AN IMPROVED show of Blackface tups ensured a buoyant trade throughout at last weekend's new-format breed sale at Newton Stewart where three shearling rams sold for five-figure prices with the icing on the cake being a £42,000 bid for big show winner from Drannandow Farms.

The change of day from a Thursday to a Saturday, proved successful too, with a lot more buyers forward from as far a field as the North of England, Devon and Ireland.

"There was a far better show of commercial and breeders' sheep and a lot more people here which ensured a great atmosphere," said auctioneer, Jim Craig of Craig Wilson. "The change of date has proved a real success."

It was nevertheless Davie Ferguson and Jimmy McEwen of Drannandow Farms, Newton Stewart, who proved the out and out winners, with their 1400-ewe flock not only producing the £42,000 sale leader but also the lead average at £5375 for 12.

The second highest priced Blackface sheep sold at Newton Stewart, this big tup later christened Belter, is the next best sold following the sale of Sir Basil, a £49,000 shearling ram sold in 1991 by Will Hogg, Cambret, Creetown. Ironically that tup was brought out by shepherd Andy Watson, and it was his grand-son, Ruari McTaggart, shepherd at Drannandow, who assisted with the £42,000 Belter.

Champion at Wigtown Show, he is by the £3000 Grimmet lamb bought here in 2016 that was a son of a £14,000 Dalwyne, and out of a ewe by £9000 Dyke. Willie Dunlop and son, Quintin and William, Elmscleugh, Innerwick, Dunbar, along with Bill Ramsay and sons, Wilson, Jim and Colin, Milnmark, Dalry and Colin McClymont, Cuil, Palnure, were the final bidders.

A cracking pen of shearlings from Drannandow, saw another three sell at £4000 with the first of those being by a home-bred son of a £28,000 Dyke and out of a ewe by a £3000 Drannandow. He sold to Graham Stratham, Lagghead, Gatehouse of Fleet, and Danny Hair, Drumbreddan, Ardwell, Stranraer.

Another, by a £1000 Clanary lamb made the same selling to WS Robson, Yatesfield, Otterburn, Northumberland.

The last of Drannandow's £4000 shearling sales came for a son of an £18,000 Dyke, purchased by Francis McMicking, Miltonise, New Luce.

If that wasn't enought to be going on with, Davie who also farms 750 ewes at Markdhu, New Luce, with shepherd Keith McWhirter, or Dolly as he's better known, received £3800 for a shearling by a £10,000 Cuil bought in £2015 that bred sons to £4500 last year and bred from a daughter of a £9000 Dyke. Robert Fergusson, Barlaes, Dalry, was the last man in.

On the other side of the equation, Drannandow and Markdhu went to £10,000 for the pen leader from James Murdoch's Knockdon flock from Straiton, 'herded by Ian Fergie, which also enjoyed a cracking trade selling five to average £4240. Dearest was a son of last year's £5000 Knockdon shearling purchased by Milnmark, that was by a £3200 Midlock. His dam is by a £1700 Knockdon.

Knockdon sons of a £2800 Elmscleugh out of £2300 Balliemeanoch-sired ewes, also proved popular with sales at £3800 and £5000. The former sold to ???? with the latter purchased by the McIlwricks at Balmurrie and Alan Mitchell, Balure.

Second top price was £14,000 paid for the pen leader from Colin McClymont's Cuil flock from Palnure, Newton Stewart, purchased by Northern Ireland father and son duo, Joe and John Dickson, Dunlogan, Draperstown. This big tup is by a £6500 Dryhope bought at Lanark 2016 and bred from a ewe by the £31,000 Little Larg.

Shearling rams from the Ramsays at Milnmark again sold well with a top price of £6000 paid for their No 2, purchased by Jimmy Wallace, Fingland, Dalry and Lagghead. He is backed by home-bred genetics on both sides with the sire being the £4800 Milnmark sold last year while the dam is by a £4500 Milnmark.

The Ramsay's first shearling, by a £15,000 Elmscleugh and out of a £26,000 Crossflatt, made £3200 selling to John Ramsay, Barhaskine, Glenluce.

