A six-month-old ewe lamb was crowned top of the flocks at yesterday’s Zwartbles Sheep Association Scottish branch show and sale at United Auctions in Stirling.
Taking home the supreme champion rosettes, after lifting the female championship, and achieving the top price of 1,700gn was January-born Greystone Dapper from Messrs McLaren and Baird’s Greystone flock at Greystone Cottage, Dunblane.
This one is a home-bred daughter of Tardoes Sanny out of a Brotherton-bred ewe. She was third at the Scottish National Show on Saturday and sold yesterday to Hoscote Estate, Roberton, Hawick, Roxburghshire.
Yesterday’s championship success follows on from Messrs McLaren and Baird taking the reserve champion title at last year’s fixture and the Highland Show championship with a flock companion to Dapper last month.
Judge Kirsty Williams, who keeps pedigree Beltex, Charollais and Bluefaced Leicesters and up until December last year had Zwartbles at her farm at Upper Tullochbeg, near Huntly, said the champion had tremendous character and really stood out.
The next best price of 750gn was paid for a fifth-prize winning ram lamb which was the only entry forward from David and Louise Miskelly’s Corrybrae flock at Corrybrae, Kildrummy, Alford.
Corrybrae Discovery is a home-bred January-born son of Liverton Cavalier, out of Corrybrae Acaia. He was placed third at the Highland and first at Fettercairn on Saturday. He sold yesterday to Gillian McIntosh who runs the Ardanbeag flock at Bent Farm, Galston, Ayrshire.
Thereafter 700gn was paid twice for the male champion and reserve lots.
First in the ring was the reserve from Jim Mair’s Hedgefield flock at Sea View, Dunmore, Beauly.
His home-bred two-shear tup, Hedgefield Brick Top, was on his first outing. He is by Killymallaght Aviator and out of a Brotherton-bred ewe. He sold to Olwen Hughes-Owen, Geirn, Carmel, Anglesey.
Next up was the male champion from Northern Irish breeders Ian and Adam Donald’s Donbraid flock in County Tyrone. June 2015-born Bessiebell Casino is by the 1,500gn Donbraid Big D, which stood champion at last year’s fixture, and is out of Bessiebell Ava. He was bought by the Donalds in July last year and sold yesterday to Mrs Hughes-Owen.
Meanwhile, the reserve overall and reserve female champion, which was put forward by Graeme McCarter, of Stewarton, Ayrshire, sold for 550gn.
This February 2015-born gimmer, which was bred by Mrs Hughes-Owen, is by Conic Buddy and out of Cynefin ewe. She sold to the Hosecote Estate.
Other leading prices included 600gn for two gimmers from Jim Mair’s Hedgefield flock selling to Mike Anderson Farming, No.1 Georgestown Farm Cottage, Ballindalloch.
Top prices and averages were: aged rams (two) to 700gn and £393.75; shearlings (eight) to 700gn and £315; 11 ram lambs to 750gn and £441.95; 20 gimmers to 600gn and £303.45; and 17 ewe lambs to 1,700gn and £381.09.
