Bluefaced Leicester rams met a better than anticipated trade at the association's breed sale at Castle Douglas, where overall averages were up by more than £100 in each section, fuelled by solid prices for Scotch Mule ewe lambs and gimmers sold at the same centre last month.

"There was a real buzz about the sale, with a full ringside of buyers looking for good big strong tups," said auctioneer, Robin Anderson.

"There was a bit more confidence about too compared to previous sales, with buyers paying more of a premium for the top end tups this year," he added.

Topping the day’s proceedings at £2500 was a shearling ram from W Lockhart's Culdoach consignment from Tongland, Kirkcudbright. He had sired three of Culdoach's top pen of Scotch Mule ewe lambs that stood second to the champion at the pre-sale show here and had made £160 per head. Producing a personal best for this 20-ewe Blue flock was a son of a J3 Stewart Park Dalpeddar ram, out of a ewe by the Asby Hall E6. He sold to Robert McTurk, Barlaes, Castle Douglas.

Father and son team, Alec and Anders Brown's Macqueston flock from Tyron, Thornhill, produced the second top priced ram when their first shearling made £2200 to Robert and Fred Loughridge, buying for their Northern Ireland-based Orravale flock. He is by a G19 Highberries ram bought out of Cockermouth and bred from an old ewe that has bred sons to £3800, by an A3 Midlock.

The same home also produced the first prize tup lamb and reserve overall champion, which made £1400 selling to Andy Paton, Craig, Straiton. He is by a J1 Forebrae tup bought for £1000 a few years ago and out of Macqueston ewe by the C18 Highberries. His grand-dam bred a 4000gns ewe hogg.

The champion from Robert and Fiona McKie's Finniness flock, from Castle Douglas, sold next at £1500. Going one better than their reserve win here last year, this big tup is by the E1 Hewgill tup used at Midlock, out of a B4 Tanhouse-sired ewe and sold to Valley Fields, Burnfoot, Sanquhar.

Stewart Mitchell's reserve champion pen success at the Scotch Mule ewe lamb sale here Castle Douglas, continued when his pen leader from the Mains of Larg flock from New Luce, Newton Stewart, made £1400, selling to Richard Carruthers, Merkland, Penpont, Thornhill. His pen leader, a son of the Dawyck H1 out of a ewe by an E3 Parkgatestone, had sired three lambs in the top Mule pen.

Two shearlings came under the hammer for £1200 including the No 2 from Robin Jardine, Upper Hardland, Castle Douglas. A son of a G4 Newmill bred from a home-bred ewe by a D4 Hafrena, he sold to A Ramsay.

The second, from Andrew Hamilton, Marr, Thornhill, was purchased by Colin McClymont, Cuil, Newton Stewart. The breeding behind this big tup includes a J22 Old Hemley, onto a B1 Mitchellhill daughter.

LEADING prices

Shearling rams – £2500; £1000 Culdoach; £2200 Macqueston; £1500, £1100 (x2) Finniness; £1400, £1100 Mains of Larg; £1200 Marr; £1200 Upper Hardland; £1000 Laggan Park; £1000 (x2) Sauchrie Mains

Ram lambs – £1400, £750, £720 Macqueston.

Averages: 98 shearling rams, £683.83 (+£110); nine ram lambs, £598.75 (+£115).

Auctioneers: Wallets Marts.