BLACKFACES from Archie and John MacGregor's Allanfauld flock at Kilsyth, led the sale of ewe hoggs conducted by Dingwall and Highland Marts, at the closing of last week's Highland Sheep, held at Kinnahaird, Strathpeffer.
Selling for 700gns apiece in front of a large crowd, the duo included one lot by a £35,000 Dalchirla sire and the other by a £11,000 Auldhouseburn. They sold to Northern Ireland breeder, Stephen Small of Glenarm, Ballymena, Co Antrim.
Allanfauld also sold another Blackface pair for 500gns apiece, this time to Charlie McIntyre, Upper Croft Na Garn, Boat of Garten. That pair compromised one lot by a £24,000 Lurg and the other lot by a son of a £20,000 Dyke.
Just ahead of that price at 550gns apiece was the first hoggs through the ring, a pair of Suffolks from Irene Fowlie's Essie flock at Adziel, Strichen. The home-bred duo which compromised of one by Essie Ugie and the other by Essie Ulysses, were purchased by Louise McAuley from Woodside Croft, Fochabers.
Highland Mules sold well on the day with the second lot from David and Susan Johnstone, Croftdhu, Ballindalloch Home Farm, making 210gns a life to Messrs Ferguson, Glebe Farm, Kiltarlity.
Matching that price was a home-bred pair of Polled Dorsets from the Andersons of Smallburn Farms, Plewlands, Duffus. They were knocked down to Messrs Sutherland, Stainland and Sibmister Farms, Sibmister, Thurso.
The pre-sale champion pen, judged by Robert Paterson Jnr, Upper Auchenlay, Dunblane, came from Jim Simmons, Ruthven, Kirkmichael, Ballindalloch, with a pair of home-bred Cheviot. Mules. They sold to a buyer from Leverburgh, Isle of Harris, for 160gns apiece.
Messrs Ferguson, Glebe, made a further final bid of 160gns for Mules from Mr and Mrs J McCallum, Mountrich, Dingwall.