Flying trade at Dalmally

Blackface sheep and Dalmally enthusiasts flocked to the town's auction market last weekend, to witness the flying trade for breed continue where tup lamb and shearling rams sold to £50,000 and £22,000 respectively.

Admittedly, overall shearling averages did slip on the year, but then this section failed to reach the £30,000 and £25,000 highs paid last year. Instead, such was the demand and the improved commercial trade that the tups were easier sold, with more changing hands and within a faster time frame.

Last year, this massive event saw the hammer fall on the final sheep after 6.30pm, while Saturday's sale which boasted similar numbers concluded at bang on 5.30pm.

More impressively, there were very few unsold.

"It was a fantastic sale with more commercial buyers forward than ever which ensured an almost complete clearance," said George Purves, United Auctions managing director and auctioneer.

It was the lamb ring that produced most of the fireworks, with the section not only witnessing the £50,000 top from Hugh and Alan Blackwood, Auldhouseburn, Muirkirk, but also a further 10 five-figure transactions.

Shearlings on the other hand were topped by the best from Willie Dunlop and sons Quintin and William, Elmscleugh, Innerwick, Dunbar, at £22,000.

Sale leader was the No 1 from the Blackwood's Auldhouseburn pen which sold directly to Elmscleugh. A son of last year's £58,000 Auldhouseburn lamb, of which a share was retained, he is a full brother to the £28,000 lamb cashed at Lanark the previous day, and a maternal brother to the £28,000 lamb sold in 2016. The dam, a show gimmer, is by the £90,000 Blackhouse lamb.

The same sire was behind two other big lamb sales from Auldhouseburn, with the No 3, bred from a ewe by a £25,000 Auldhouseburn, selling to Willie and Ewan Bennie, Merkins, Gartocharn, and Northern Ireland breeders, John Harkin, Loughash and Paul Grant, Newry at £26,000.

Minutes later, the Blackwoods took £14,000 for another backed by home-bred genetics, with the dam being a £65,000 Auldhouseburn. He was knocked down in a three-way split to Willie Lockhart, Culdoach, Kirkcudbright; Willie Stevenson, Balrazzie, Ballantrae and the McIlwricks at Balmurrie, New Luce.

Second top price was £32,000 paid for the pen leader from Ian Hunter's Dalchirla flock from Muthill, Crieff, brought out with assistance from his brother Alan.

Home-bred genetics are also behind this entry, along with several others from the flock which produced four five figure sales to include the second top priced shearling ram at £14,000.

The £32,000 lamb is by Dalchirla Boris, a son of a £10,000 Nunnerie lamb retained for breeding, out of a ewe by a home-bred son of a £68,000 Elmscleugh. He sold in a two-way split to Paul Coulson, buying for his High Staward flock from near Hexham and John Murray, Crossflatt, Muirkirk.

The £14,000 shearling was also a son of Dalchirla Boris, but out of a ewe by a home-bred son of a £50,000 Dalwyne. Used as a lamb and the sire of several lambs for next year, he was knocked down to Joe Cockburn, buying for the Troloss flock at Elvanfoot.

Next best from Dalchirla, was the No 2 lamb which made £28,000 selling to K O' Mullan, Northern Ireland. This was a son of the £24,000 Connachan shearling bought in 2016, bred from another ewe by a Dalchirla son of a £68,000 Elmscleugh.

Just behind, on £26,000, Mr Hunter's fourth lamb, by the £22,000 Lurg shearling bought here last year, was purchased by Elmscleugh and Robert Cockburn, Hill of Errol, Errol, Perth.

The Dunlop's 1900-ewe flock at Elmscleugh, was back in the money following their big trade at Lanark, with four selling at £10,000 or above, with two at £9000.

