WITH no five-figure prices or indeed anything above the 3000gns mark, averages were back in all sections at the Beltex Scotland sale of rams and females at Lanark, where prices fell well short of last year’s 11,000gns top and instead peaked at 2400gns.
Despite securing the male championship with his No 1 entry, it was the No 2, Tiree Bentley, from Alasdair Maclean’s  Tiree pen of shearlings that sold for the top price of 2400gns to I Knight, Stephney, Calderbridge.
Notably, Tiree Bentley and the male champion, Tiree Battleaxe, are full ET brothers and indeed full brothers to the 8000gns Tiree Benchmark sold at the same sale last year.
Their breeding includes the 13,000gns Callacraig Wise Crack shared with Mary Dunlop’s Corstane flock and Alan Jackson’s Headlind flock, on to Tiree Spice, a Woodies Ringleader daughter.
Forking out 1900gns for Tiree Battleaxe was James McGarva, of Horseclose, Cummertrees, Anna.
The Lawries – David and sons Andrew and Euan – had a good day with their Grangehall flock when three shearling sons of the 10,000gns Quarrymount William Wallace shared with Andrew Baillie, Callacrag, and the Taylors, Heatheryhall, sold to a top of 2300gns to set a best price for the Pettinain-based flock of 35 ewes.

The Scottish Farmer:
Selling to Paul Tippetts and Christine Williams for their Hackney flock at Lodge Hill, Shifnal, was Grangehall Beckham, which is out of the Corbelly Top Man-sired Grangehall Willa.
The very next lot and a full brother to Beckham, Grangehall Bagpipes, sold to Michael Elliot, Espland House, Newton Reigny, Penrith, for 1400gns.
Granghall Brigadier, out of a Brickrow Rangers daughter, was  then knocked down to Iain Michie, of Ballechin Farms, Ballinluig, Pitlochry, for 1100gns.
Dearest of the ram lambs at 2200gns was Jock McMillan’s Clary Canyon, the best son of the 10,000gns Muirton Armani shared with Jane Campbell, Cree, to sell so far.
Placed third in the pre-sale show, he heads across the water with A and S Nicolson, Moore Lodge, Greencastle Road, Kilkeel, Co Down.
Matching that 2200gns price tag was a gimmer from Greg Laughton’s Lothian flock at Chapelton, Strathaven.
Lothian Beyonce, another by Quarrymount William Wallace, attracted some spirited bidding and was eventually knocked down to Stuart Wood for his Woodies flock at Woolhillock, Skene. She is out of Grangehall Winifred, a Padkin Sugar Daddy daughter, and has some ewe lamb sisters coming through for sale next year.
Back amongst the ram lambs and Matthew Burleigh’s reserve male champion from the Northern Irish flock near Shanra, Enniskillen, Matt’s Collectable, sold to J and G Howieson, Luxborough, Watchet, Somerset, for 1800gns.
He is by the 2017 Balmoral Show champion, the 5000gns Hackney Wonderboy, and out of the Hackney Warrior-sired Matt’s Adelle, making his a full brother to a 2900gns lamb.
Three sold for 1500gns apiece with the first of these being Buckles Cadbury’s Creme Egg from Kevin and Rachel Buckle, Barras, Kirkby Stephen, brought out by son Jack. His sire, the 3500gns Broxty Bruiser, is a full brother to the 25,000gns lamb record holder, Broxty Boxer, while the dam is the 2000gns Aviemore Ada, a Corstane Whistler daughter bought at Lanark two years ago. Forking out the cash to take this lad home to Dunfin Mill, Helensburgh, was T Nicol MacMillan.
Balancing his books having bought the top priced female, Stuart Wood received 1500gns from Robert Hamilton, Mid Shawtonhill, Chapelton, for Woodies Collision, an ET-bred son of the 5500gns Glenkeen Sanders out of a Belgian ewe by Cusko Van’t Hoeksken.
The female champion and supreme overall for Ross and Kirsty Williams was the third to realise 1500gns when sold to Kenny Preston, Tarcur Road, Omagh.
Black Jack Blade, from the Williams’ flock near Huntly, is by the new stock sire, Lugate Alex, and out of Black Jack Twister, a daughter of the 2011 Royal Highland Show champion, Loandhu Percy Pig.
Young vet, Andrew Wainwright, brought in 1450gns and 1250gns for two shearling sons of the 3700gns Kingledores Warrior from his flock near Dairsie, Cupar.
First to sell, and to Michael Davies, of Ravenshaw, Eldroth, was Todhall Baron, which is out of a Forglen ewe by Buckles Morgans Spice, making him a maternal brother to Todhall Superstar which has sired rams to 16,000gns for Blackjack.
At 1250gns, Todhall Bigman, out of a Calla ewe by Longley Hero, sold to John Guthrie for his Cuiltbrun pedigree and commercial flocks near Muthill, Crieff.
Young Alister and Andrew Meikle sold their East Kilbride Show champion, Whindyke Born To Be Wild, for 1400gns to R and H Warnock, Bankhead, Dechmont, Broxburn. Sired by Criffel William, this shearling is out of a Clary Shanki daughter from the flock of a dozen ewes at Newhouse, Jackton.
The male champion at the Scottish National Show, George Milroy’s Machermore Big One from near Newton Stewart, was knocked down to the Wright family at West Lundie, Doune, for 1200gns. His breeding includes Clary A-One on to a Callacrag Nightclub daughter.
Another sold for 1100gns when DS Stark and Sons, South Ballo, Abernyte, paid that for Ainstable Barrow from Brian Hall, Ainstable Hall, Carlisle. This son of the 8000gns Woodies Wicked, which has bred shearlings to the same price, is out of a Rocksolid Powerhouse daughter.

averages:

Four aged rams, £420.00 (-£122.25 for the same number sold); 124 shearling rams, £681.31 (-£5.94 for eight fewer); 59 ram lambs, £661.32 (-£321.18 for four fewer); 47 gimmers, £462.67 (-£104.33 for four more); five ewe lambs, £537.60 (no comparison).

Auctioneers: Lawrie and Symington