Blackface rams sold at the Perth Ram Society sale, at Stirling, met an improved trade with averages up in both the shearling and ram lamb sections, albeit for fewer sold.
In fact, it was Perth, or North-type sheep that commanded the top three prices of the sale, which included south-type shearling and ram lambs sold in the next door rings, with a ram lamb from David Baillie and son David, Calla, selling for the lead price of £18,000.
Meanwhile North-type shearling rams from Stephen Duncan and son, also Stephen, Achdregnie, reached £11,000 and £10,500.
However, breeders had to wait until the second last lot was sold to see the sale leader, when the number three lamb from the Baillies’ Calla flock from Carnwath made £18,000 selling to Achdregnie.
This was the second year in succession that the family had secured the lead priced lamb with last weekend’s best being described by Mr Duncan junior as “a great sheep with tremendous top line and good legs.” He is by the 8000gns Paul McEvoy tup lamb bought at Ballymena last year which stood champion at the pre-sale show and out of a ewe with a Glendamph-bred sire.
Calla was back in the money selling the second equal top priced lamb at 3000gns. This was paid for another son of a champion winner – the Eastmill lamb bought here in 2015 for £8000. He is by a £6000 Auchnacloich and was knocked down to Northern Ireland breeder, M McAleer, Camlough Road, Pomeroy, Dungannon.
Not surprisingly, Calla produced the lead flock average for the second consecutive year, selling six lambs at £3842.
It was nevertheless the Duncans’ Achdregnie flock from Glenlivet which produced the best overall trade when their 18 shearling rams cashed in at £2444, backed up by two five-figure sales and another six at four figures.
Dearest at £11,000 was the pen’s number three, which sold in a four-way split to include three breeders from Co Donegal, Northern Ireland, in Gerard Breslin, Cronkeerin, Ardara, and new breeders, Peter Cannon, Crove, Carrick, and Andrew Mackey, Rosemount, Belville. The fourth share was taken by Doldy Farms, Glenisla, managed by breed president, Pamela Nicol.
This cracker is by a 4400gns Tom Adams tup bought at Ballymena in 2014 that bred several show gimmers for the Duncans to include last year’s Perth Show champion, while the dam is by a tup bred by Martin Conway.
Notably, his twin brother made 7000gns selling back up to Ballindalloch-based breeders, John Shearer and sons Neil and Gavin, Hillhead of Morinsh, and Bert, Eleanor and Ally Mackintosh, Tombreckachie, both Glenlivet.
Just behind on £10,500 was the second Achdregnie shearling purchased by Mr Breslin’s brother, Cathal, also from Cronkeerin. He is by the £5000 Achdregnie shearling sold here last year to Tom Daly and Tom Adams, Northern Ireland, which was used as a lamb the previous year, and out of a ewe by a £1600 Glenhead.
The first shearling from the 700-ewe flock at Achdregnie, by the £6500 Newmill ram bought here in 2015, also came up with the mark, attracting a £3000 bid from Billy and Phil Stewart, Bomakelloch, Drummuir, Keith. Second in his class at the National Show in July, and third in the championship at the pre-sale show, this tup was used at home, with seven sons retained for next year.
Another by the 4400gns Tom Adams tup made £2800 selling to Matthew Hamilton and son Matthew, Woolfords, West Calder.
Outwith the Achdregnie shearlings, trade peaked at £6500 for a member of the first prize pen of five from Sandy and Steven Smith’s 500-ewe Haughton flock from Glenkindie. This was the pen leader which was also shearling champion and reserve overall at the pre-sale show. A son of the 8500gns Mark Smyth lamb bought at Ballymena in 2015, out of a ewe by a £5500 Craigneich, this tup which also secured a first place at the National Show, was knocked down to Calla.
Perthshire breeders, Tom and Mairi Paterson and son Robert, who farm 340 north-type ewes at Craigneich, Comrie, also came up with the goods winning the second prize group of five of which the first three went on to sell for £4200, £4500 and £3000 respectively.
The first and pen leader, a son of a £3800 Achdregnie bought here in 2015, stood second in his class at Perth Show. Buying back some of his own genetics, this £4200 tup which is bred from a ewe by a £500 Auchnacloich, was knocked down to Archie Mackinnon, who manages Cadogan Estates’ Auchnacloich unit at Amulree, Dunkeld.
The next two were both sons of last year’s £7000 Craigneich shearling sold here, with the £4500 entry, which stood second in his class at the pre-sale show, selling to the judge, Brendan Robinson, Kilmacrennan, Letterkenny, Co Donegal. The dam is again by the £500 Auchnacloich.
Achdregnie bought the £3000 Craigneich shearling bred from a ewe by the £5500 Viewmount lamb bought at this sale.
Back amongst the lambs, the overall champion from Matthew Hamilton and son, also Matthew, made £3000 selling to Duncan Beaton, Newmill of Inshewan, Newmill, Memus. The breeding behind this cracker includes a 6500gns Harkin lamb bought at Ballymena in 2015, onto a home-bred ewe.
Just behind, on £2800, Hillhead of Mornish sold their best lamb to Haughton. He is by a 1000gns Martin Conway ram bought in 2014 and stood second at the National. His dam is by a 7800gns Billy Grant-bred ram.
averages:
145 shearling rams, £920 (+£169 for 25 fewer sold); 126 ram lambs, £941 (+£227 for 24 less).
OTHERLEADING prices:
Shearling rams – £2400 – Woolfords, by a £2200 Woolfords, to Messrs Conway, Plumbridge, Omagh and Messrs McAler, Pomeroy, Dungannon, both Northern Ireland. £2000 – A and E Grant, Glendamph, by a £1000 Craigneich, to Woolfords.
FLOCK averages:
Flock (No) Top (£) Averages (£)
2017 2016
Shearlings
Newmill (4) 500 395.00 500
Hillhead of Morinsh (5) 1800 930.00 693
Glendamph (9) 2000 730.00 1150
Auldallan (3) 600 280.00 317
Dunruchan (3) 300 300.00 270
Craigneich (8) 4500 1943.75 1588
Glenrinnes (5) 950 740.00 830
Dalbog (4) 400 362.50 300
Woolfords (11) 2400 859.09 831
Haughton (12) 6500 960.00 613
Doldy (10) 750 420.00 927
Meikle Coull Cottage (4) 1000 452.50 –
Achdregnie (18) 11,000 2444.44 968
Auchnacloich (11) 1000 627.27 1533
Chamberwells (9) 450.00 458 –
Laggan (5) 800 520.00 525
Calla (5) 1800 714.00 520
Bomakelloch (6) 1400 478.33 1125
Tombreakachie (5) 1400 640.00 810
Drumore (4) 200 162.50 332
Ram lambs
Viewmount (5) 400 246.00 536
Tombreakie (3) 1200 633.33 283
Eastmill (6) 1000 488.33 307
Haughton (3) 1300 983.33 –
Newmill (3) 1100 566.67 379
Glenhead (4) 480 307.50 268
Chamberwells (10) 350 251.00 550
Calla (6) 18,000 3841.67 4150
Auctioneers: United Auctions
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