Record Suffolk average at UA

A TOP price of 40,000gns, backed up with a further eight five-figure prices and a best ever average for the Suffolk breed at United Auctions' Stirling centre ensured breeders had plenty to smile about at the Scottish National show and sale, last week.

“This has been an excellent sale," said Robin McIlrath, chief executive of the Suffolk Sheep Society. "I am particularly pleased that their wasn't just a single big headline price, but quality prices throughout the sale with an overall average up by more than £700 on the year. It has been a difficult winter and spring for our breeders and it's great to see such a buoyant and positive sale on the back of some challenging months.”

Backing up these statements, George Purves, managing director of United Auctions said: "It was a very good show of sheep with a lot of breeders looking to buy stock rams."

Mr Purves was also keen to point out the growing popularity of the breed as commercial flock masters seek to produce earlier finishing and faster maturing lambs to heavier weights.

"There is still a lot of confidence in the Suffolk, when you think there were more lambs sold than last year and they averaged just short of £3000 per head which is the highest ever achieved at Stirling. There are also a growing number of young members here which is hugely encouraging for the breed and the industry."

It was one of the younger members of the society who topped the sale at 40,000gns too, when 28-year-old Northern Ireland breeder, Mark Priestley, who was selling sheep for the first time in his own right, sold his pre-sale champion.

Mr Priestley, who 'herded pedigree Texels for Charlie Boden's Sportsmans flock for four years and previous to that, Suffolks and Texels for Robbie Wilson, Turriff, went straight to the top with a January-born ET that was reserve overall champion at Balmoral Show in May.

Bred from a home-bred ewe by the 14,000gns Castleisle Knockout that sold for 5500gns at the Three Nations, last year, which in turn was out of a 3000gns Strathisla female, this big, leggy lamb is by Strathbogie A Kind of Magic, a 6000gns purchase shared with Jim Innes. He sold back across the Irish Sea with Andrew Wilson who owns the Castleilse and Shannagh flocks from Raphoe, Co Donegal and Ronan McLaughlan of the Ballyboe flock from Donegal, with the Limestone flock retaining a share.

Mr Priestley and his partner Laura Jane Berry, also received 7000gns for another equally well-bred lamb, from J Hanley, Heathview Farm, Thurles, Co Tipperary. This was a son of Lakeview No Limits, bred from a Strathbogie ewe by Ballynacannon Commander that is an ET sister to the 20,000gns Strathbogie Jackpot and a maternal sister to the 24,000gns Strathbogie Carat.

With three lambs sold, the Limestone flock which comprises of just 16 pedigree Suffolk ewes running alongside four pure Texel females, produced the lead average at £17,430.

George and Melvin Stuart's Birness flock from Ellon, enjoyed the best of the day's trading selling their eight lambs to average £6562.50, backed up by top prices of 30,000gns and 10,000gns.

Producing a personal best for this 150-ewe flock following on from a 20,000gns top, was a son of the 9500gns Limestone Legacy, a tup owned in partnership with the Collessie and Pyeston flocks, which the previous week bred a 9000gns lamb at Shrewsbury for Birness. Bred from a ewe by the 7500gns Lakeview Gold Rush, he sold to Stephen Sufferin, buying for his Crewelands flock from Maghera, Co Londonderry.

Birness' second lamb and a member of the fourth prize pen of three made 10,000gns selling to Devon-based breeders, Ross Lawrence, Netherleigh, and Robin Irwin, Lower Kingstree, for their Roundacre and Kings flock respectively. The breeding behind this January-born lamb includes Crewelands Megastar, a tup that stood second here last year and was bought for 3800gns, out of a ewe by the 7800gns Ballynacannon Commander.

Limestone Legacy also produced the goods for young Stewart Lathangie's Pyeston flock from Glenrothes, Fife, who achieved a top price more than 10 times his previous best, when his first lamb was knocked down for 24,000gns selling to Stephen Cobbald, Acton Hall, Suffolk. Male champion and reserve overall at Fife and West Fife Shows and a full brother to last year's top priced Scottish lamb sold at Kelso, this cracker is bred from a ewe by Ardlea Champion, one of 45 ewes in the flock established 15 years ago.

Despite an early calling, Jim Innes' Strathbogie flock of just 10 pedigree Suffolks, from Dunscroft, Huntly, produced a 22,000gns best and and average just shy of £9000 for three. Tops here, brought out by shepherd Michael Leggat was the pen leader, another by the 6000gns Strathbogie A Kind of Magic, bred from a show ewe by the 14,000gns Castleisle Knockout that is a full sister to the 6000gns Strathbogie Samurai, purchased by the Redbrae and Claybury flocks. This January-born ET quad sold in a two-way split to Iain and Judith Barbour buying for their Solwaybank flock from Annan and relatively new breeder, Stewart Craft of the Lomondview flock from Leslie, Fife.

On the debit side, Strathbogie, Limestone and Pat and Rory Machray, who own the Middlemuir flock from Daviot, Inverurie, went to 20,000gns to buy Alastair Gault's No 3 from the Forkins flock from Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland, which runs alongside an equally well known Texel flock.

