CENTRE records were broken for the second year in a row by a Texel gimmer at the sale of pedigree females at the Christmas Classic held at Thainstone on Monday.

Following on from the 4200gns set at last year’s event, it was another from Robbie Wilson’s 50-ewe Milnbank flock from North Dorlaithers, Turrif, that set the 4500gns record when sold to Steven Smith at The Byre, Sunnyhill Croft, Turriff. This daughter of the 12,000gns Glenside Wild Boy, which has sired sons to 42,000gns, is bred from a ewe by Strathbogie Untouchable, a ram which has done well in Robbie’s extensive ET breeding programme. Champion at the pre-sale show, she changed hands due with a single by the 60,000gns Strathbogie Yes Sir.

Robbie also secured the reserve Texel title with a February-born daughter of Halbeath VIP, an AI sire used at Milnbank to produce sons to 15,000gns. Her dam, again by Untouchable, is out of the same Glenside Razzle Dazzle-sired ewe that bred the 25,000gns Milnbank Special One, and this cracker sold to W Duthie at Woodside of Chapelton, Brechin, for 3000gns.

Graham Morrison’s Deveronvale flock from Inchbruich, Cornhill, was also in the money with sales at 4200gns and 3000gns, for two by the Millar’s Windbrook ram that sired the 50,000gns tup lamb sold at Lanark earlier this year. Dearest of these and selling to KW Hourston, Skelbister, Orkney, was the third prize gimmer which is bred from a Strathbogie Terminator daughter and sold carrying a pair to Mullan Armani.

There was similar breeding behind the 3000gns Deveronvale gimmer, with this one out of the same Terminator-sired ewe that bred the 19,000gns Deveronvale Warrior. She was also AI’d to the 42,000gns Mullan Armani and sold with a single inside to A Kerr, Ardmohr Cottage, Bolshan, near Arbroath.

On to the Suffolk section and gimmers from George Stuart’s Birness flock peaked at 1400gns and 1300gns, with both of these scanned with twins to the 3800gns Crewelands Megastar bought at Stirling. Dearest from the flock at Milltown of Birness, Ellon, was the number two which is among the first crop by the 10,000gns Redbrae Rambo bought at Stirling, while the dam is by Ballynacannon Commander. She caught the eye of S Milton and heads to Tullochallum, Dufftown, Keith.

Making 1300gns when sold to DWL Delday, Quoy Belloch, Deerness, was a Birness gimmer by Thurston Urastar, bred from another Ballynacannon Commander daughter.

Jim Innes, and shepherd Michael Leggat, had more to celebrate when gimmers by the 11,000gns Castleisle Knockout hit 1250gns and 1200gns. Ronnie Wilkie, of Tillyboy, Echt, was behind the 1250gns sale and takes home a gimmer bred from a Strathbeg Stan the Man daughter carrying twins to Strathbogie A Kind of Magic.

Selling for 1200gns to DWL Delday, was a gimmer bred from a Strathisla Speed daughter scanned with a single to the same service sire, A Kind of Magic, which has bred rams to 24,000gns.

Among the other breeds on offer it was a Blue Texel gimmer from Stasa Moyes that topped at 1250gns when snapped up by A and J Alston, Chapelton of Menmuir, Brechin. This stylish lass, which scanned with twins to the 3300gns Hackney Your Joking bought, is by the loaned Foxhill Yogi and out of Stasa’s foundation ewe, a Belgian import that did well on the show circuit.

Heading up the Beltex offering at 900gns was the champion, Aviemore Belinda, a gimmer by the 6000gns Corstane Whistler from Colin and Alfie Mair, Muirfield, Everton of Auchry, Turriff. Selling to PG Milton, Mains of Allanbuie, Keith, she is out of the Artnagullion Ringmaster-sired Aviemore Wonder Girl 2, and sold scanned with twins to the 1800gns Airyolland Wee Jimmy, which has bred sons to 10,000gns.

Included was the dispersal of the Youngson family’s Westerton flock of Texels, which peaked at 350gns for a Milnbank Van the Man daughter served by Forkins Vlar. She sold to North Tarwathie, Strichen.

Averages: Beltex – 10 ewe lambs, £240; five ewes, £590; 19 gimmers, £513.42. Suffolk – Seven ewe lambs, £458.57; six ewes, £376.67; 36 gimmers, £471.94. Texel – Five ewe lambs, £1200; 64 gimmers, £859.79.

See the December issue of The Scottish Farmer for the full report and pictures from the Christmas Classic