Dearest at £22,000 was their lead shearling, a son of the £160,000 Dalchirla lamb bought here in 2015, out of a ewe by a £17,000 Loughash. Buying back some of their own genetics, he sold to John Harkin, Loughash, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland with John and Iain Finlay, Blackcraig, Corsock and Alastair and David MacArthur, Nunnerie, Elvanfoot taking equal shares.

Another shearling by the £160,000 Dalchirla and bred from a similarly bred ewe made £11,000 selling to Davie Morrison, Dalwyne, Barr, and John Macpherson and sons Alex and Grant, Balliemeanoch, Dalmally.

Just behind, on £9000, an Elmscleugh shearling by a home-bred son of a £20,000 Midlock retained for breeding, out of a ewe by a home-bred son of a £24,000 Dalchirla, headed home with Davie and Jock Jackson, Pole, Lochgoilhead and Donald McVicar, Lephinchapel, Strachur.

Back amongst the lambs and Kevin McKinnon, who manages Luss Estates, Loch Lomond, while also owning a small flock at Blairnairn Farm, Glenfruin, and Robert Hamilton, Laigh Balernock, Shandon, forked out £14,000 in a three-way split for Elmscleugh's second lamb. The breeding behind this transaction includes a home-bred son of Centurion – a £100,000 Nunnerie lamb – retained for breeding, onto a ewe by the £160,000 Dalchirla.

And, at £9000, K O' Mullan, Northern Ireland, bought the Dunlop's No 3, a son of last year's £58,000 Auldhouseburn lamb, bred from a ewe by a £4600 Greenside.

John Macpherson and sons Alex and Grant, Balliemeanoch, enjoyed his best year here too, taking £15,000 for a lamb from Elmscleugh, Nunnerie and Malcolm Coubrough, Hartside Farm, Lamington. Going £1000 better than the 1100 ewe flock's previous best was the third prize lamb at the Highland, a son of a £10,000 Auldhouseburn, bought last year. The dam, a daughter of The Stag – a home-bred son of a £9000 Lurg – is one of the best breeding ewes at Balliemeanoch, having bred sons to £3800 and two other stock rams retained for breeding.

There were more personal bests to come when relatively new breeders, Neil and Stuart Barclay, who are better known for their Harestone pedigree cattle herds from Insch and their John Deere tractors, took £11,000 for their first lamb. A son of the £32,000 Dalchirla lamb sold here last year, he is out of a home-bred ewe by a £2200 Achnamara. Champion at Turriff Show, this much talked about lamb brought out by shepherd Robert Marshall, headed home with the Wights at Midlock; Dalchirla and Iain Campbell, Glenrath, Peebles.

More than financing that purchase, the No 1 lamb from Glenrath, a son of the £6500 High Staward that has done so well for the flock managed by Steven Renwick, made £13,000 selling to Alan Smith, Crosswoodburn, West Calder. He is bred from an £18,000 Pole daughter.

On the flip side of that, Alan Smith produced his first five-figure sale, selling a lamb for £10,000 in a three-way split to Glenrath; Hartside Farm, Lamington and Angus Kennedy and son Angus, Mitchellhill, Broughton, Biggar. This big lamb from the 1100-ewe flock at Crosswoodburn, stood fourth in his class at Peebles Show and is by the £9000 Glenrath bought last year and out of a ewe by a £17,000 Allanfauld.

Bo Brown was another celebrating his first £10,000 sale, when his No 1 shearling from the 250-ewe Madrissa flock was bought by Robert MacTaggart, who manages Ian Bond's Glen, Gatehouse flock; John Scott, Garchew, Bargrennan, and Jimmy Wallace, Fingland, Dalry. Doubling his previous best was a son of Ben Cluckie's High Croach Irn Bru – a son of an £1900 Upper Cleugh, of which a half share was bought privately in 2016 – that bred sons to £20,000 and £12,000 last year for High Croach. The dam is by a £1500 Dalchirla.

