Bidding broke through the £3000 bracket on three separate occasions for Blackface rams at Dingwall and Highland Marts' multi-breed tup sale at Fort William.

The sale, which saw 517 rams change hands saw trade peak at £3500 for a shearling from William Dunlop and sons Quintin and William, Elmscleugh, Innerwick, Dunbar, who received this money for a son of an £11,000 Elmscleugh shearling sold last year, onto a ewe by an £8000 Chirmorrie. The buyers were Jimmy and Graeme Sinclair, Crookston, Heriot

Elmscleugh also took £3200 from DJ MacDonald, Braes, Portree, for their first lamb, a son of a £10,000 Auldhouseburn, bred from a ewe by a £10,000 Elmscleugh.

Topping the ram lamb section at £3300 was the second lamb from Ian Hunter's Dalchirla pen from Muthill, Crieff, purchased by Donald MacGregor, Burnhead, Kilsyth. It is by the £28,000 Auldhouseburn and bred from a ewe by a £24,000 Elmscleugh.

By the end of the day, 78 Blackface ram lambs averaged £330.26 with 281 shearling rams cashing in at £258.26.

LEADINGprices

Blackface – Ram lambs – Dalchirla, £3300, £1500; Elmscleugh, £3100, £1200; Allanfauld, Kilsyth, £800. Shearling rams – Elmscleugh, £3500, £1600; Knockdon £1200; Dalchirla, £1000.

Two-shear – Knockdon, £700; Shenlarich £600, £350; Dall Farm, £450, £320. Three-shear t – Dall Farm, Killin, £350; Balchraggan, Torness, £350; Woodside Croft, Mull, £350; Braes of Ardeonaig, Killin, £350. Aged – Craig, Straiton, £400.

Chev – Two-shear – 80 Strathcaiaird, Ullapool, £400. Shearling – East Durran, Castletown, Bracklin, Callender and Balmaglaster £350; Wood Cottage Croft, East Durran and Balmaglaster £200 Ardoch Farm.

Texel – Shearling – Balmaglaster, Spean Bridge, £420; East Bracklin, £350; Newton of Crathie and Balmaglaster, £300; Fidden Farm, Isle of Mull, £250 (x2).

Suffolks – Shearling – Newton of Crathie, Ballater, £250.

Blueface Leicester – Shearling – Crookston, Herriot, £700, £600, £500.

Swale – Shearling – Glenavon Estates, Tomintoul, £250. Aged ram – Abercairney Estate, Crieff, £250.

Crosses – Shearling – The Arr, Lethen and Newton of Crathie, £380.