A joint top price of 5000gns was achieved for both the Hackney and Ardstewart flocks at the Beltex Beauties sale of pedigree females at Carlisle.

The sale, which comprised entries from 10 noted flocks, saw the gimmer Ardstewart Disco Queen from Irish breeders, Wade and Alison McCrabbe, Raphoe, Lifford, Co Donegal, first to hit the 5000gns bracket when selling back across the Irish Sea with Matt Burleigh, Kinawley, Enniskillen.

Sired by a Iglo V/D Drie Musschen ram bought here for 5000gns from Stuart Wood in 2017, she is out of Ardstewart Alliance ET, an Ardstewart Mr Bow Jangles-sired ewe.

Her two full sisters made 4000gns and 3600gns with the former, Ardstewart Dicky Bird ET, selling to Miller Farms, Midmar, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, and the latter, Ardstewart Drizella ET, purchased by Messrs Mulholland, Great Orton, Carlisle, Cumbria.

Matching the 5000gns lead bid was the successful show and sale ring maternal line gimmer, Hackney Dior ET from Paul Tippetts, Lodgehill, Shifnal. She is a daughter of Topflite Al Pacino – bought from Grant and Gemma Anderson for 60,000gns – and out of Hackney Wow ET, by Scooby Doo. A full sister to Hackney Diamante, the female and reserve overall Beltex champion at the Royal Welsh in July, she was knocked down to Messrs Jerman, Brilley, Hereford.

Next best at 2000gns for Mr Tippetts was Hackney Diana ET, a daughter of Grangehall Beckham bred from Hackney Wat a Star, she sold to North Yorkshire with Messrs Beckwith, Gargrave.

Later in the day, Hackney bought the lead priced gimmer from Neale and Janet McQuistin, Low Airyolland Newton Stewart, at 3800gns. This was Airyolland Duchess ET, a Woodies Big Yin daughter bred from Airyolland Aphrodite ET, by Dooley Nepal.

The pen leader from the McQuistins, Airyolland Drifter, by Callacrag Crack-A Jack, made 2000gns to Paul Delves, Craven Arms, Powys.

Scottish breeders, Andrew Morton, Lochend, Denny and Graham Sinclair, Carnavel, Carsphairn, bought the second top priced lot at 4500gns, Buckles Designer ET from Kevin Buckle and sons Jack and Tom, Barras, Kirkby Stephen. Sired by Glantre Norris and bred from Woodies Natasha, she is a full sister to the 6800gns Woodies Rice Crispie and this year's Great Yorkshire's champion. She is also a half sister to the 7500gns Babybell.

Minutes earlier, Buckles Dipsy ET made 3200gns selling to Messrs Hall, Airton, Skipton, North Yorkshire. This gimmer is by the 10,000gns Woodies Big Yin and out of the national progeny show champion, Buckles Annie Power.

A substitute entry from the same home, and another bred from Annie Power, made 2000gns. This was Buckles Desirable ET, an Ardstewart Armani daughter purchased by Messrs Wood, Longridge Road, Dutton, Lancashire.

Aberdeenshire breeder, Stuart Wood, Woolhillock, Skene, wasn't far behind, taking 4200gns for the gimmer Woodies Woo, from Messrs Swinnerton, Lipley, Market Drayton, Shropshire. She is by Bailey Brook Chief, and out of an imported ewe that goes back to The Godfather, and has bred sons to 8000gns and daughters to 7500gns.

Mr Wood also produced the lead priced ewe lamb when Woodies Ewe Candy ET made 2400gns to the same buyers. Another by Bailey Brook, she is bred from an imported V/D Harlembois ewe that was first at the Royal Highland and champion at Echt.

Jock McMillan's Clary flock from Carse of Clary, Newton Stewart, also had a good day with sales at 3600gns and 3000gns. First was Clary Dam, a blue gimmer by the 3200gns Clary Cash sold in 2018 for 3200gns to the Woodwick flock, out of the Tercrosset Automatic daughter, Clary Beth. She headed north up to Nairn with Messrs Stephen and Co.

A full sister to the Royal Highland champion this year, Clary Dam ET, by Hackney Braveheart and out of Clary Bella. made 3000gns to Messrs Hall, Knowsley Park, Prescot, Merseyside.

Top price for Aberdeenshire breeders, Ross and Kirsty Williams' Upper Tullochbeg, Huntly, was 2300gns paid for Black Jack Double Punch ET, a Cothi Champ-sired gimmer out of Black Jack True Lies, by the Godfather. She sold down to Oxon, Thame, with Messrs Ludgate.

* The official show and sale of Beltex rams at Carlisle, saw Grant Maxwell, Faughhill, sell eight to average £1432.50 and not as previously reported.

averages

Ardstewart – 12 gimmers, £1110.66. Hackney – Seven gimmers, £1860. Airyolland – Nine gimmers, £1110.66.

Blackjack – Seven gimmers, £880.50. Buckles and Broxty – Five gimmers, £2436. Clary – Nine gimmers, £1269.33. Smart Ass – Five gimmers, £1165.50. Woodies – Seven gimmers, £1582.50.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.