averages

Gimmers (23) £243.78

Ewe lambs (23) £325.50

Shearling rams (4) £569.63

Ram lambs (7) £435.00

The first dedicated sale of Dorset Sheep on Scottish soil was held at United Auctions, Stirling, on behalf of the Scottish Dorset Breeders’ Club on Wednesday, July 3 with 66 sheep forward for the sale with fewer forward for the pre-sale show.

The Overall champion was presented to a ewe lamb, brought over from Ballymena, Northern Ireland by Andrew and Caroline Kennedy. This September born ewe lamb, Maineview B0992 was sired by Ballytaggart Aftershock and was out of a Downkillybegs ewe. She went on to sell for the joint top price of 1000 gns purchased by Richard Fitton of the Dynamite flock, Bolton, Lancashire. Another ewe from the same pen was second in the ewe lamb class also achieved top price of 1000 gns and would be joining the champion at home with Richard Fitton, Dynamite flock, Bolton, Lancashire.

Judge, Sam Driver of the Sandy Lane flock, crowned his Male champion as his overall reserve champion from Alistair Morton, Chairman of the Scottish Dorset Breeders’ club. Stobilee Achilles, a December 17 born Shearling Ram is out of a home-bred Stobilee ewe and sired by Galgorm Wilbur. He went on to achieve 1000gns matching the price of the champion and was sold to Cassie, Portstown, Inverurie. The second top price of the day, 900gns, was fetched by a ram lamb from the same home. This was Stobilee Big Show, sired by Sherborne Prince Regent and out of the same mother as the male champion, who went on to sell to Derek Darvill’s Beinn Lair Flock, Invershin, Lairg.

The Waggoners Flock bred by Alec Steff took reserve female champion with, Waggoners gimmer A0950 out of a Waggoners ewe and sired by Ballytaggart Walter. She is now in lamb to Beechmount Albert and achieved a price of 600 gns selling to the judge.

The reserve male champion, Dun Eideann Belvedeere, bred by D J Rankine, was a November born lamb out of Bennachie Zahra DD and sired by Sherborne Zodiac. He was purchased for 450 gns by Chloe Stewart of the Cala Flock, who had travelled down from Wick for the sale.

Overall there was 100% clearance of females which clearly signifies the demand for the breed in Scotland and hopefully will have resulted in both the expansion of existing flocks and establishment of new flocks both north of the border and further afield.

LEADING prices and awards

Shearling

1st lot 95 – A Morton, Stobilee – 1000 gns

2nd lot 96 – T Wright, Ballytaggart – 420 gns

3rd lot 94 – A Steff, Waggoners – N/S

Ram lamb

1st lot 97 – Messrs Rankine, Dun Eidean – 450 gns

2nd lot 103 – A Morton, Stobilee – 900 gns

3rd lot 102 – B Lamb, Richill – 400 gns

Gimmer

1st lot 54 – A Steff, Waggoners – 600 gns

2nd lot 53A – T Wright, Ballytaggart – 500 gns

3rd lot 66 – A Morton, Stobilee – 250 gns

Ewe lamb

1st lot 80 – A Kennedy, Maineview – 1000gns

2nd lot 82 – A Kennedy, Maineview – 1000gns

3rd lot 71B – T Wright, Ballytaggart – 300gns

Ewes – 400gns Dun Eidann.

Gimmers – 600gns Waggoners; 500gns Ballytaggart; 300gns Doonhamer; 300gns Stobilee.

Ewe lambs – 1000gns (x2) Maineview; 550gns Maineview; 320gns Stobilee; 300gns(x2) Downkillybegs and Ballytaggart.

Shearling rams – 1000gns, 400gns Stobilee; 420gns Balyytaggart; 350gns Sandy Lane.

Ram lambs – 900gns, 350gns Stobilee. 400gns(x2) Richhill and Dun Eidean.