North Country Cheviot rams sold to a top of £6,000 at the society’s park-type sale in Caithness and achieved a new breed record for a female of £5,000.
Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 60 rams to average £1,385.83 and saw 11 lots sell at £3,000 or above to breeders from all over the UK.
Females also met a strong trade with the 8 lots cashing in at £1,156.25.
The journey down from Shetland paid off for new breeder and first time consignor Robert Poleson from Findlins Farm, Hillswick, when he topped the sale at £6,000.
His sale leader, a shearling named Swinister Delphinus, from the 30-ewe flock, is by Overacres Big Lad, bought in Lockerbie for £4,500.
Bred out of a home-bred ewe by Biggins Valiant, he sold to Andrew Polson of the Smerlie flock in Aberdeenshire.
The Swinister flock also sold at £3,000 for Swinister Dabih by the same sire, this time out of a home-bred ewe by Durran Pappa, to the Baillie family, Sebay Farm, Orkney.
Andrew Polson’s 200-ewe Smerlie flock at Glenfinnan, Findon, sold shearlings to £4,000, £3,500 and £3,000.
Dearest was Smerlie Dollar, by Durran Baccarat, purchased by Henry Mill, Achscrabster, Thurso, while Smerlie Dazzler, sold in a two-way split for £3,500 to Jonnie Campbell, Bardnaclavan, Thurso, and Smith, Upper Cornquoy, Orkney.
This one is by the £6,000 Bardnaclavan Blacksmith.
N Mackay, 110 East Kirtomy, Betthyll, paid £3,000 for Smerlie Deluxe, by Garson Bruno.
Neil Barclay’s Harestone flock from Aberdeenshire, sold to £3,000 for Harestone Dambuster, by Bardnaclavan Blacksmith, to R and T Dun, Gilston, Heriot.
James Mackay and daughter Jacqueline of the Biggins flock from Killimster, Wick, had a day to remember setting a new breed female record and selling their champion ram for £4,200.
Their gimmer, a second prize winner from the Caithness County Show, is by Biggins Xerick, out of a Biggins Watchman dam.
She sold to James Bruce, for his 50-ewe flock from Scarborough.
The Mackay’s winning tup, Biggins Dictator, is one of the first sons by Cairnside Craftsman, out of a home-bred ewe by Wester Warrior.
He sold to Alan Mackay, South Balkeith, Tain.
Jim Baillie and sons Hamish and Balfour, Sebay, sold two shearlings both by Longoe tups for £3,000 apiece.
Sebay Defender, by the £4,000 Longoe Blockbuster, sold to Messrs Mitchell, and Sebay Director, by Longoe Blinding Light, went to Mark Ratcliffe, Burnley.
Jonnie Campbell, Bardnaclavan, sold his reserve champion and third prize Highland Show winner Bardnaclavan Dazzler, by Cairnside Action Man, for £3,500 to Andrew Gunn, Upper Dounreay.
He sold another ram by the same sire for £3,500 to the Fletts from Nistaben, Orkney, while the best from his ewe lambs peaked at £800 for one by Biggins Bravo to David Bruce, Scarborough.
Meanwhile, Henry Mill’s Achscrabster flock set a new centre record for a North Country Cheviot ram lamb when it sold for £1,200 to James Mackay, Biggins.
This was a son of Cairnside Crusader, out of a home-bred ewe, which stood first prize in his class at the Caithness County Show.
PRIZE LIST
Shearling rams (Judges: Norman Robinson, Ballyrolly and James Metcalfe, Edale). Shearling ram – 1 and champion, J Mackay, Biggins; 2 and reserve, DN Campbell and Son, Bardnaclavan; 3, J Baillie, Sebay.
Groups (Judges: Ben Baker and Katy Davies, Wales). Group of 3 – 1, J Mackay, Biggins; 2, A Simpson, Cairnside; 3, R Poleson, Swinister. Group of 5 – 1, DN Campbell and Son, Bardnaclavan; 2, H Mill, Achscrabster.
Females (Judges: Ben Baker and Katy Davies). Gimmers – 1 and champion female, J Mackay, Biggins; 2, DN Campbell and Son, Bardnaclavan; 3, J Mackay, Biggins.
Ewe lambs – 1 and reserve female, DN Campbell and Sons, Bardnaclavan.
