Christmas came early for the Campbell family – brothers Keith, Allan and Roy – who run the Cowal Texel flock at Lochgoilhead, when they sold the top priced gimmer at 13,000gns at Christmas Stars Sale at Carlisle, last week.

Setting the trade alight early on in the day and securing a personal best for a female for the brothers’ 80-ewe flock, was a daughter of the Cowal Maverick son, Muiresk Northern Dancer out of a home-bred ewe by the 50,000gns Cambwell Jacobite. One of Cowal’s prize winning show gimmers this year, this cracker is the sole female to be sold in-lamb to the 40,000gns Kelso Pavarotti – a tup bought this year at Lanark in partnership with Alasdair Beaton. Notably, she sold carrying a single, to the breeder of Pavarotti, Malcolm Reid, who runs the 150-ewe Kelso flock at Stichill, Kelso, to add to his two purchases at 5000gns and 4000gns the previous night.

 

 

Averages: Cowal – 10 gimmers, £2030. Fordafourie – 11 gimmers, £634.78. Goldies – 23 gimmers, £475.24. Milnbank – 13 gimmers, £1507.96. Sportsman’s – 18 gimmers, £736.17. Clinterty – Eight gimmers, £733.69. Annan – 20 gimmers, £1825.95. Strathbogie – 13 gimmers, £1320.50.