Prices held up right to the very end too with Dyke and Midlock, both achieved five figure sales in the final half hour of the sale. Tops for Jimmy and Donald MacGregor's Dyke flock from Milton of Campsie, was £13,000 paid for their No 3, a son of a £15,000 Midlock, out of a ewe by Starbuck – a home-bred son of a £24,000 Elmscleugh retained for breeding. This big tup sold south of the Border with John Carruthers and son John, Silloans, Rochester.

A cracking pen of 16 shearlings which cashed in at more than £2681, also produced two £8000 sales for Dyke with the former selling to Hartside and Midlock. He is by the £100,000 Elmscleugh lamb bought here in 2016 and out of Starbuck's full sister.

Minutes later, Donald's cousin, Duncan MacGregor, Burnhead, Kilsyth, went to the same money for a Dyke son of a £22,000 Dalwyne lamb, again out of a ewe by Starbuck.

The last of the five-figure sales came for Allan Wight, son Allan, and his son Ben's Midlock Glespin hirsel from Crawford, which hit £12,000, selling in a three-way split to Mary McCall Smith, Connachan, Crieff; Auchnafree Estate, managed by Andy Scott, Crieff and Tay and Torridan Estate's North Amulree unit at North Amulree, where Billy Brady is in charge. A son of the £24,000 Connachan shearling bought in 2016, he is bred from a ewe by King Kong – a home-bred tup retained for breeding by Glenrath's King of the Castle.

OTHERLEADING prices

Shearling rams – £7500 – Troloss Farms, by Joko – an Auldhouseburn son of £160,000 Dalchirla – to Elmscleugh and Pole.

£6500 – A Kay and Sons, Gass, by a £20,000 Auldhouseburn, to Glenrath.

£6000 – Dalchirla, by a £24,000 Connachan, to K O' Mullan, Northern Ireland.

£5500 – B Cluckie, Lochryan, by High Croach Irn Bru, to L and D Hair, Drumbreddan, Stranraer.

£5000 – Dyke, by a £22,000 Dalwyne, to D Willison, Craigend, Fintry.

Ram lambs – £7500 – Dalchirla, by a £28,000 Auldhouseburn, to WA McFarlane, Drumgrange, Patna. £6500 – Midlock, by a £10,000 Upper Wellwood, to Elmscleugh.

£5000 – Harestone, by a £32,000 Dalchirla, to J Graham, Kirkton, Penicuik.

£4500 – Glenrath, by a £58,000 Auldhouseburn, to K O'Mullan; Dalchirla, by Boris, to K O'Mullan; W Walker, Crammie, by a home-bred son of a £15,000 Crossflatt, to C MacLean, Ardfern, Lochgilphead, and Crammie.

