Gimmers from Iain and Judith Barbour's Annan-based Solwaybank flock, led the way at the Borderway Beauties sale of pedigree Suffolk females, producing the top two prices and the lead average of £3062.50 for six.

This inaugural sale, staged at Carlisle last week, attracted entries from no fewer than 13 flocks, and saw the lead price of 6500gns paid twice for gimmers from the brother and sister duo.

First was a daughter of Collessie Cartier – a son of the 5500gns Solwaybank Titan. Her dam, which is a maternal sister to the two times Highland Show champion ewe, Solwaybank Eva Jane, is also backed by home-bred genetics being sired by Solwaybank Goldfinger. Fife businessman, Stewart Craft, who owns a 50-ewe flock at Balquhomrie, Leslie, forked out the cash.

The next Solwaybank gimmer made the same money selling down to Wales, with Paul Delves, Churchstoke, Powys. She is by Lakeview Harbinger, a tup bought privately from Gary Beacom after standing male champion and reserve overall at Balmoral, in 2015, and out of a home-bred ewe by Solwaybank Solario.

The Barbours also bought two ewe lambs, going to 1800gns and 1700gns entries from the Salopian and Bridgeview flocks respectively. The former, from PW Poole, Beaconsfield, Shrewsbury, is by the 26,000gns Solwaybank Rock Solid, out of a home-bred ewe and stood first in her class at Shropshire Show.

The latter, a Lakeview Harbinger-sired lamb, from Paul Delves, is out of a Jubilee ewe, and saw all the proceeds from the sale go to the Lingen Davies Cancer Fund.

Northern Ireland breeders also made their presence felt, with Mark Priestley who owns the Limestone flock from Seaforde, Downpatrick, taking 4800gns from Pat and Rory Machray, of the Middlemuir flock, Bilboa, Inverurie. Their purchase, a gimmer by the 6000gns Strathbogie A Kind of Magic that bred the male champion and reserve overall at Balmoral for Mr Priestley this year, is bred from a home-bred ewe by Limestone Brigadier. The gimmer is also a full sister to two ET entries that made 3000gns at the Three Nations sale last year.

Dennis Taylor's Ballynacannon flock from Macosquin, Coleraine, was another to come up with the goods, when a gimmer by Solwaybank Master Debater, bred from a Burnview ewe by Errigal Simply The Best, made 4100gns selling to Messrs Hughes, Llanfairpwll, Anglesey.

Suffolk and Texel breeder, Stephen Cobbald, Acton, Suffolk, bought several of the lead priced lots to include the best from Andrew Wilson's Castleisle flock from Shannagh, Co Donegal, at 3200gns. This was a ewe lamb by Lakeview Armani, the reserve champion at last year's breed sale at Stirling that made 10,000gns. She is bred from a Shannagh ewe by Limestone To-Tal that has bred seven sons to a top of 11,000gns to average £2940.

Mr Cobbald also forked out 2000gns for a gimmer by Forkins Ferrari II from the Castleisle flock and 2500gns for the lead gimmer from L and M Liggett's Carony flock from Drumquin, Co Tyrone. This triplet-born ET is by Rhaeadr Readymix and bred from the same family as the 2000gns ewe lamb sold to Mary Julie Cornish, being out of a home-bred ewe by Rhaeadr Red Bull.

There were some top genetics behind William Tait's Burnview consignment from Lislap, Co Tyrone, too, which sold to 3000gns and 2500gns. Dearest was a gimmer by Ballynacanon Attitude, the reserve champion at Stirling in 2015 purchased for 18,000gns, whose top six sons averaged in excess of £5000. An ET sister to the flock's show gimmer, she is bred from a home-bred ewe by Forkins Ferrari II and sold to Messrs Turner, Hatton, Derby.

Adding an international flair to the proceedings, a three-way partnership between Messrs Cueto, and Messrs Fernandex, both from Spain and Suffolk Do Pinherio, Portugal, bought the 2500gns gimmer. She is by Birness Murray, the 2016 National Sire of the Year, whose sons have sold to 14,000gns, 13,000gns and 11,000gns.

Averages: Ballynacannon flock – Four gimmers, £1438.50; four ewe lambs, £669.38. Birness – Five gimmers, £1014.30. Bridgeview – Three ewe lambs, £1050.00. Burnview – Five gimmers, £1942.50. Carony – Six gimmers, £1268.75. Convoy – Four gimmers, £1063.12. Crewelands – Four gimmers, £651.00. Limestone – Four ewe lambs £1330.88. Salopian – Three gimmers, £ 602.00. Solwaybank – Six gimmers, £3062.50.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

-