A member of the third prize pen of three, this mid-February-born triplet is by the Rhaeadr Rolex-sired Mullaghboy Goliath – a tup bred from a Lakeview ewe, bought privately from David Ford. He is bred from a home-bred Cairness Liam ewe that sired ram lambs purchased by the Shannagh/Castleilse and O'Keefes flock last year along with this year's show gimmer that was champion at Ballymena Show.

Mr Gault's first lamb and another member of the third prize pen made 9000gns selling to John Sinnett, for his Stockton flock from Worcester. Another backed by the best of genetics, this ET lamb is bred from a Forkins ewe by Birness Bacardi that is a full sister to the 4000gns Fagan and the 8000gns Rio sold here in 2016. His sire is Rhaeadr Rio which bred a £9500 gimmer sold privately for Dennis Taylor's Ballynacannon flock.

Jimmy Douglas' Cairness flock from Fraserburgh also sold to 20,000gns, with the pen leader selling to Stockton with Mr Douglas retaining a quarter share. This was the first son sold by Cairness Agent, a son of Cairness Sir William – a tup that produced the champion winner here last year – out of a gimmer's lamb by the €31,000 Cloontagh Chieftain.

Two lambs came under the hammer for 10,000gns including the first from Worcs-based Chris Holmes, his daughter Sally and grand-son Oliver, who were selling here for the first time. This was a son of Rookery Grand Slam, a son of Rhaeadr Rolex, bred from a 9000gns Lakeview ewe, retained for breeding, that bred a 3500gns lamb at Shrewsbury the previous week. He is out of a ewe by Haddo High Voltage, a 5400gns purchase some eight years ago, and sold to Lesley Liggett of the Carony flock from Drumquin, Co Tyrone.

Later, a team of three breeders to include Stewart Lathangie; James Wallace, Claycrop, Stranraer and Paul Delves, Powys, Wales, went to the same money for Willie Tait's pen leader from the Burnview flock from Eskradooey, Lislap. One of the best bred lambs in the catalogue, this ET is from one of the most successful ewe families at Burnview, being a daughter of Oldmill Lieutenant, that has produced ram lambs to 8000gns, gimmers to 4100gns and ewe lambs to 4600gns. The sire is Strathbogie Im Invincible, a 6200gns purchase last year that bred the first prize recorded lamb at Shrewsbury last year that made 3500gns.

Having forked out the 40,000gns lead bid, Andrew Wilson's 50-ewe Castleisle flock from Donegal, hit a top price of 7000gns paid for his fourth prize winner in the open. A son of last year's reserve champion here, Lakeview Armani, which was jointly purchased for 10,000gns, he is out of a ewe by Cairness Liam that is a maternal sister to Castleisle Carnage and from the same family as the 2012 Roscrea champion and the novice champion in 2013. He also sold three ways, with Pyeston, Birness and Ronnie Black and sons Mike and Pete, Newton of Collessie, Ladybank, Fife, sharing the cost.

Birness also bought the lead priced lamb from Dennis Taylor's Ballynacannon flock from Northern Ireland at 6500gns. This was a son of the 8000gns Lakeview Innuendo, bought in 2016, out of a ewe by Ballynacannon Discovery whose full sister made 6500gns at the Three Nations sale.

The small entry of females peaked at 1400gns for a gimmer from Patrick Donnelly's Donrho flock from Rathkenny, Ballymena.She is by Rhaeadr Rhonn and sold to I Patrick, Bellcraig, Leslie, Glenrothes, who bought four females at the sale.

OTHERLEADING prices

Ram lambs – 5000gns – M Evans, Rhaeadr, by Rhaeadr Raring to Go to Messrs Duncan, Jacobshall, Banff; R and G Hiddleston, Irongray, by Stockton Sniper, to Belgium

4200gns – G Christie, Balquhain, by Lakeview Under the Radar, to P Donnelly, Rathkenny, Ballymena.

4000gns – CJ Holmes, Rookery, by Carony Megamix, to JB McVicker, Bushmills, Co Antrim.

FLOCK averages

Flock (No) Top (gns) Average (£)

Roundacre (3) 1100 875.00

Ballynacannon (3) 6500 2800.00

Middlemuir (3) 700 665.00

Strathbogie (3) 22,000 8890.00

Rhaeadr (4) 5000 1858.50

Errigal (4) 900 695.63

Cairness (5) 20,000 4609.50

Balquhain (3) 4200 2065.00

Forkins (5) 20,000 7140.00

Rookery (4) 10,000 4856.25

Smithston (5) 1500 955.50

Drimmie (4) 900 813.75

Birness (8) 30,000 6562.50

Castleisle (5) 7000 3255.00

Donrho (4) 500 525.00

Lakeview (4) 2800 1942.50

Lomondview (5) 2000 987.00

Muirton (4) 2800 1115.63

Burnview (6) 10,000 3465.00

Limestone (3) 40,000 17,430.00

Crewelands (7) 3000 1695.00

Solwaybank (6) 2800 1286.25