong stock and sold to Neil Caul, of the Balkello flock; S and A Moore for their Balhall flock, and Gregor Yarr of the Witton flock, all based in Angus.
Graham and Fiona’s Burke’s successful show gimmer, Pentland Dixie ET, an Airyolland Wurzel daughter from the flock at Edzell, Brechin, topped the female section at 5,000gn when she sold to Vicky Bowring for her Windmill flock in Nottingham.
Averages:192 ram lambs, £1,202 (183 at £1,256 in 2018); 687 shearling rams, £1,152 (708 at £1,212); 10 aged rams, £1,320 (20 at £1,334); 289 gimmers, £651 (261 at £792).