Lanarkshire Bleu Du Maine breeder, William Baillie, Hillhead of Covington, Thankerton, swept the boards at a breed show and sale at Carlisle, selling the top priced females, rams and Millennium Bleus.

Mr Baillie also produced the female champion and supreme overall which went on to sell for 4000gns to Messrs Williamson, Grafton, Harrogate. This was the first entry in the catalogue, Calla Neva, a two-crop ewe that stood first in her class and reserve female champion at the Highland Show in June. A daughter of the Perdi Lorenzo son, Calla Magnum that was retained for breeding, Neva is out of Calla Haley, one of the best breeding ewes in the flock, by Cysgod Daniel.

The same buyers also went to 4000gns for Mr Baillie's Highland Show champion this year, Calla Pleasure, which went on to stand reserve inter-breed sheep at Ingliston. A triplet-born gimmer, she is by Maximum Obama which was bought here in 2016 for 2000gns and out of Calla Kitty, by Maximum Hawk Eye.

Minutes later, Messrs Wylie and Son, Kirriemuir, bought the family's reserve female at the pre-sale show, Calla Performer, another by Obama, for 1800gns. Her dam is the Cysgod Daniel-sired Calla Gemma, one of only 15 ewes in the flock.

The sire, Maximum Obama, a two-shear tup by a Perdi-bred son of Tighnahinch Jumping Jack, topped the males for Calla, selling for 2200gns, to Laine Daff, Greenside, Uplawmoor, Glasgow. Male champion and reserve overall at the pre-sale show, Obama was also first at the Highland Show and is out of Maximum Mayflower, a Calla King Kong daughter.

It was an Obama son that sold next amongst the males too, when a shearling son made 1000gns selling back up to Lanarkshire to High Parks Farm, Hamilton. Calla Pascoe is out of Calla Maria, by Artnagullion Lightning.

Top priced ram lamb at 1000gns was Perdi Rockstar from Worcs breeder, Percy Tait. Unbeaten in the show ring, winning the AOB championship at Staffordshire, and first in his class at the pre-sale show, Rockstar is by Randalstown Nugget and out of a home-bred ewe. He was another to go home with Messrs Wylie and Son, Kirriemuir.

Leading the Millenium Bleu trade at 1200gns and 1100gns were two shearling rams from Mr Baillie, who also runs a large dairy enterprise at Covington Mill. Dearest was the second prize winner, by a Callacrag-bred Beltex tup from William's brother Andrew, out of Calla May. He was another to head home with High Parks Farm, Hamilton.

The 1100gns shearling and Millennium Bleu champion was also by a Callacrag Beltex but out of Calla Kitty. He was knocked down to Messrs Duerden, Dalton in Furness.

Outwith Mr Baillie's consignment, Percy Tait received 1000gns for his breed champion from Shropshire Show, a triplet-born gimmer by Randalstown Nugget, out of a home-bred ewe by Tighnahinch Jumping Jack. Second in her class at the pre-sale show, she sold to Messrs Millar, Lockerbie.

Selling up to Dingwall with Messrs Fraser at 900gns was Iwan Davies' fourth prize ram lamb, Cysgod Rolex, from the Cysgod flock from Llandyfriog, Ceredigion. He is by Calla Napoleon and out of the Maximum Marvin-sired Cysgod Nerys.

Also hitting 900gns was Aintree Pele, a triplet born Millennium Bleu tup lamb from R Pilkington, Shordley Hall, Wrexham, purchased by Messrs Dunphy, Perth. He is bred from home-bred genetics on both sides.

OTHERLEADING prices

Bleu Du Maine – Females – 800gns – W Baillie's gimmer, Calla Poppy, by Maximum Obama, to Messrs Heard, Taunton, Somerset. 750gns – SB Mair's ewe lamb, Aviemore Ruby, by a Perdi sire, to Messrs Millar, Lockerbie. Rams – 750gns – C and R Cruden's ram lamb, Standing Stones Ragnar, by a Langley sire to Messrs Farquharson, Perth.

Millennium Bleus – Rams - 800gns – Kerrie McDermid's aged ram, Cargen Glen Oxley, by an Artnagullion ram, to Messrs Sibson, Bassenthwaite, Keswick. K McDermid's shearling ram, CargenGlen Pollard, by an Artnagullion ram, to Messrs Neale, Maryport, Cumbria.

Averages: Bleu Du Maine – Three aged ewes, £1785.00; 41 gimmers, £531.66 (+£134.89 for eight more sold; 18 ewe lambs, £305.08 (+£8.75 for six fewer); five aged rams, £808.50; 23 shearling rams, £421.83 (-£36.09 for five more); 25 ram lambs, £435.12 (-£75.88 for 16 more). Millennium Bleus – 18 gimmers, £295.17 (-£50.85 for four fewer); 30 shearling rams, £527.80 (-£94.03 for 12 more).

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.