Averages: Strawfrank flock – Six gimmers, £1242.50. Hartside – Five gimmers, £1092.00. Allanfauld – Seven gimmers, £2691.00. Eden Falley – Three gimmers, £420. Haddo – Eight gimmers, £1050.00. Cairnam – Six gimmers, £1058.75. Brackenridge – Five gimmers, £972.30. Foreman Hill – Four females, £918.75. Stainton – Five gimmers – £400. Duncryne – Six gimmers, £831.25. Rhaeadr – Four ewe lambs, £2257.50. Hexel – Four embryos, £840.

THE inaugural Lanark Crackers sale of Texel females proved a huge success with in-lamb gimmers peaking at 7000gns and ewe lambs at 4400gns.

The sale, which featured females from no fewer than 13 flocks, was a cracking event for father and son team, Archie and John MacGregor, Allanfauld, Kilsyth, who not only topped the trade at 7000gns, but also produced the lead gimmer average at £2691 for seven.

Star attraction here was the pen leader, a gimmer by Garngour Yeltsin, a 17,000gns joint purchase at Lanark, bred from a ewe by the 42,00gns Tullylagan Tonka that is a maternal sister to the 24,000gns Allanfauld Am The Man. A member of the flock's flushing team, she sold having had embryos collected from her, to Hugh and Alan Blackwood of the Auldhouseburn flock from Muirkirk who enjoyed a flying trade the following day. The service sire was Hilltop Brigadier and she sold scanned for a pair

David Bradley-Farmer who is now based at Wester Parkgate, Dumfries, bought two of the top priced lots from Allanfauld, going to 4000gns and 2800gns for gimmer daughters of Knap You're The Man – a 20,000gns joint purchase. The former, the only sister of the 24,000gns Allanfauld Am The Man, to be sold, is bred from a ewe by Garngour Ultimatum, and sold carrying a single lamb Garngour Bullet.

The 2800gns Allanfauld gimmer was similarly bred, and changed hands carrying a pair of lambs to Bullet.

Just behind, on 2400gns, Norman and David Douglas, Catslackburn, Yarrow, bought an Allanfauld gimmer by Garngour Yeltsin, out of a ewe by Cambwell Uist. Again the service sire was Bullet and she sold scanned for two.

The long trip north from Wales proved well worthwhile for Myfyr Evans too, when he produced the second top priced lot and average, at 4400gns and £2257.50 for four ewe lambs – all of which were grand-daughters of a 7200gns Baltier gimmer by Springwell Ulsterboy bought at Carlisle, in 2015. Dearest was the No 2, by Rhaeadr Ace, a Clinterty Yuga Khan son, out of a home-bred ewe by Glenside Whiz Kid. She was knocked down to David McKerrow and sons David and James, Nochnary, Freuchie, Fife.

George Howie, West Knock, Fraserburgh, bought the first Rhaeadr ewe lamb at 2400gns which was an ET sister to the 4400gns ewe lamb.

Allan Campbell's Strawfrank flock from Carstairs got the sale off to a flying start with the first lot through the ring selling for 4000gns to Jamie Gibson, Greenwall, Forth, Lanark. One of the best breeding females in the catalogue, this Ballynahone Yorkie-sired gimmer, is a full sister to £3800 and £2700 (x2) ram lambs sold at Kelso, while her dam, by Strathbogie Usher, bred sons to £5000 this year. She sold carrying a pair of lambs by Garngour Awesome, the £29,000 shearling ram sold at Kelso, this year.

Top price for young Andrew Neilson's Brackenridge flock from Strathaven, was 2600gns, paid for a Knock Yardsman-sired gimmer out of a ewe by Crailloch Victor. The pen leader, she is an ET sister to the first prize ewe lamb at Lesmahagow last year. A full sister to a 5000gns ram, shed sold scanned to Haddo Breadwinner, to Orkney-based breeder, James Cowe.

Embryos peaked at 1300gns paid for entry from Donald and Ross Macpherson's Hexel flock from Berwick upon Tweed, purchased by Northern Ireland breeder, Lesley Liggate. The ewe sold carrying a lamb that is a full brother/sister to the 7000gns Hexel Beast from the East, being bred from a ewe by Brackenridge Strongbow, and sired by Castlecairn Vavavoom.

OTHERLEADING prices

Gimmers – 2100gns – Cairnam, by Knap You're The Man, and due to Hexel Blockbuster, to G Gray, Sunnycroft, Ettrick. 2000gns – Hartside, by Ballynahone Yorkie and due to Knockem Bright Spark, to G Fleming, Nether Brotherston; Duncryne, by Knap You're The Man and due to Hexel Blockbuster, to M Smith, Wileysike, Gilsland, Cumbria.

Auctioneers: Lawrie and Symington.