Jim Mitchell's Little Larg consignment from New Luce, also enjoyed a good day with a top price of £5500 paid for his No 2, a son of an £18,000 Dyke lamb bought in partnership with Larg and Drannandow, out of a ewe by a £31,000 Little Larg. He was another heading home to Barlaes with Robert Fergusson.

Later in the day, Andrew Kay and sons Robert and Andrew, received £3500 for a son of Tornado – a Crossflatt-bred son £160,000 Dalchirla of which a half share was bought privately – from Keith Brooke, Carscreugh, Glenluce. His dam is by a £4000 Midlock.

* While a smaller show of ram lambs failed to hit the dizzy heights of £42,000, a £5000 sale was a dream come true for for Ian McKnight who was enjoying his best ever trade since taking over the 700 ewe flock at Dalhabboch, Glenluce, in 2011. His No 1 lamb which stood third in his class at Stranraer Show, is got by frozen semen from a £90,000 Dalchirla lamb and is out of a former show ewe by a Knockdon sire.

Next at £3000 were two lambs at £3000. The first, from Troloss Farms, Elvanfoot, managed by Joe Cockburn, was a son of a £22,000 Dalchirla lamb sold last year, out of a ewe by a £40,000 Dalchirla, which was purchased by Andy Woodburn, Netherwood, Muirkirk, and Aberuchill Management, Comrie.

David Morrison, Dalwyne, Barr, also came up with the goods selling at £3000 and £2200. The former, by a £52,000 Crossflatt, was knocked down to Willie and Billy Graham at Craigdarroch, Sanquhar with daughter Una who farms at Kirklands taking a half share. The latter, by the same £22,000 Dalchirla lamb as the Troloss lamb, headed home with Archie and John MacGregor, Allanfauld, Kilsyth and Jimmy and Donald MacGregor, Dyke, Milton of Campsie.

The Kays' two lambs from Gass proved popular too selling at £2800 and £2500 to Willie Stevenson, Balrazzie, Ballantrae and Gerard McGinn, Chirmorrie, Barr. The first lamb is by Tornado, with the second being a son of last year's £24,000 Glenrath lamb.

Almost financing that transaction, Balrazzie received £2100 for their second prize ram lamb from Stranraer Show, from Clerkhill Farm. He is by an Auldhouseburn son of the £85,000 Elmscleugh lamb.

Averages: 213 shearling rams, £1147.18 (+£312.69 for 14 fewer sold); 25 ram lambs, £1232.00 (+£8.08 for three fewer).

FLOCK averages

Flock (No)    Top (£)       Averages
Shearling rams        2018    2017

Culdoach (3)    1500    866.66    275      
Grimmet (4)    2000    967.50    486    
Lagghead (6)    950    648.33    712
Markdhu (7)    3800    1242.85    1479
Garchew (5)    1250    862.00    668
Kirkmabreck (8)    1250    633.75    723
Balmurrie (6)    1300    546.66    368
Fingland (7)    1700    690.00    2403
Townfoot (3)      320    193.33    –
Barnvannoch (4)    800    612.50    313
Carscreugh (6)    450    306.66    200
Little Larg (8)    5500    1356.25    765
Knockeen (4)    650    317.50    680
Glen, Gatehouse (13)    1200    552.30    604    
Glenmanna (8)    2000    840.00    428
Mitchellslacks (5)    800    342.00    –
Penchrise (5)    380    244.00    –
Craigdarroch (6)    2800    1283.33    678
Blackloch (6)    3000    983.33    958
Balrazzie (5)    1200    560.00    350
Milnmark (16)    6000    1317.50    1263
Knockdon (5)    10,000    4240.00    2100
Dalhabboch (5)    750    434.00    375
Gass (5)    3500    1450.00    1233
Barhaskine (3)     600    516.66    193
Drannandow (12)    42,000    5375.00    784
Craig, Straiton (7)    1200    514.28    1138
Larg, Creetown (7)    1000    528.57    1010
Dalreoch (4)    300     187.50    285
Chirmorrie (4)    1800    762.50    1750
Miltonise (4)    550    287.50    268
Cuil (12)    14,000    1812.50    955

Ram lambs
Troloss (3)    3000    1166.66    417
Glen, Gatehouse (3)    1800    1233.33    700
 

Auctioneers: Craig Wilson.