SCOTTISH Beltex breeders made their presence felt at Newark’s inaugural sale of pedigree ewes and lambs and ewe hoggs, either as buyers or sellers.

While the top price was 2500gns paid for a gimmer with ram lamb at foot from Andrew and Becky Bishop, Lanarkshire's Ali Jackson, sold the next best at 1500gns. This was Tiptop Wisdom, a home-bred one-crop ewe by Vestry Super Star, out of a ewe by Airyolland King of Clubs-sired dam. She sold with ewe lamb at foot by Ainstable Aristotle, to the Bowring family, Mansfield, Notts.

Mr Jackson also received 1400gns from Aberdeenshire breeder, Gordon Carroll, Edendiack, Gartly, Huntly, for a Mule ewe rearing a pair of ET-bred lambs. These are by Ainstable Aristotle and out of Tiptop Allstar – last year's first prize gimmer at the Royal Welsh Show.

Ali's brother, Cameron also got on in the action, taking 900gns for a recipient ewe with an ET ewe lamb, Damside Clover. Sired by Hackney BBF, she is out of Aviemore Well Muscled and again sold to Messrs Bowring.

Topping the sale at 2500gns was Bishops Andromeda, a gimmer from Gloucestershire breeders, Andrew and Becky Bishop, that was successfully shown last year. She is by Balbrydie Thor, out of a ewe by Fearn Grand Slam, and changed hands with a tup lamb by Withytrees Arnold to Buckinghamshire breeder Emily South, Wendover, Bucks.

The couple also received 1000gns for the ET ram lamb Bishops Cool, a Bishops Arnold son out of Luggsmill Priscilla, which sold with recipient ewe.

The production sale from Adam and Jessica Neachell's Cromwell flock, Aldridge, Staffs, peaked at 1300gns for Cromwell Caramel, an ET ewe lamb by Matt’s Abracadabra, out of Cromwell Tara, an Ainstable Renwick daughter. The buyer was Claire Harrison, Daventry, Northamptonshire.

Just behind on 1200gns, Mr Carroll, Huntly, bought Cromwell Twilight, a 2013-born ewe, Cromwell Twilight, rearing twin ewe lambs by Ardstewart Afrodisiac. This ewe is by Ainstable Renwick and out of a Bishops Nijinsky daughter.

A strong entry of commercial ewes and lambs peaked at £270 per unit for Beltex cross ewes and lambs from David and Linda Wadland, with others from the same home at £260 three times and £250.