A ram lamb from Kenny Pratt’s Hilltop flock at Oldtown Farm, Peterculter, collected the champion ticket at Solway and Tyne Texel Club’s show and sale at Carlisle, before going on to top the trade at 90,000gns.
Achieving the best price yet for the 25-ewe flock, managed by shepherd Richard Reynolds, was Hilltop Goliath, a full ET brother to Mr Pratt’s 30,000gns seller at Lanark the previous week.
He was sired by Auldhouseburn Fancy Pants, which was bought last year at Carlisle for 28,000gns, while the dam is a home-bred daughter of Sportsmans Chieftain. Buying back some of their own breeding, this one sold to Hugh and Alan Blackwood, Auldhouseburn, Muirkirk, buying alongside John Forsyth, for his Glenside flock at Maybole.
The Blackwoods had a successful day themselves, selling the Okehall Fireball son, Auldhouseburn Grey Goose at 30,000gns to James Theyer, Little Clanfield, Oxfordshire, and George Oare, Holywell, Flintshire.
At 12,000gns, Leek-based Mike Turner sold Okehall Golden Balls, a full brother to the 50,000gns Okehall Fireball, to Gary Beacom’s Lakeview flock in Co Tyrone.
Matching the 12,000gns price tag was Hope Valley Giant from Robert Evans, Denbighshire. This Auldhouseburn Freaky Friday son sold to Bryden Nicolson, Knock, Duns.
Next best was Teiglum Goldstar, which made 10,000gns for Andrew Clark, Blackhill, Carluke. A son of Tullnasoo Funtime, he went to Northern Ireland buyers Richard Currie and Andrew Fyfe.
Best for Donald MacPherson, Castlehills, Berwick-Upon-Tweed, was an 8000gns bid for Hexel Get Lucky, sired by Ballynahone Franco. He was knocked to Keith and Andrew Campbell, Overburns, Biggar.
Archie and John MacGregor, Allanfauld, Kilsyth, sold Allanfauld Godolphin, by Mossknowe Focus, at 6000gns to B Owens, Redhouse Farm, Powys.
Selling at 5500gns was Brackenridge Gino, an Allanfauld Flaming Star son from Andrew Neilson, Strathaven, which sold to R and J Plant, Bromley Green, Whitmore.
Two ram lambs hit the 5000gns mark, including Duncryne Geronimo from Kerr Jarvie, Greenloaning Dunblane. That one, by Stainton Foundation, sold to D and J Dunlop, Holtridge, Whitechurch.
The other at 5000gns was Knap Grand Master, a Haddo Fabio-sired lamb from Robert Cockburn’s Errol-based flock. He went to a consortium of five England-based buyers – Peter Woof, Stainton; Nick Woodmass, Harene; Ryan Bradley, Far Hey; Rob Pierce, Oldford and Spiros Spyrou, Gib Farm.
Overall, 249 ram lambs averaged out at £1809.42, back by £105 on the year for 49 fewer sold.
Shearlings rams peaked at 16,000gns for Craigdarroch Flint, a Cornmore Diamond son from Ruaridh and Isla Graham’s flock at Sanquhar, Dumfries. It sold to the Kermode family, Orrisdale, Isle of Man. A total of 153 shearling rams were sold through the ring, averaging £1353 – the exact same shearling average as last year’s sale, but for 32 fewer sold.
