Broomfield Duchess, a home-bred gimmer from Andrew Baillie and T Jackson's flock from Ashgill, Larkhall, lived up to her name at a Zwartbles female sale at Carlisle, picking up the championship sash and the top price of 900gns.
Their show stopper, a daughter of Solway Pride Braveheart, a tup which goes back to Skyhigh Tip Top, is bred from a Heaton ewe. She sold served to Saltur Codie, to Derbyshire breeders, A and P Bonsall, Cardle View, Biggin, Buxton.
Top priced ewe at 800gns was Raymond Heigh's Conwy Christel, from Brook House, Bentham, Lancs. This three-year-old bred by Mrs Heather Hughes, is by Beech Hay Tycoon, out of a Conwy-bred ewe and sold carrying her second crop of lambs due mid June. The service sire was The Fort Del Boy – a tup that stood reserve male champion at the 2016 Premier Sale – and the buyer was James Harle, Stanley, Crook, Co Durham.
Two ewe lambs made 800gns to include the first prize senior and reserve overall champion from C and H Duffy's Smiddy Hill flock from Dunragit, Stranraer, purchased by Northern Ireland breeders, Penny and Julian Hutchinson, Quoile River Farm, Downpatrick. This was Smiddy Hill Emma, a daughter of the Holmlea Winston-sired Hayberries Colm, out of Smiddy Hill Carol, by Aquila After Shock.
Stainmore Emerald, the fifth prize winner in the same class, also made 800gns for Miss FL Brown, Mount Pleasant, Bowes, Co Durham. Breed champion at the North Yorkshire County Show and first in her class at Wensleydale Show, this Wallacetown Carbon-sired lamb is bred from Stainmore Betty Boop, a Wallacetown Arthur daughter. She sold down to West Yorkshire with GT Booth, Dowshaw, Lothersdale, Keighley.
Travelling down on the same trailer load to Dowshaw at 700gns, was the first prize junior ewe lamb from I and A Donald's Donbraid flock from Newtownstewart, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Donbraid Emerald, by Ulster Cad, is out of Bessiebell Ava, a Glencoy Whiskey daughter that bred the 700gns male champion at Stirling in 2016.
Just behind, on 650gns, the fourth prize gimmer from Thomas and Charlotte Critchley, Mercer Farm, Hutton, Lancs, was purchased by Messrs Sutherland, Pardovan Holdings, Philipstown, Linlithgow. Clarewood Dreamer, by Cynefin Arwel and bred from a Cynefin ewe, sold carrying a pair to Wallacetown Energy.
Averages: 11 ewes, £327.41; 28 gimmers £333.38; 90 ewe lambs, £184.23
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
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