Traditional-type Bluefaced Leicester females from Alan McClymont and sons Sam and Oli, Kirkstead, Yarrow, were again in demand at the Blue Belles sale at Carlisle when attracting several of the lead prices including the 3500gns top.
This was paid for the fourth prize gimmer sired by the Ashes L1 tup purchased at Carlisle for 3000gns, whilst the dam goes back to Mendick ram that previously stood reserve inter-breed at the Royal Highland Show. She sold scanned with a pair of lambs to Kirkstead S11 and found a new home with Mike Anderson Farming, Keith, Aberdeenshire.
Her full sister made 2000gns when also selling to Mike Anderson. She sold scanned with triplets to the £23,000 Espley.
Mike Anderson didn’t stop there and also purchased the top priced gimmer from Frank Johnson of the Ashes flock, West Shipley, Bishop Auckland, Co Durham, at 3200gns. A daughter of Lowes Fell N12, she is out of a home-bred ewe by Burndale K4 and sold carrying three lambs to Parton M31 – the Traditional-type Sire of the Year in 2023, having been purchased as a three shear for £3000.
The same home took 1200gns from Messrs Forster and Son, Hexham, for a gimmer the same way bred again due with triplets to the Parton tup. Derek Henderson, Burndale, Westwood, Hexham, also bagged a full sister for 1100gns, when carrying a pair of lambs to the Parton ram.
On the flip side, Mr Henderson who was staging a major reduction from the Burndale flock received 2200gns, for a 2021-born ewe purchased by Alan McClymont, Kirkstead. Buying back some of his own genetics, she is sired by Kirkstead M1 – a tup bought privately for £6000 – and out of a home-bred ewe by Lower Down H3. She is scanned carrying three lambs to Piel View P2, a tup bought here for £10,000 in 2021 after standing pre-sale champion. Another similarly aged ewe by the Ashes M1 ram, from the same home made 1200gns. Bred from a ewe by the Shield D13, she sold carrying a pair to Piel View P2 to Mike Anderson.
The judge, John Helme, Ormathwaite flock, found his reserve champion in an in-lamb gimmer from Matthew Seed’s Auchry flock, Turriff, which later realised 1250gns. Sired by West Bolton N2, she is out of a Lower Down M1 daughter and sold carrying a pair of lambs to Nant Y Glyd R1. She travels down to Wales with Messrs Davies and Son, Llanymynech, Powys.
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
Averages: Eight ewes, £813.75 (-£11.93 for 14 fewer sold); 42 gimmers, £798.50 (-£331.15 for 13 more); seven ewe lambs, £735.00 (+£210 for three more).
High Craigs – 17 head, £466.32. Burndale – 20 head, £786.97.
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