averages: 12 Suffolk shearlings, £516.25 (-£4.05 for seven more); 206 Suffolk ram lambs, £400.72 (-£24.14 for one more); 81 Texel shearlings, £588.52 (-£21.92 for one more); 135 Texel ram lambs, £431.66 (-£30.60 for 18 less); 11 Charollais shearlings, £436.23 (-£186.77 for two more); 25 Charollais ram lambs, £457.38 (-£2.79 for two less); 20 Beltex shearlings, £314.53 (-£234.10 for nine more); nine Beltex ram lambs, £402.50; eight Bluefaced Leicester shearlings, £270.38 (-£242.80 for the same); three Bluefaced Leicester ram lambs, £322.00; five Border Leicester shearlings, £277.20 (+£135.50 for three less); five Border Leicester ram lambs, £445.20 (+£142.20).

By Katrina Macarthur

k.macarthur@thesf.co.uk

PEDIGREE rams met a sticky but realistic trade at Aberdeen and Northern Marts' annual multi-breed ram show and sale at Thainstone, on Tuesday, where averages for all breeds were significantly back on the year, with a top price of 1800gns paid for the first Texel shearling through the ring.

Sale leader was the best from Rodney Blackhall's 70-ewe Sheeoch flock at The Green, Raemoir, Banchory, which was sold to raise money for the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation. By the Brackenbridge Underdog-sired, 32,000gns Arkle Ying Yang, sold at Lanark in 2016 and out of a ewe by the 15,000gns Kelso President, he was knocked down to Stuart Stephen, Netherthird, Rothienorman, whose daughter Megan is organising another fundraiser event for the charity.

Texels also peaked at 1500gns, 1200gns and 1100gns, with the dearest being the reserve champion from Jim Innes' Strathbogie flock at Dunscroft, Huntly. This was a son of Aman Vyrnwy Dya, out of a Tullagh Saracen dam, which sold to Gordon Kemp, Waterside of Forbes, Alford.

The champion Texel, a shearling by the 32,000gns Arkle Ying Yang, out of a Sportsman Supreme daughter, from Kenny Pratt, Oldtown, Peterculter, realised 1200gns when purchased by Guise Farm Partnership, Guise, Tough, Alford.

Willie Knox and sons Graeme and Andrew, who run the Haddo flock at Fyvie, Turriff, received 1100gns from Guise Farm Partnership for Haddo Albert, a son of the 60,000gns Clinterty Yuga Khan, out of a Cowal Vogue ewe.

In the Suffolk section, trade reached 1500gns twice for the champion and reserve animals, with the tri-colour rosette going to a tup lamb from John Henderson, West Teuchan, Crudenbay, Peterhead. This was a son of Cairness Sir William, out of a Cairnton ewe by Solwaybank Pound Stretcher, which sold to LF Dunn, Muir of Ord.

The reserve champion, a tup lamb by Crewelands Megastar from the Stuart family's Birness flock at Ellon, made the same money when bought by Orkney breeder, Tommy Linklater, Stonelea, Stennes. This youngster is out of a home-bred ewe by Ballynacanon Commander.

Border Leicesters hit 1300gns for the champion from Jimmy Douglas, Woodhead of Cairness, Fraserburgh. Producing the goods was a tup lamb by Clola Touch the Stars, a sire which stood champion here as a tup lamb last year. Bred out of a home-bred ewe by Lammermuir King, buyer here was WG Blackhall, Bogfon, Maryculter, Aberdeen.

Stuart Wood's Woodies flock from Woolhillock, Skene, scooped the championship in the Beltex section with a tup lamb which later topped at 1100gns. Selling to C Stewart, An-Cala, Gills, Canisbay, was a son of the Clary Prankster-sired, Woodies AC Milan, out of an imported ewe. His full sister stood first prize in the ewe lamb class at the Highland.

Charollais tups sold to a top of 900gns for the champion from Eilidh and Erin Duncan, of Barnyards, Clola, Peterhead, when sold to Wales with MA Evans, Tan-yr-Accar, Llanrhaeadr, while James Cowe, Little Howes, Holm, Orkney, paid 500gns for the Bluefaced Leicester champion from Matthew Seed, Home Farm Auchry, Cuminestown, Turriff.

A top price of 700gns was achieved twice in the Blue Texels for shearlings from Deborah Atkinson, The Manse, Duncanstone, Insch, while a Millennium Bleu from the Hunters, West Cairnhill, Insch, sold at the same price.