WITH no new record price, keeping pace with last year's big average was always going to prove problematic for Beltex breeders selling ram lambs on the second day of the three-day breed show and sale at Carlisle, last week.

Instead, two 10,000gns sales complete with a further three changing hands for more than 5000gns were the main highlights of the lamb sale which attracted an entry of 318.

First to hit the big one was the male champion and supreme overall from Northern Ireland breeder, Matthew Burleigh, who owns the Matts flock from Shanra, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh.

His show stopper, Matt's Ducati, a February-born embryo is bred from the Hackney Warrior daughter, Matt's Actress ET and sired by Hackney Corker ET, a tup whose first three daughters averaged in excess of £2500 at the Beltex Beauties Sale. The buyer was Andrew Wood, for his Withy Trees flock based at Preston, Lancs.

Jock McMillan's Clary flock from Newton Stewart, again came up with the goods too, producing the second 10,000gns lamb and the top average of £4830 for four. His pen leader, Clary Desperado, which was unshown at the pre-sale show, is by the imported tup, Henry V/H Vrijbos, the sire of last year's 7000gns lamb Clary Chief, and is still going strong as a two-shear.

His dam is Clary Winnie ET, an Orkney Something Special daughter bred from Clary Material – a ewe that was exported to Belgium privately. First in his class at the Highland Show and reserve male, he sold in a five-way partnership to Graham and Fiona Burke, Brechin; Andrew Baillie, Carstairs Mains; Brian Wylie, Kirriemuir; Stuart Wood, Westhill, Aberdeenshire and Procters Farm, Lancaster.

Jock, who broke his leg last month and has had to rely on assistance from his nephew William McMillan, also received 4800gns for Clary Donegal, an ET lamb bred from the Dean V/H Vrijbos daughter, Clary Ample ET and sired by the 7000gns Hackney Braveheart ET. First in his class at Stranraer and Dumfries, Donegal was knocked down to JR Wilkinson and Sons, buying for their Langlands flock from Barningham, Richmond.

Richard Wood and his father John's Kingledores flock, which produced the 27,000gns record priced lamb, Kingledores Crusader, here last year, had another cracking day too, averaging £4436 for four from a lead price of 7300gns.

This was paid for Kingledores Drake ET, which is bred from the same ewe that produced Crusader, Kingledores Pearl ET, a Viagrow V/d Drie Musschen daughter and former Highland Show champion. Drake is by Artnagullion Charlie Chaplin ET, which was bought here last year for 7000gns as a lamb and sold in a two-way split to Jonathan Watson, buying for his Tweeddale flock from Berwick upon Tweed and Messrs Gray, Morpeth, Northumberland.

Another from the same home, Kingledores Destroyer ET, a son of Clary Chancer bred from the Glenkeen Sanders-sired Kingledores Brandy ET, made 4200gns selling to Aberdeenshire breeders, Rory Machray, Inverurie and Bruce and Colin Mair, Turriff.

George Wilkinson's first year selling at this event also proved fruitful, with his Arkle flock from Wigton, which is run alongside a better known Texel enterprise, selling to 7000gns. Living up to his name was Arkle Deluxe ET, a tup lamb bred from a 4200gns College ewe by Kingledores Trojan that was bought at flock dispersal and which is also the grand-dam of the 8000gns College gimmer that was champion at the Great Yorkshire in 2017. Willie McAllister and his sister Liz, who own the Artnagullion flock at Kells, Ballymena, Co Antrim, were the final bidders on this lamb by Skiddaw View Busby Babe ET, a tup used on loan from Giles Pyman.

Scottish genetics were behind Ioan Jones' sale leader from Bromebyd, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, when Tywi Dynamite, made 5200gns selling to Alan and Jane Campbell, buying for their Cree flock from Newton Stewart. He is bred from Woodies Barbie and sired by Woodies Bojangles.

Another from the Welsh country, Wern Domino, an Aviemore Boliver-sired lamb out of Wern Bethan, by Tercrosset Wearwolf, from Hordd Corwen, Ruthin, made 4500gns selling to Preston Farms, Omagh, Co Tyrone.

* Aged rams hit a top of 3000gns for Myna Actor, a three-shear ram by Corra Rambo, consigned by Procters Farm, Lancs. The tup, which stood first in his class at the Highland Show, last year, is bred from the Kingledores Popeye daughter, Myna Tango, and sold to Messrs Armstrong, Cockermouth.

OTHERLEADING prices

Ram lambs – 4000gns – JR Wilkinson and Sons' Langlands Domino ET, by Drumchapel Replay ET, to Messrs Gray, Berwick Upon Tweed and Messrs Gray, Morpeth.

3800gns – DE Owen's Smart Ass Dark Horse ET, by Ardstewart Aristocrat ET, to Messrs McMillan, Newton Stewart.

3600gns – A Groucott's Swffryd Dream On ET, by Topflite Al Pacino, to Messrs Hughes, Anglesey; Kingledores Diablo ET, by Clary Chancer ET, to Messrs Burleigh, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh.

3500gns – M Burrleigh's Matt's Dare ET, by Hackney Corker ET, to Messrs Gregory, Launceston, Cornwall.

LEADINGFLOCK averages

Flock (No) Top (Gns) Average (£)

Wern (5) 4500 1869.00

Aviemore (3) 2400 1582.00

Tywi (5) 5200 1692.60

Arkle (3) 7000 3657.50

Woodies (6) 3100 1330.00

Smart Ass (6) 3800 1452.50

Matt's (6) 10,000 3176.25

Clary (4) 10,000 4830.00

Langlands (3) 4000 1750.00

Kingledores (4) 7300 4436.25

Sovereign (3) 3000 2030.00

Belvoir View (4) 3200 2231.25

Averages: 184 ram lambs, £1256.23 (-£206.90 for 14 fewer); 20 aged rams, £1333.50 (-£122.50 for two more sold).