FLOCK averages

Flock (No) Top (£) Averages

2018 2017

Shearling rams

Auchloy (3) 800 533.33 544

Gosland (4) 700 362.50 256

Hill of Errol (4) 2600 1575.00 358

Glen Fruin (7) 1200 485.71 280

Pole (9) 2400 733.33 1900

Lorgbaw (5) 250 130.00 –

Blackhouse (10) 4000 1305.00 771

Nunnerie (16) 1200 550.00 3900

West Bracklinn (8) 1800 618.75 358

Williamhope (9) 2000 755.55 1100

Drimsynie (5) 3000 1240.00 –

Elmscleugh (9) 22,000 6333.33 6655

Glen Cally (7) 600 435.71 630

Remony (9) 600 300.00 363

Newton of Crathie (3) 1200 650.00 –

(3 aged) 400 300.00 250

Tollishill (4) 250 250.00 363

Merkland (4) 750 487.50 –

Lephinchapel (8) 600 400.00 –

Midlock (4) 2800 1032.14 767

Letar (10) 700 405.00 280

Balliemeanoch (14) 2000 785.71 1523

Beoch,

Loch Doon (5) 1300 570.00 700

Longcroft (3) 450 300.00 –

Troloss (9) 7500 1316.67 267

Madrissa (4) 10,000 3025.00 –

Gass (9) 6500 1566.67 1500

Glenrath (8) 13,000 2937.50 1956

Dalchirla (36) 14,000 1741.67 2333

Arnicle (8) 1500 593.75 445

Mitchellhill (5) 550 380.00 407

Dall (17aged) 600 370.59 408

Whelphill (5) 450 400.00 2350

North Amulree (12) 1000 358.33 519

Merkins (10) 2000 675.00 589

Drissaig (3) 500 466.67 267

Lurgan (3) 500 416.67 333

High Croach (6) 5500 1333.33 5633

Crosswoodhill (3) 750 533.33 250

Dullator (8) 1800 868.75 783

Balernoch (7) 650 414.29 –

Dunruchan (6) 1000 433.33 450

Abersky (3) 500 316.67 –

Shawhead (3) 350 300.00 –

Rhodders

D McArthur shep (3) 350 266.67 –

Shenlarich (8aged) 900 487.50 593

Towiemore (4) 250 237.50 –

Lurg (7) 2200 1100.00 4069

East Bracklinn (11) 1300 772.73 804

Blackcraig (4) 800 450.00 –

Allanfauld (14) 3000 935.71 908

Bragleenmore (4) 700 537.50 400

Crakaig (4) 900 380.00 238

Glenrinnes (3) 250 233.33 533

Crosswoodburn (5) 550 410.00 914

Fechan (5) 900 410.00 –

West Lethans (8) 900 531.25 510

Ochilmore (3) 900 700.00 –

Tayvallich (7) 271.41 267

Drumbreddan (4) 800 462.50 –

Midlock,

Glespin (5) 12,000 3030.00 –

Dyke (16) 13,000 2681.25 931

Tinnis (5) 300 240.00 –

Connachan (3) 4000 2233.33 4167

Aberuchill (3) 900 533.33 –

Braes of

Ardeonaig (14aged) 1000 425.00 220

Tearmann (5) 1100 380.00 –

Burncastle (4) 2800 1625.00 400

Dalwyne (7) 2800 657.14 344

Ram lambs

West Lethans (4) 250 212.50 450

Troloss (4) 3000 1000.00 –

Burnhead,

Darvel (3) 400 200.00 –

Lephinchapel (3) 900 466.67 –

Midlock,

Glespin (6) 1400 583.33 673

Drumnessie (3) 800 633.33 –

Tearmann (4) 700 300.00 –

Waterlands (4) 120 70.00 –

Arnicle (3) 3500 1866.67 –

Midlock (9) 6500 1175.56 1557

Elmscleugh (7) 22,000 7260.00 1957

Saulmore (3) 1100 540.00 –

Gosland (4) 380 240.00 277

Nunnerie (4) 1000 575.00 –

Upper Wellwood (3) 850 483.33 –

Dyke (6) 850 513.33 –

Balliemeanoch (4) 15,000 4550.00 –

Garth (3) 320 160 –

Netherwood (3) 3000 1500.00

Kenknock (4) 200 145.00

Knock

O Ronald (7) 1000 407.14 200

Dall (4) 280 272.50 –

Crossflatt (4) 4200 1900.00 1330

Easter Happrew (3) 3000 2116.67 –

Glenrath (5) 4500 1940.00 7710

Jaw (4) 250 217.50 293

Dalchirla (8) 32,000 13,174.88 24,686

Aberuchil (3) 150 103.33 –

Dollarbank (3) 2000 1433.33 –

Allanfauld (6) 1000 700.00 1217

Crammie (5) 4500 1146.00 838

Aitkenhead (3) 500 650.00 –

Harestone (5) 11,000 4600.00 –

Dalblair (3) 2000 1016.67 –

High Staward (4) 800 500.00 500

Blackhouse (3) 500 500.00 –

Auldhouseburn (5) 50,000 19,240.60 6150