A NEW centre record for a North Country Cheviot was achieved at Longtown, last week, when a shearling from Scott Davies, North Synton, Ashkirk, sold for £3000.

With buyers present from as far afield as Cornwall, an increased entry of Cheviots met an animated trade throughout and met an almost 100% clearance, with only one tup failing to find a new home.

Setting a new centre record of £3000 from the North Synton flock which saw six rams level at £855 was a son of Wandylaw Talent, which sold to father and son team Jimmy and Willie Thomson, Hownam Grange, Kelso.

An entry of park-bred shearlings topped at £950 for the pre-sale show champion from Roderick, Runciman, Allanshaws, Galashiels, when sold to N Gill, Stonethwaite, Borrowdale for £950, while others from the same home made £900 to RRJ Weir, Chapel House, Stonethwaite and £720 to Grain Farms, Hebdon Bridge. The nine Allanshaws rams averaged £644, up £200 on the year.

S Turnball's Jethart flock at Jedburgh, received £800 from Holystone Estate, Sharpeton, for their second prize park shearling, while three came under the hammer at £680 from Messrs Matthewson, Soutra; CR Graham and Sons, Carruthers; and Messrs Runciman, Allanshaws.

Top price in the hill-bred ram section was £550 for a two-shear from W Dunlop, Commonside, Hawick, which was purchased by Newton & Charlton, Tarset.

In all, 101 park Cheviot shearlings cashed in at £364, up £30 on last year, while the overall average of 120 Cheviot rams of all ages was £346, up £11.

The sale of traditional Bluefaced Leicester shearlings averaged £401 and peaked at £950 from Alan McClymont, Kirkstead, Yarrow, when sold to Holystone Estate, Sharpeton, while another from the same home made £900 to Ashcraig Farming Partners, Selkirk. The champion from John Dykes, South Slipperfield, West Linton, realised £800 to Messrs Ridley, Ranbeck, Penrith.

On the same day, C and D Auctions' had forward a catalogue entry of 8241 breeding females at its annual Border Ewe Sale, including 3287 Blackface and Swaledales and 4954 Cheviots. With averages up in excess of £20 on the year, Northie gimmers topped at £180 from GE Edgar, Low Longlands, Lees Hill, while ewe lambs sold to £130 from Hownam Grange and ewes to £110 from Side Farm. Hill Cheviots sold to £150 for gimmers from Mount Benger and £125 for ewe lambs from Stirkfield Farms, while ewes sold to £105 from Crossdykes.

Wanwood Partners, Wanwood Hill, topped the Blackie gimmers at £125, as well as the ewe lambs at £100, while Derwentdale Farms topped the ewes at £75.

Top price among the Swaledales was £100 for gimmers from Dumblar Rigg.

North Country Cheviot shearlings

Flock Top Avg

North Synton 3000 855

Allanshaws 950 644

Soutra 680 515

Carruthers 680 464

Jethart 800 425

Swinside Townfoot 620 374

Symington 400 337

Nisbet Mains 550 326

Bluefaced Leicester shearlings

Kirksteads 950 708

South Slipperfield 800 540

Crossdykes 480 465

Cliftoncote 500 427

Spittal 450 425

Halterburn 600 414

Parkhill 420 400

Mosser Mains 550 390

West End 450 367

Raggetsyke 450 363

Threepwood 420 353

Burgh Head 400 350

Drumhumphry 400 350

Auctioneers: C and D Auctions