By Kathryn Dick

Judge Glenn Baird backed his decision and bought the top three highest priced Bleu Du Maine gimmers at a society show and sale at Carlisle.

Mr Baird from Armagh, Northern Ireland, forked out the top price of 1200gns for the second prize gimmer from Percy Tait’s Perdi flock from Broughton Manor, Worcestershire, brought out by flockmaster Will Price. She is by Randalstown Nugget and out of a Greenside Lynn-sired dam.

He also bought his choice of champion, Maunby Radiance, from Stuart Goldie, Maunby, Thirsk, at 1000gns. This home-bred triplet-born gimmer on her first outing, is a daughter of a Perdi sire with the dam being sired by Maunby Discovery.

The final purchase by the judge was Jonathan Stables’ gimmer, Dunelm Resplendent, from Low Esh, Durham, at 650gns. She is out of a home-bred ewe and sired by Cysgod Look At Me.

Leading the males at 900gns was the shearling ram Wardhall Rambo, bred by Alan Mounsey, Aspatria, and consigned by M and R Harper, Maryport, Cumbria. Heading home with Messrs Hodge, Kirkfieldbank, Lanark, was a son of Perdi Nasty Patsy, out of a Cysgod Morris-sired ewe.

Northern Ireland breeder, Rosemary Hunter, Parkgate, Kells, Co Antrim, also received 900gns for her Artnagullion shearling ram which sold to Martin Kennedy, Aberfeldy, Perthshire. Out of a Langley-sired ewe, he is by Aviemore Playboy.

Topping the Millennium Bleu sale at a price of 1000gns was the yearling ram, Cargen Glen Ragnor, from Kerrie McDermid, Terregles, Dumfries. He is a son of an Artnagullion tup, out of a home-bred dam and was purchased by Messrs Smith, Beal, Berwick Upon Tweed.

* Top price at JW and KM Davison's Langley dispersal from Hexham, was 1850gns paid for the sole ram lamb, purchased by Messrs McCaughern, Ballymena, Co Antrim. He is a son of Maunby Butch and out a ewe by Winholme Nitro.

The same breeding was behind the lead priced ewe lamb at 1800gns, purchased by Messrs Millar, Kirkpatrick Fleming, Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire.

Third top price was 1200gns paid for an aged ewe which sold to Messrs Williamson, Grafton, Harrogate. She is also by Nitro, but out of a Maunby Kingpin-sired ewe.

Averages: Collective sale – BDM – 31 gimmers, £426.77 (-£104.89 for 10 less); 11 ewe lambs, £276.44 (-£28.64 for seven fewer); 23 shearling rams, £466.57 (+£44.74 for the same number); 17 ram lambs, £432.35 (-£2.77 for eight fewer). MBleus – 16 gimmers, £322.72 (-£27.55); 25 shearling rams, £574.14 (+£46.34 for five fewer).

Langley dispersal – Eight aged ewes, £609.00; eight gimmers, £509.25; seven ewe lambs, £1012.50. Fearn reduction – Seven aged ewes, £297.00; five gimmers, £369.60.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.