BREEDERS of the 65,000gns record-priced Beltex, Neale and Janet McQuistin, matched their previous Kelso record of £4000 paid several years ago when their pen leader, Airyolland Confucious, sold for that price to top the breed.

Backed by home-bred genetics on both sides, Confucious is by the Dooley Napal-sired Airyolland Almighty – a tup that bred shearling rams to 4400gns and gimmers to 3600gns earlier this year. A full brother to the 7500gns Airyolland Andromeda sold at the Beltex Beauties sale at Carlisle, his dam, Airyolland Annelise is also by a home-bred sire in Airyolland Waqeem.

Forking out the cash to take him to work at Scosthrop Farm, Airton, Skipton, was JM Hall.

Notably, his twin brother, Airyolland Caracas, sold for £2200 to J Knight, Stephney Farm, Calderbridge, Seascale.

Other shearlings from the flock at High Airyolland, New Luce, Newton Stewart, sold well with two knocked down for 2400gns apiece.

Selling to Charles Copland of the Orkney flock in Harray was another by Almighty in the shape of Airyolland Calvados. A maternal brother to the 3200gns Airyolland Bloody Mary, he is out of Airyolland Sasparilla, by Airyolland Pagan.

Matching that £2400 price tag when snapped up by Messrs Seymour, Brackenslack, Maulds Meaburn, Penrith, was Airyolland Cavalier. He is by the Rathbone Bradley tup bought as a lamb that has since sired lambs to 3600gns. The dam here is the Ardstewart Super Mario-sired Airyolland White Lady.

At £2000 when snapped up by Jimmy and Greame Sinclair, Crookston, Heriot, was another Almighty son, Airyolland Constantine, which is out of the Airyolland Tycoon-sired Airyolland Wendeline.

These sales helped push the Airyolland average to £1466.67 for 18.

Heatheryhall Cashmoney lived up to his name for the Taylor brothers, Tom and Alfie, when he secured their best price to date of £3200 when selling to MP Lishman, Fell Lane, Barrasford, Hexham.

His sire is the 10,000gns Quarrymount William Wallace bought in partnership with Grangehall and Callacrag that has bred well for all three flocks. His mother is a good one too as Heatheryhall Wanda, a Clary Prankster daughter, was reserve champion at Lesmahagow Show last year for the Thankerton, Biggar-based flock.

Next in the trade stakes at £2800 was Artnagullion Costello from sister and brother duo, Elizabeth and William McAllister, from across the water near Ballymena.

His pedigree includes the imported ram known as Bare Boy that was bought here three years ago and sold at Carlisle earlier this year, while his dam is the Shogun daughter, Artnagullion Water Lily. He heads out to work at Unthank, Whittingham, Alnwick, for J Gray.

Three more sold for £2000 apiece with the first of these coming from another Northern Irish breeder, Gary Beacom, from Ballagh Road, Fivemiletown, County Tyrone.

His champion from the pre-sale show, Lakeview Casino, which sold to J Knight at Stephney, is by Kingledores Apollo and out of the Padkin Sugar Daddy-sired Black Jack Atomic Kitten bought at the Beltex Beauties sale.

Mr Beacom then bought two of the £2000 rams, paying that money for Woodies Born To Do It from Aberdeenshire breeder, Stuart Wood, Woolhillock, Skene.

This two-shear is by the imported Double O Seven ram and bred from a Holmebeck ewe by Buckles Masterpiece.

Also making £2000 was Edendiack Carlos from Ross and Kirsty Williams, who run the Black Hack flock at Upper Tullochbeg, Huntly.

Selling to WS Robson, Yatesfield, Otterburn, Carlos is by Beachy Norman and out of Mortons Ann, by Mortons Wi Fi.