DESPITE the increased entry, growing demand from across the Irish Sea ensured a flying trade for Blackface females at the association show and sale at Lanark, where no fewer than 42 lots attracted four-figure sales backed up by a lead price of 7200gns.
Not surprisingly, overall averages were also well up on the year, with the ewe trade rising just shy of £400 to level at £1753 for seven more sold, with the gimmer section seeing an increase of £153.50 to average£1503, for the same number. This year’s event also featured the first sale of ewe hoggs, which also proved popular, peaking at 2200gns.
It was nevertheless David Morrison’s Dalwyne flock from Barr, which proved the talk of the town, attracting the lead price of 7200gns and an average of £2143 for eight. Best here was the pen’s No 2, which stood fourth in her class at the pre-sale show, judged by Paul Coulson, Hexham.
This was a gimmer by Brokeleg – a home-bred tup retained for breeding being the same way bred as the £50,000 Dalwyne, that in turn was by £60,000 Midlock – and out of a ewe by Buffalo, another £50,000 Dalwyne.
First in her class at Colmonell Show last year, this gimmer – christened Chrissy – sold carrying twins to the £52,000 Crossflatt bought at Lanark, last year, to Hugh and Alan Blackwood, Auldhouseburn, Muirkirk.
Chrissy
Mr Morrison also received 3600gns for his first entry, a one-crop ewe by Buffalo, out of a ewe by the £9000 Dalchirla Grumpy. She also sold due to the Crossflatt ram, but carrying a single only, to AJ McFarlane, Gortnagross Road, Dungiven, Co Londonderry, with Mr Morrison retaining a half share.
Auldhouseburn again enjoyed a good trade, selling three females to average £3605 to include the second top priced lot at 5800gns. This was a gimmer bred from a ewe by the £65,000 Auldhouseburn and sired by the £90,000 Blackhouse. She changed hands carrying twins to the £160,000 record priced Dalchirla tup, to Paul Coulson, High Staward.
Auldhouseburn's 5800gns gimmer
The Blackwood’s second gimmer, also by the Blackhouse ram but out of a ewe by a £26,000 Crossflatt, was knocked down to Northern Ireland breeder, Charlie Gallagher, who bought several of the top priced lots. She sold carrying a pair to the £100,000 Elmscleugh lamb bought at Dalmally, last year.
New breeder, Craig Gamage, who runs just 20 ewes in his flock at Stonebyres, Lanark, and David Murray, Lurgan, Aberferldy, went in partnership to buy the best from Alastair and David MacArthur’s Nunnerie flock from Elvanfoot. Selling at 5200gns was daughter of a £14,000 Dyke, out of a ewe by a £22,000 Nunnerie. The service sire was Wisecrack – a home-bred son of a £36,000 Midlock – and she is scanned for two.
Two lots came under the hammer for 5000gns including Malcolm Coulbrough’s show ewe from Whelphill, Elvanfoot, brought out with shepherd Gordon McDougall.
Whelphill's 5000gns ewe
This was last year’s champion winner from Biggar Show which also triumphed at several other events. A three-crop ewe by a £19,000 Auldhouseburn, she sold carrying twins to a £4000 Auldhouseburn. She is out of a ewe by a £6200 Midlock and was knocked down to John and George Conway, Plumbridge, Northern Ireland.
Newtonmore-based breeder, Ewen Fraser, Balgowan, bought the second 5000gns entry, a gimmer by the £90,000 Blackhouse from John Murray, Crossflatt, Muirkirk. Reserve champion at the pre-sale show, out of a ewe by the £26,000 Crossflatt, she is scanned for a single to Tornado, a home-bred son of the £160,000 Dalchirla retained for breeding.
Brothers, John and Charlie Harkin, Loughash, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland, received 4600gns for their second prize ewe, a daughter of a £24,000 Elmscleugh, carrying twins to the £20,000 Auldhouseburn. Fellow Northern Ireland breeders, Patrick and Veronica Fullerton, Draperstown, Northern Ireland, were the last bidders on this one-crop ewe bred from a ewe by a £22,000 Elmscleugh.
Also heading across the Irish Sea from the Loughash pen with Danny Harrison, Co Down, at 4200gns was a one-crop ewe carrying triplets to the £14,000 High Staward tup bought last year. She is by a full brother to the £16,000 Loughash and out of a ewe by Connachan’s Highland Storm.
Jimmy and Donald MacGregor, Dyke, Milton of Campsie, also enjoyed a good day for their first year selling, achieving 3500gns and 3000gns. The first, a one-crop ewe by the £24,000 Elmscleugh, scanned for a single to a home-bred son of a £15,000 Midlock, was knocked down to Chris Tonner, buying on behalf of Northern Ireland breeder, Sam Wallace.
Minutes later, fellow Northern Ireland breeder, James McCurdy, Carnlough Road, Broughshane, went to 3000gns for another one-crop Dyke ewe carrying twins to the £22,000 Dalwyne. Sired by the £25,000 Crossflatt, she is bred the same way on the dam’s side as the previous lot.
Once again, Ewen Macmillan, Lurg, Fintry, produced the pre-sale show champion which this year went on to sell for 3200gns to Northern Ireland breeder, Oliver Brannigan, Galbally, Dungannon. This flashy white one-crop ewe is by a £12,000 Crossflatt and sold carrying twins to a £28,000 Auldhouseburn.
And, just behind, on £3000, Archie and John MacGregor, Allanfauld, Kilsyth, sold a one-crop ewe scanned with twins to the £35,000 Dalchirla, to Neil Campbell, Succoth, Ardeonaig. She is by a £25,000 Crossflatt.
Angus Kennedy and his son, also Angus, Mitchellhill, Broughton, Biggar, sold the lead priced ewe hogg, by a £30,000 Auldhouseburn, at 2200gns to Elliot Bowman, Islay.
OTHERLEADING prices
Ewes – 2700gns – D and D Aitken, Uppercleugh, by a son of a £22,000 Connachan and due to a home-bred son of a £15,000 Auldhouseburn, to S McCrystall, Gulladuff Road, Drummuck, Northern Ireland; Lurg, by a £2000 Connachan, due to a £28,000 Auldhouseburn, to R Munro, Mull. 2200gns – Dyke, by a home-bred son of Travis and due to a home-bred son of a £34,000 Allanfauld, to J Cullens, Dollarbank, Dollar. 2000gns – Loughash, by a £24,000 Elmscleugh and due to a £14,000 High Staward, to C Gallagher, Northern Ireland; Crossflatt, by McCoy and due to a £100,000 Elmscleugh, to D McSwiggan, Northern Ireland.
Gimmers – 2600gns – Crossflatt, by a £16,000 Nunnerie and due to a £52,000 Crossflatt, to A MacGregor, Allanfauld, Kilsyth. 2000gns – J Blackwood, Dalblair, by a £15,000 Auldhouseburn and due to a £52,000 Crossflatt, to G Watson, Little Breck, Ayrshire; JP Campbell and Sons, Glenrath, by an £18,000 Pole and due to a home-bred son of a £12,000 Dalchirla, to C Gallagher.
Recipients carrying embryos – 2000gns – Dalwyne, by £52,000 Crossflatt and out of show ewe, to Crossflatt.
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