A PAIR of twin ram lambs from Frank Johnson’s Ashes flock headed up the sale of traditional Bluefaced Leicesters at Carlisle when his first two went under the hammer at £3900 and £3000.

Averages were mixed compared to last year with ram lambs taking the biggest hit of nearly £150 having not reached last year’s top prices, but in saying that, the offering of aged and shearling rams improved by more than £75 compared to the trade witnessed in 2017.

Leading the way was the 72-year-old veteran breeder’s second in, his L2 Ashes, which is by the K4 Burndale bought at the same sale last year for £1400. The mother, by the D9 Ashes, is a Shielsknowe ewe bought for £500 as a gimmer at the Shielsknowe dispersal to join his 15-ewe flock at West Shipley, Hamsterley, Bishop Auckland. This lad heads to a new home in the Middle Dukesfield flock near Hexham with Alex and Claire Bisset.

Selling for £3000 in a two-way split to Alan McClymont, Kirkstead flock, Selkirk, and Messrs Gray, Espley flock, Morpeth, was Frank’s pen leader, L1 Ashes, which is a twin to his dearer his field mate.

The third prize ram lamb from Scott and Claire Thomason, and 13-year-old son Isaac, was next at £2400 when knocked down to Messrs Currie, Girvan, Ayrshire. Their L3 Piel View is backed by show-winning genetics as his sire, the J9 Kirkstead bought at Kelso, secured the inter-breed championship at Penrith Show and sired a £3500 lamb sold at Builth Wells earlier in the season, while his maternal grand-sire, the F9 Piel View, has won many championships, including the tri-colour ticket at the Great Yorkshire. He is bred from a gimmer in the flock of 17 females at The Lodge, Seaview, Biggar Village, Barrow in Furness.

Oliver Scown saw the best from his Belgrave flock near Rectory Lane, Wolsingham, Bishop Auckland, sell to Messrs Watson, Kirkcudbrightshire, for £2200. His pedigree features the E1 Woodcroft on to a home-bred ewe the C3 Red Cottage.

The best of the females, a gimmer which stood reserve female champion for Fraser Kennedy’s Ae Water flock at Chapelcroft, Lochmaben, Lockerbie, which was dispersing at the sale, matched that £2200 price tag to add to her success having stood reserve champion at Dumfries Show. Selling to Mike Anderson, Ballindalloch, Banffshire, her sire is the J3 Mosser Mains bought here a couple years back for £2500.

Back to the tup lambs and Hazel McNee, from Over Finlarg, Dundee, secured the Woods’ L2 Howlea for her mother, Mary Fotheringham’s Westhall flock, for £1700. Sired by the J5 Burndale, this lad is out of a F2 Cernyw daughter in the flock at Snapegate Farm, Hamsterley.

An Espley-bred lamb from Derek Henderson’s Burndale flock, Westwood Farm, Wylka, Northumberland, sold to Messrs Shennan and Sons, Kilmarnock, for £1500. Bred from an Espley ewe by F2 Ashes, the L7 Burndale is by K3 Espley.

Matching that £1500 when snapped up by Messrs Peart, Bishop Auckland, was Messrs Raine’s L1 Old Parks from near Kirkoswald, Penrith. His pedigree features the K3 Middle Dukesfield on to a home-bred G1 Broomhills-sired ewe.

The dearest of the older rams also sold for £1500 when David Sandilands saw his sole entry, J1 Whinfield, from Threepwood Cottages, Blainslie, Galashiels, sell to Messrs Sinclair, Heriot, Midlothian. This two-shear is by G5 Mosser Mains and out of an E2 Street-bred ewe.

Robert Neill saw two gimmers from his Broadleys, Dunning-based Rossiebank flock go under the hammer for £1300 and £1250. Both are backed by home genetics and dearest when sold to Messrs Gray, Morpeth, is by the J20 Rossiebank while the £1250 gimmer, which sold to Messrs Wilkinson, Bishop Auckland, is by the G19 Rossiebank.

Averages: 200 lamb rams, £445.90 (-£144.20 for two fewer sold); 41 aged/shearling rams, £485.37 (+£76.41 for seven fewer); 63 females, £374.44 (-£72.30 for 20 more).