Despite four five-figure prices and a further eight selling between 5000gns and 10,000gns, at last week’s Northern Area Suffolk sale at Ingliston, averages fell by more than £200 per head for the third year in succession, and for fewer sold.

averages:
122 ram lambs, £1929.38 (-£206.62 for 32 fewer sold).

This year’s event, which saw averages go below the £2000 mark, was also one of the smallest ever, with the last sheep going through the ring just before 1pm.
Yet chief executive, Dr Lewis McClinton, remained upbeat. “An average just short of £2000 with a 69% clearance rate is a good result for one of the first sales of the season. A lot of breeders went away happy having had a successful sale and there were four or five new breeders buying stock rams,” said Dr McClinton.
However, while most flock averages were down on the year, Derbyshire breeder, Steven Buckley, who runs the Sitlow flock with his wife Louise, son David and daughter Laura, enjoyed a bumper day, selling the day’s highest priced lot at 20,000gns whilst also securing the lead flock average at £6720 for four.
Also producing a personal best for the 70-ewe flock – which was celebrating it’s 30th year – was the reserve champion. A son of the 6000gns Cairness Carbon – a tup bought last year which also bred an 8200gns lamb for the Kings flock at Shrewsbury, the previous week – he is out of one of the best ewes in the flock.
His dam, a home-bred ewe by Strathisla Sinatra, bred the 8000gns Sitlow Centurion, the champion sold here in 2008, while her full sister bred the £7000 Sitlow Sensation sold at Kelso.
Final bidder on the Buckley lamb was the pre-sale judge, Robbie Wilson, who runs the Strathisla flock at North Dorlaithers, Turriff, with a third share selling to Charles and Kevin Proctor, of the Conveth flock from Mains of Tollo, Turriff.
On the other side of the coin, Robbie’s 100-ewe Strathisla flock, hit a top of 18,000gns and an average of £4635 for seven.