North-east breeders were top of the flocks at the Rising Stars online timed auction of pedigree sheep.
The sale, conducted by Carlisle-headquartered auction company Harrison and Hetheringon, topped at £8,300 for a Beltex gimmer from Stuart Wood’s Woodies flock at Woolhillock Croft, Skene, Westhill, near Aberdeen.
Woodies Exquisitor – an embryo transfer (ET) daughter of Kingledores Demonstrator out of Smart Ass Welshie – sold to Rachel Miller, Miller Farms, The Lurg, Inverurie.Woodies also made £4,000 selling another gimmer to Messrs Lawrie, Pettinain, Lanark. This was Woodies Extravagant – an ET daughter of Carrigans Bob Lee Swagger.
Meanwhile, Texels topped at £5,050 for a gimmer from Turriff breeder Robbie Wilson’s Milnbank flock at North Dorlaithers Farm.
By the 28,000gn Auldhouseburn Billy The Kid and out of a dam by Strathbogie Untouchable, she sold to Messrs Vaughan, Kingsland, Herefordshire.
Mr Wilson also made £2,950 and £2,750 for other gimmers. The dearest, selling to Messrs Crabtree, Kettlesing, Harrogate, was a Garngour Alabama daughter. The other, selling to Messrs Vaughan, Newcastle, was a Cowal Bucking Bronco daughter.
In the Blue Texels section, a top price of £4,650 was paid for a gimmer from Stasa Moyse’s Saltire flock at Woolhillock Croft, Skene, Westhill.
Saltire Blue Diana Ross – an ET daughter of Caryl’s Blues Captain, out of Saltire Blue Betty – sold to Messrs McFarland, Omagh, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Ms Moyse also made £3,600 selling a January-born ewe lamb to Messrs McFarland. This was Saltire Blue Ewe Star – an ET daughter of Saltire Blue Crown Jewel.
The Badgerface Texel entries topped at £1,500 for a six-year-old ewe from Stuart Wood at Woolhillock, Skene. She sold to Messrs Hogan, Bennekerry, Co Carlow, Ireland.
Breed averages: Texel, 22, £1,661.36; Beltex, 19, £1,675.26; Badgerface Texel, seven, £960; and Blue Texel, 28, £1,932.14.