TEXEL rams met a steady trade at the recent Scottish Texel Sheep Breeders’ Club show and sale at Lanark, where ram lambs commanded the lead prices and the sale top at 5200gns.
While there were no run away prices, vendors were happy with the trade which saw improved averages for ram lambs and gimmers.
That top price was set by an ET-bred lamb from Scott Michie, who owns just one ewe in his Scotsman flock near Mintlaw, and sold three from the same flush with further prices at 4500gns and 3200gns.
The breeding of the February-born lambs includes the 60,000gns Strathbogie Terminator, which bred the 48,00gns Strathbogie Untouchable, on to a home-bred ewe by Oberstown Usain Bolt.
First through the sale ring, Scotsman Avicii, was the dearest for Scott, who shepherds for the Howies’ Knock flock, and was knocked down in a four-way split to Irish breeders Paul O’Connor, Drumgooland; Alistair Gault, Forkins; Roger Strawbridge, Tamnamoney; and Sam McAuley, Whitepark.
The same consortium paid 3200gns for Scotsman Ace while the male champion, Scotsman Apollo, also sold across the water, this time for 4500gns to Stewart Ferris, Leapoges Road, Dromore.
Splitting these prices at 4600gns was the No 2 from  Gordon and David Gray’s Ettrick flock from Lindean, Selkirk, in Ettrick Above and Beyond.
Selling to Iain Minto, Townhead, Dolphinton, and Meikle Jackson, Wolfclyde, Biggar, was a son of the shared 60,000gns Clinterty Yuga Khan – whose first 10 sons for the consortium averaged more than £8000, with the first 10 Ettrick sons levelling at £4800 – while the mother is a Knock Topaz daughter that stood champion of champions at Kelso Show as a gimmer.

The Scottish Farmer:

Gordon and David Gray’s Ettrick Above and Beyond was knocked down for 4600gns

The Clark brothers, Alan, Andrew and David, enjoyed a good trade for their Lesmahagow-based Garngour and Teiglum flocks, with a top of 2600gns paid by Cameron Gauld of the Cairnam flock near Auchterarder. That was Garngour Alladin, a son of the Halbeath VIP out of a Teiglum Windfall daughter.
The very next lot, Garngour Ambitious, another by Halbeath VIP, sold to Willie Shaw, West Lethans, Saline, for 2100gns. Amibitious is out of a Castlecairn Vavavoom daughter that is a full sister to the inter-breed champion at Biggar Show.
Angus McColm paid 1700gns for another from Garngour to take home to work at Crailloch, Port William, Newton Stewart.
David Preacher received 2500gns for the first from his Borders-based Holylee flock in the shape of Holylee Anchor Man. This ET-bred son of the 14,000gns Millar’s Windbrook is out of a Llangwm Rocky daughter and sold to Robert Leggate for pedigree work at Silverrigg, Chapelton.
Selling for 1700gns when knocked down to N Myles, Legaltion, Ballyshannon, Co Donegal, was Milnbank Ally-cat, by the 60,000gns Strathbogie Yes Sir, from Robbie Wilson, Turriff.
At 1500gns was another by Strathbogie Yes Sir, Deveronvale Areo, from Graham Morrison, Cornhill, Banff, which sold to Richard Currie for his Tullagh flock at Whiteside Road, Ballymena.
Andrew Neilson’s dearest, Brackenridge Avatar, from Strathaven, by Knock Yardsman, then made 1300gns to W Stevenson, Ballingry, Lochgelly.

averages:

23 shearling rams, £495.78 (-£56.00 for three more); 156 ram lambs, £634.17 (+£133.80 for 20 more); 13 gimmers, £530.65 (+£143.81 for six fewer).


Auctioneers: Lawrie and Symington